PROGRESSIVE DOG TRAINER DIPLOMA
Next course to start 7 February 2027.
Progressive Dog Trainer Diploma is your essential introduction to the art and science of dog training. This course lays the groundwork by immersing you in fundamental theories, practical techniques, and behavioural insights that enable you to understand and communicate with dogs effectively. You will acquire a well-rounded skill set, covering everything from basic obedience to positive reinforcement methods, ensuring that you are equipped to build a trusting relationship with your canine clients. Designed for those beginning their journey in dog training, this programme provides a clear, structured learning path that paves the way for future specialisation. By the end of the course, you will not only have mastered the basics but will also be prepared to tackle more advanced challenges with confidence and expertise.
Course Requirements:
- Some practical experience with dogs.
- A dog to work with.
- Commitment to sessions over 3 months (see dates and times below)
- Time to read subject-specific literature and prepare assignments.
- Technology Requirements: Windows 7-10 or Mac OS X, Internet connection (broadband or wireless 3G/4G/LTE), speakers and microphone, webcam or built-in camera.
This course attains 27 Credit hours.
Course Modules
2. Understanding Canine Behaviour
- Introduction to developmental psychology
- The newborn puppy
- Associative learning in the newborn puppy
- Reflex actions
- Initial development in the newborn puppy
- The puppy’s vision
- The puppy’s hearing
- Lapping behaviour
- Early experiences with semi-solid foods
- The Nature/Nurture debate
- The behaviour of the mother
- Natural selection
- Elimination behaviour in the newborn puppy
- The behaviour of the father
- The importance of play in the newborn puppy
- Why do puppies play
- The play bow
- The role of hormones
- Social development
- Canine senses
- Artificial selection
- What is an adult dog?
- Sexual maturity
- Physical maturity
- Psychological maturity
- The dog as a predator
- Instincts
- Types of aggressive behaviour
- The dog as a social animal
- The structure of a pack
- Personality expression
- Vocalisation
- Posture
- Scent marking
- Burying food
- The elderly dog
3. Body language
- What is meant by body language?
- Personal space
- Various types of body language
- Faces and their expressions
- What the mouth can convey
- Staring
- Yawning
- Body postures
- The confident dog
- The shy dog
- Distraction signals
- The stress signal
- Play
- The play bow and play dance
- The older dog and play
- Tail language
- Positions of the tail
- Wagging
4. Canine Learning
- Charles Darwin’s biological adaptations
- The nature verses nurture debate of learning
- Environmental influences on behaviour
- Canine learning
- The parental influences on learning
- Critical and sensitive periods of the puppy’s development
- Classical conditioning
- Chaining
- Instrumental or operant conditioning
- Reward and punishment in learning
- Reinforcers and punishment in learning
- Primary and secondary reinforcers
- Reinforcement schedules
- Shaping behaviour
- Sensitisation
- Cultural transmission
- The importance of play
- Insight learning
- Habituation
5. Dog Training
- Why train dogs?
- The senses and training
- Schedules of reinforcement
- Primary and secondary reinforcers revisited
- Choice of primary reinforce
- Benefits of using positive reinforcement
- Putting the theory into practice
- Basic training of house training, the recall, the sit, sit/stand, down, watch and progressing
to heel with problems and solutions. Impulse
control, prevention of aggression over food and
toys, leash management. Leave-it, take-it, give-it. - Puppy socialisation
- Running classes
- The advantages and disadvantages of using Clicker Training
- Summary of training principles
- Trainer skills
6. Canine Form and Function
- Understanding what form and function are
- Canine sight
- Canine hearing
- Canine olfaction
- Canine taste
- Canine touch
- How different breeds originated
- The difference between natural selection and artificial selection
- Hound Group
- Terrier Group
- Gundog Group
- Utility Group
- Toy Group
- Working Group
- Pastoral Group
7. Avoiding Problem Behaviour
- The thinking behind this module is to equip
students with the ability to provide dogs with
the required social environment to avoid common
8. Defining Aggression
- Introduction to canine aggression
- Defining aggression in human terms
- Social communication
- Can aggression be thought of as a natural and/or beneficial behaviour?
- Selective breeding and its influence on behaviour
- Nature /Nurture Debate
- Group dynamics
- Social behaviour
- The dog’s expressive body language
- The need for understanding body language
- Stress levels contributing to aggression
- Calming signals and displacement behaviour
- Are there any circumstances where aggression is appropriate?
| Course Details: | |||
| Venue: | Dates: | Times: | Address: |
| Cape Town |
February (live webinar): Saturday: 7,14 and 21 March (in-person lessons) Saturday: 7,14 and 21 April: Saturday: 4,11 (live webinar) Saturday: 18 and 25 (in-person lessons)
|
Saturday 2- 4 or 5pm
|
Vista Nova Highschool, Loerie Ave, Pinelands, Cape Town, 7405 Webinar: Online |
| Johannesburg |
February (live webinar): Saturday: 7,14 and 21 March (in-person lessons) Saturday: 7,14 and 21 April: Saturday: 4,11 (live webinar) Saturday: 18 and 25 (in-person lessons)
|
Saturday 8:30-11am (in-person lessons)
|
In-person lessons: Mutt Club, 5 Bloemfontein street, Founders Hill, Modderfontein, Edenvale,1645 Webinar: Online |
|
Virtual – Online Only |
February: Saturday: 7,14 and 21 March: Saturday: 7,14 and 21 April: Saturday: 4,11
|
Saturday
2- 4 or 5pm
|
Webinar: Live online only |
8-Module Course – Intensive Study Over 3 Months
Course Structure:
- Assessment: Students will be evaluated through weekly assignments, 2 projects, and a practical obedience exam at the end of the course.
- Completion Criteria: Every module and the practical exam must be passed to earn the diploma. Strict attendance is required for qualification.
- Commitment: Students should allocate 4-6 hours per week for assignments and projects.
Fees:
R9 600
Payment Options:
Upfront Payment: Pay for the entire course upfront (includes booking fee)
or
Instalment options:
R1000 non-refundable booking fee required upfront to confirm registration.
R2870 due by 1 March 2027
R2870 due by 1 April 2027
R2870 due by 1 Feb 2027
Ready to Become a Dog Trainer?
This course requires a short registration process — enquire below and we'll send you the correct Progressive Dog Trainer Diploma registration form and current class schedule.
✉️ Enquire About This Course 📞 Call Us: +27 83 407 1316Note: this course uses a dedicated registration form — please enquire above rather than using the general website registration form.
Some comments from our students.
Good day!
Thank you sooooo much! It honestly wouldn’t have been possible without your help, guidance, and support. You were an absolutely amazing facilitator, and I’m so grateful for everything you taught us.
I’m definitely going to miss our Saturday classes!
Hope you have an amazing week ahead, and thank you once again for everything!
Kind regards,
Natasha 12 August ’26
Dear Charmaine,
Thank you so much for your feedback on the practical assessment!
I have truly learnt so much over the past couple of months, and I am incredibly grateful for the experience.
Once again, thank you for all the time, patience, and compassion you have put into the course. The knowledge and information I have gained have been absolutely invaluable, and I genuinely had a superb time completing the course.
I am excited to see where this new journey takes me, and I look forward to putting everything I have learnt into practice!
Many thanks,
Dominique 12 August ’26
Casey was a great teacher! She was, patient and corrected students in a very kind manner, never saying they did anything wrong but rather what they could rather do and why! Thank you Casey for sharing your knowledge and stories to help us better understand the content! July 24
I really enjoyed this course. I learned A LOT that I didn’t know before. Through practical classes & the internship, I’ve learned how to apply the knowledge gained to everyday life with mine & my clients dogs’. Being a pet sitter & working with dogs every day, the knowledge gained through the PDT course as well as the additional knowledge gained through the internship was absolutely essential for me. Celia is very patient & sincerely understanding as well as insightful & the lessons were informative as well as fun. Thank you. 🙂 Nov 2019
Thanks Charmaine for being such a great teacher, and Pet Sense for providing such a comprehensive introductory course. I look forward to getting started in the industry and shaping a better dog culture in my neck of the woods. 12 August ’26
I am very glad I signed up for this course. I now understand how important it is to understand dog body language and their psychology to run my dog school. I learned how to do the exercises so that mistakes aren’t made and I don’t think one realises how important it is to make sure you are perfect in your training skills to ensure the dog and the owner learns the best way. Thank you for running this amazing course. March 2021
It was truly enriching and insightful. I learned alot about Canine behaviour and gained valuable insight for managing various behaviours in a dog school environment. The facilitator was exceptional; her explanations were succint yet comprehensive, both in theory and during in-person classes. She always made time to delve into certain topics, which enhanced my understanding significantly. Moreover, I found the content to be sufficient and well-structed, facilitating a smooth flow of learning throughout the course. Overall it was a fantastic experience and I’m grateful for the opportunity to have been part of it. April 2024
