Certificate in Canine Handling & Understanding Communication Signals
Develop your canine handling skills and learn how to recognise and read canine communication signals accurately.
This veterinary approved and externally accredited online course has been written and designed by a qualified registered veterinary nurse and clinical animal behaviourist. It has been designed for pet professionals, fulfilling Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements.
It is a suitable foundation for anyone who wants to understand handling techniques and wishes to have a better understanding of canine body language.
The course is made up of multiple learning processes, such as written content, webinars, downloadable resources, suggested tasks, recommended reading and references. There are no exams, but to obtain your certificate you must answer some multiple choice questions.
Course aims:
- To have a solid understanding of canine communication methods.
- To be able to recognise canine signalling in order to carry out a basic assessment of the dog’s intent and take the necessary steps to work safely.
- Understand how to approach and handle dogs using safe and appropriate techniques.
- To feel more confident in applying the principles of canine handling and restraint.
- To have an appreciation of canine welfare and be familiar with some of the relevant legislation that protects them.
- See full course curriculum below.
Course features:
- Written with the benefit of practical veterinary and canine behaviour experience.
- Information and content based on safe working practices
- Easy-to-digest lessons give you the flexibility to learn at home at your own pace.
- Includes recorded webinars, which are slides presented with a voiceover.
- Includes a comprehensive list of references and related research.
- Tutor and technical support available.
- Lifetime access to dip in and out of the course whenever you need to refresh your knowledge.
- CPD Certificate of completion.
- CPD Transcript for prospective employers.
- CPD Reflection for professional portfolio and CPD log.
- Works on computers, tablets & smartphones.
Suitable for:
- Dog wardens
- Community officers
- RSCPA inspectors
- Rescue centre workers
- Pet professionals
- Working/volunteering on trap and neuter programmes
- Animal behaviourists
- Veterinary Nurses
- Vets
This course includes:
- 6 modules
Before you enrol:
This course includes videos with English subtitles. We design our courses to work with the way you learn — not against it. Whether you are neurodivergent, have a sensory or physical difference, or simply prefer flexible ways to study, the features below are here to support you.
- Reading Ruler: Highlights one line at a time to help maintain focus. Toggle it on/off from the toolbar at the top of each lesson.
- Table of Contents: Longer topics display a Contents button in the toolbar for quick navigation between sections.
- Dark Mode: Reduces eye strain in low-light environments. Toggle it from the sidebar panel (top-right icons).
- Reading Time: Each topic shows an estimated reading time in the toolbar so you can plan your study sessions.
- Auto-Generated Subtitles: Available on all of our videos (approximately 95% accurate). Enable them using the CC button in the video player.
- Video Transcripts: Text versions of video content with timestamps, allowing you to follow along or revisit specific sections.
- Adjustable Playback: Video quality adjusts automatically based on your connection. Use the gear icon for manual control, or adjust playback speed to suit your pace.
- Feature Boxes: Key information is presented in visually distinct boxes, helping break down content and improve focus for neurodivergent learners or those with reading difficulties.
- Colour Contrast: Our course materials use high-contrast colour schemes to aid readability, particularly for learners with colour blindness or visual impairments.
- Downloadable Resources: Slides and supporting materials accompany webinars, enabling you to take notes and refer back at your own pace.
About the instructor:
Course curriculum:
-
Course Overview & Canine Communication Signals
- Welcome
- Introduction and Course Outline
- Animal Welfare and Relevant Legislation
- Recognising Canine Body Postures: Auditory & Visual Communication
- Understanding Canine Communication Signals (Webinar)
- Module 1: Multiple Choice Questions Quiz
-
Handling and Restraining Dogs Safely
- Equipment, Protective Clothing, Leads & Graspers
- Muzzles, Food & PPE
- How to Approach and Handle Unfamiliar Dogs Safely
- Approaching a Dog in a Kennel
- Troubleshooting: What To Do When Things Go Wrong
- Lifting and Carrying Dogs Safely
- Handling and Restraining
- Module 2: Multiple Choice Questions Quiz
-
Understanding Canine Fear & Aggression
- Recognising and Responding to Canine Body-language in the Workplace
- The Environment
- Human Stress and How it Affects Dogs
- Dealing with an Aggressive Dog
- Module 3: Multiple Choice Questions Quiz
-
Transporting Dogs Safely, Hygiene and Disease Control
- Transporting Dogs Safely
- Correct Handwashing Techniques & Cleaning Protocols
- Module 4: Multiple Choice Questions Quiz
-
Final Visual Assessment
- Final Visual Assessment
- Answers
Student reviews:
- Students gained real confidence in reading dogs' body language and handling them safely in their daily work.
- Reviewers appreciated the mix of videos, diagrams, and written content that made learning engaging and easy to understand.
- Learners applied practical skills immediately to their jobs—from dog walking to kennel work to their own pets.
- Students valued flexible, self-paced learning they could fit around their schedules without feeling rushed or overwhelmed.
Based on 54 published student reviews across all star ratings for this course.
The course was comprehensive and highly informative. It provided a strong foundation in understanding canine behaviour and effective, humane training methods.
The dog handling and behaviour course offers a well-structured and comprehensive learning experience, providing valuable insights into canine communication and effective training techniques. The content is evidence-based, emphasizing positive reinforcement, which promotes ethical and humane approaches to behaviour modification. The course balances theory with practical application, making it accessible for both beginners and experienced handlers.
Areas for improvement could include adding more interactive elements or case studies for real-world problem-solving. Overall, this course is highly recommended for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of dog behaviour and improve their handling skills in a compassionate and informed manner.
Very informative and was greatly surprised as I have been around dogs all my life
I have been around dogs for a great part of my life, including my own pet dog and in my previous role working dogs. However I really felt that I did learn a lot doing this course and things that I will use in the future throughout my role and with my own very nervous dog.
Concise and easy to understand
Course contents were well presented with plenty of visual aids, adequate time was taken on explaining each part and plenty of relevant organisations were displayed with useful contents, and further information that can be researched.
Nice and easy to follow steps and links
Nothing to improve
Smooth, Educational, easy to understand
I found the structure of the course to be really well laid out, making note-taking straightforward and effective. The webinar videos on body language were especially helpful — I would have appreciated more of these, as they really brought the content to life. I did feel that the section on handling aggressive dogs could have gone a bit deeper; from a dog handler’s perspective, I was hoping for more practical options beyond gaining height or curling up in a ball, so I had to do some of my own research there. That said, every topic covered was insightful and useful. I’ve already made several adjustments to my business plan based on what I learned — particularly around safe transportation, trigger stacking, environmental factors, and how to read a dog’s auditory and physical signals.
Fantastic course about canine behavior and handling.
Fantastic course about canine behavior and handling.
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