The course is open to those both with experience, and those without any experience at all, in the companion animal/training industry.

Participants will need a good level of literacy and IT ability and be self-motivated and disciplined.

Participants will need a reasonable level of fitness and be free of injuries or health conditions that might impede participation in practical assessments. If unsure, consultation with personal General Practitioner should be sought.

Individuals may choose to enrol in the course for their own education, but choose not to participate in practical aspects, or not complete assessments; in which case they will not be eligible for certification.

Participants will be conducting training with boarding dogs at Calabash Boarding Kennels and Cattery, located at 27 Calabash Road, Arcadia, NSW.

Our aim is to provide experience outside the participants’ current level of experience with dogs. We hope to have access to a range of breeds, sizes and temperaments of dogs.

It is preferable that participants own a dog/s for completion of various practical tasks and assessments, outside of practical sessions. Participants are welcome to bring their dog/s to practical sessions but it is not necessary for their dog/s to attend.

Dogs attending Calabash must have a C5 Vaccination Certificate, be free of parasites and will be charged a discounted daily fee.

Those participants who do not have a dog/s in their home suitable for practical tasks, will need to source suitable dog/s for such purposes. Suggestions for sourcing suitable dogs include: neighbours, friends, relatives, colleagues, Facebook post, wanted ad in local paper, sign at local off-lead parks, vets, grooming salons, doggy day-care centres, dog welfare groups.

Participants will be provided course materials through our online portal.  In addition, participants are required to purchase and read: Excel-erated Learning by Pamela J Reid; The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson; Dogs by Raymond and Lorna Coppinger; Dog Language by Roger Abrantes; and How to Train Your Dog by Jen and Ryan Tate.

Learning platform materials will include recordings, power-point presentations, session support notes, links to various applicable footage, various print resources, quizzes and assessment documents. This portion of the course is self-delivered by the individual participants – it will require a good level of self-motivation and discipline.

Subjects 1 – 12 (see Programme) must be completed prior to attendance at the practical days.

Remaining subjects should be completed before the second set of practical days.

A minimum of 60 hours will be required to complete the course materials online and required reading.

Additional personal research is also required.

Refunds, full or partial, will not be considered once access to course materials has been provided.

Participants will be conducting training with boarding dogs at Calabash Kennels (Calabash Boarding Kennel and Cattery, 27 Calabash Road, Arcadia).

Our aim is to provide experience outside the participants’ current level of experience with dogs. We hope to have access to a range of breeds, sizes and temperaments of dogs.

It is preferable that participants own a dog/s for completion of various practical tasks, at home, outside of practical sessions.

Participants are welcome to bring their dog/s to practical sessions but it is not necessary for their dog/s to attend. Dogs attending Calabash must have a C5 Vaccination Certificate, be free of parasites and will be charged a discounted daily fee, if boarding or daycare is required.  

Those participants who do not have a dog/s in their home for practical tasks, will need to source suitable dog/s for such purposes. Suggestions for sourcing suitable dogs include: neighbours, friends, relatives, colleagues, Facebook post, wanted ad in local paper, sign at local off-lead parks, vets, grooming salons, doggy day-care centres, dog welfare groups. Please note that your own dog may not be appropriate for all practical assessment purposes.

For example: Assessment 4 – Retrieve. In this assessment you will be required to demonstrate that the dog used for the assessment has not been trained previously to retrieve; or has an existing natural retrieve.

There will be ten practical days in total, conducted in two sets of five days each.

Participants must attend every practical day in entirety, to be eligible to receive certificate on completion.

Specific dates for practical days will be provided at time of enrolment.

Once enrolled, requests for deferment to later practical dates, for any reason, will incur a fee.  Deferment of practical training dates will only be allowed on one occasion.  Inability to attend practical dates thereafter will result in forfeiture of fees paid.  

Participants must wear freshly laundered, neat and tidy clothing that will comply with WH&S standards.

There will not be time to attend local shops during the practical days. Participants will need to bring their own lunch, cold drinks and snacks. Coffee and tea facilities will be available.

Enrolment fee is $4235 (including GST) which can be paid by credit card or Paypal. Further details will be provided once application is received. Tax Invoice/Receipt issued on request.

Deposit of $900 will hold a place in an upcoming scheduled course class, with the remaining balance due 18 weeks before the first practical training date. If the balance of course fees are not received by the due date, the deposit is forfeited and the position offered to the next person on the waiting list.

Cancellation of enrolment and refund of deposit is available up until the due date of full course fees.

Changing or deferring of practical training dates is problematic as we have based our financial structure on having ten participants in each practical session.

We have aimed to conduct practical classes of ten participants only to ensure a good learning experience for all.

We hope you understand that requests to change or defer practical dates will incur fee/s: Request to defer either set of practical dates (five days):

• If a replacement can be found for the cancelled practical days, a fee of $440 (inc GST) will be applicable in order to transfer to later practical days.
• If a replacement cannot be found for the cancelled practical days, a fee of $1980 (inc GST) will be applicable in order to defer to later practical days.
• Deferment of practical training dates will be allowed once only.  Further inability to attend enrolled dates will result in forfeiture of fees paid and certification cannot be attained without full re-enrolment in a future class.
• Non-attendance or cancellation, without attendance at a later date, does not incur a fee. A refund will not apply.
• All practical days must be attended in their entirety to gain eligibility for certification.

Attending missed day/s due to illness, injury, etc, with a later group will be dependent on availability and will incur a fee of $440 (inc GST) per day.

Requests for assessment of practical assessments outside of allocated practical days will be dependent on availability of assessor and will incur a fee of $440 (inc GST). 

Refunds for cancellation of enrolment in the course will not be considered after access to the course materials has been provided. No refunds will be given.

Participants will be eligible to receive certification from Austins’ Dog Training Education (Steve and Vicki Austin) when all course requirements have been met within 16 weeks of Day 10 practical.

Due to the generous timeframe allowed for completion of course requirements, extensions will not be granted without extenuating circumstances being proven and will be at the discretion of Steve and Vicki Austin.

Course requirements:
• Viewed/completed all subject matter and quizzes .
• Attended all ten practical days in their entirety.
• Completed required reading: Excel-erated Learning by Pamela J Reid; The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson; Dogs by Raymond and Lorna Coppinger; Dog Language by Roger Abrantes; and How to Train Your Dog by Jen and Ryan Tate.
• Achieved a minimum score of 90% in the written assessment. • Achieved competency in all practical assessments.

01. Course Introduction

02. Animal Welfare

03. Workplace Health & Safety (WH&S)

04. Science of Learning and Behaviour – Part 1 Habituation

05. Science of Learning and Behaviour – Part 2 Pavlovian/Classical Conditioning

06. Science of Learning and Behaviour – Part 3 Operant Conditioning

Live Webinar – Vicki Austin Q & A – Science of Learning, Parts 1, 2 & 3

07. Steve’s “Motivating Miracles”

08. Scent Detection and Canines for Conservation

Live Webinar – Steve Austin Q & A – Motivating Miracles and Scent Detection

09. Dog Breeds and Groups

10. Dog Behaviour and Body Language

11. The Importance of Play

12. The Luring Technique – Part 1

13. Day 1 Practical: Introductions, Working in a kennel environment: Procedures, record keeping, WH&S Identifying individual dogs by location, kennel card and microchip reading 
Applying the NSW Companion Animal Act 1998 WH&S Activity Observation of canine body language and social cues, Initial assessment of dogs from outside enclosures, Introducing yourself to a dog, Correct fitting of flat collar and lead, Assessment of the dog on lead, General handling of the dog, Physical examination of the dog, Creating learning readiness, Loose-lead walking.

  14. Day 2 Practical: The Luring Technique – Part 2
• Sit and stare
• Recall
• Drop – teaching phase

15. Day 3 Practical: Establish clicker association, Hand Target, Free Shaping – Thinking Game, Practice luring exercises: sit and stare, recall and drop, Leave-it exercise

16. Day 4 Practical: Luring – Part 3 • Progress drop (teaching to training phase)
• Stand
• Stay
Commence class instruction skills 

17. Day 5 Practical: Techniques for shaping behaviour:
• Go to place
• Introduction to scent association
• Retrieve
• Discussion of forced retrieve Correct fitting of check chains

18. Science of Learning and Behaviour – Part 4 Aversive techniques

19. Science of Learning and Behaviour – Part 5 Premack Principle, Chaining, Conditioned Inhibition

20. Treating Fears, Phobias and Anxiety

21. Treating Aggression: Aggression Directed Towards Dogs, Aggression Directed Towards People, Resource Guarding

22. Puppy Raising: Sensitive phases, Socialisation, Environmental Conditioning, Development of Independence and Resilience, De-sexing

23. Problem Behaviour Part 1 – Digging, destructive behaviours, barking, jumping up, hyper-excitement

24. Problem Behaviour – Part 2 Eliminative Behaviour, Appetitive Problems, Toilet Training

25. Day 6 Practical: Review progression of practical assessments, Class instruction progression 

26. Day 7 Practical: Habituation, desensitisation and counter-conditioning
• Head-halters
• Sound Proof Puppy app 

Day 8 Practical: Practical assessments:
• Equipment
• Ass 2 - Teaching Phase of Basic Life Skills, Training with long lines

Day 9 Practical: Class instruction progression Competition obedience

29. Day 10 Practical: Class Instruction assessment Finalise all practical assessments