OCN Accredited Courses

Are you interesting in learning more about dog behaviour and training? Or thinking of changing career to work with dogs?

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OCN Accredited Classes

Are you interesting in learning more about dog behaviour and training? Or thinking of changing career to work with dogs? If you are interested in becoming a trainer but want to make sure are investing in a course that is accredited, check out the classes, we run on behalf of Open College Network NI (OCN).

The OCN NI is a regulated Awarding Organisation based in Northern Ireland. OCN NI is regulated by CCEA Regulation in Northern Ireland to develop and award professional and technical (vocational) qualifications from Entry Level up to and including Level 5 across all sector areas.  OCN NI is also regulated by Ofqual to award similar qualification types in England.

I Robin Bates and Sandra Gilliland have many years of experience and education behind us, we decided to use our knowledge to bring an accredited qualification to Northern Ireland. As accredited trainers now, we run 3 courses at regular intervals throughout the year which can give you an accredited qualification with an endorsed course certificate afterward:

  1. Principles of Dog Training & Behaviour

  2. Practical Dog Handling

  3. Canine training and Canine trainer Skills

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Principles of Dog Training & Behaviour

The Principles of Dog Training & Behaviour course is accredited through the Open College Network Northern Ireland to level 3 standard and runs for 10 weeks.

 It will help you if you work in the dog industry as a pet minder, dog walker, sanctuary worker, kennel assistant, groomer, vet nurse. Or if you are simply considering a career change and interested in working with dogs, or just to further your own education and interest in the dog world.

We normally run the course twice a year (January -March) and (September-November) on a Sunday afternoon

Our next course begins Sunday 11th September and will run until 27th November 2022 (no classes Sunday 9th nor 30th October )at the Mid Antrim Animal Sanctuary. Please email us to find out more details robin@robinbatesdogtraining.com

At the course you will learn about:

  • The development of the domestic dog

  • Proven scientific dog training methods

  • Canine body language and calming signals

  • Dog behaviour problems and how to deal with them.

Two of the classes will be held at an outdoor dog training area to teach some practical aspects of the course where you will get the chance to hone your training skills with dogs.

Our latest course ran January-March 2022 at the Mid Antrim Animal Sanctuary.

If you are interested in finding out more about future courses please contact us via the Contact Form

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2. Practical Dog Handling

This course is accredited by the Open College Network NI to level 1 standard and runs for 4 weeks.

We work with the rescue dogs at Mid Antrim Animal Sanctuary and it will help you get some practical experience working with rescue dogs and learning all about training using reward-based methods.

This 4-week course runs on a Wednesday evening 5-7pm at Mid Antrim Animal Sanctuary.

August - 10th, 17th, 24th and 31st.

Please register via the button below

At the course you will learn:

  • How to understand dog body language and how dogs learn

  • Practical dog handling and training skills working with rescue dogs using reward-based methods

  • Information on how to work safely with unknown dogs.

This course has proved popular with students going forward to pursue their goals of working in the dog industry in some capacity.

If have any questions please contact us via the Contact Form or go ahead and book your preferred date on the button below.

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August course:

 3. Canine training and Canine trainer Skills

This course is accredited by the Open College Network NI to level 3 standard and will be full or half days over a designated period. 

If you have always wanted to run your own business and be a successful dog trainer, this course is designed to give you all the information you need to run you own classes and your own business. This course is designed to train trainers to a high standard to represent the Dog Training NI/ (Robin Bates Dog Training) Limited franchise of which I Robin Bates am the Franchise Owner.

Check out the "Become A Trainer" opportunities by clicking the button below

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