Canine Care, Behaviour & Welfare Ofqual Level 3 Award (4 instalments)
This course is regulated and the qualification is officially recognised by the Governments’ Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation.
Qualification – Approval Number: 603/4536/6
This Qualification meets the requirements of Defra and the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018
Whether you’re building your dog care knowledge or meeting the ‘Higher Standard’ qualification criteria under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, this course ticks the box.
When you have completed the course and passed the assessment, you will receive a Level 3 Award in Canine Care, Behaviour and Welfare certificate from Open Course Network West Midlands.
*From 1st October 2018, it became a Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) requirement for those wishing to run a licensed establishment that the licence holder or a designated manager and any staff employed to care for the animals must have competence to identify the normal behaviour of the species for which they are caring and to recognise signs of, and take appropriate measures to mitigate or prevent, pain, suffering, injury, disease or abnormal behaviour.
Guidance includes suitable and sufficient training of people responsible for the care of the animals must be demonstrated to have been carried out in the following areas:
- Dog welfare, including recognising poor welfare and understanding the 5 welfare needs;
- Dog handling;
- Dog behaviour;
- Cleanliness and hygiene;
- Feeding and food preparation;
- Disease control
- Recognition and first aid treatment of sick animals.
Training must be a minimum of an OFQUAL regulated level 2 qualification in a relevant subject, or clear evidence of knowledge and experience.
To meet the “Higher Standard”, a person responsible for the care of the dogs requires a relevant OFQUAL regulated Level 3 qualification and must be present during the working day.
Who is it For?
- Breeder
- Commercial boarder
- Home boarder
- Day carer
- Dog walker
- Trainer/behaviourist
- Dog groomer
- Pet sitter
You do not need any prior knowledge or qualifications to study this qualification
Course Time
What You Will Learn
This qualification has been designed to provide learners with the knowledge, understanding and skills to be able to work in the field of canine care providing kennelling, home or day care for canines of all breeds and sizes. Learners will understand the basics of canine behaviour including stress and aggression and will be able to provide care, including environmental enrichment for canines in their care.
The course
The course consists of two units:-
- Unit 1: Canine Behaviour
Learners will understand canine body language and know about common canine behavioural issues. They will understand how stress can escalate into aggression and the common signs and causes of stress and aggression in canines.
- Unit 2: Care of Dogs in Kennels, Day Care and Home Boarding
Learners will understand the causes of common canine diseases and will understand their transmission and prevention in kennel settings. They will know about the welfare and appropriate feeding of canines in kennel and other care settings and will know about safe exit and entry to kennel facilities. Learners will know about essential PPE for canine handling. Learners will know the importance of environmental stimulation in kennels and other canine care settings and will recognise safe canine play. Learners will know how to safely manage dogs in home and day care environments.
- common canine body language signs and signals
- terms used to describe a range of emotional states in canines
- how to assess canines from their body language
- common canine behavioural issues
- methods used to modify canine behaviour
- how to work with common canine behavioural problems
- potential causes of canine stress
- signs of stress in canines
- potential causes of aggression in canines
- the signs of aggression in canines
- how stress can lead to aggressive behaviour in canines
- the ladder of aggression in canines
- the causes of canine diseases
- methods of disease prevention.
- how a range of canine diseases are transmitted
- risk assessments for the prevention of disease transmission in canines.
- the welfare of canines in Kennels, Day Care and Home Boarding settings
- potential welfare issues in Kennels, Day Care and Home Boarding settings
- feeding of canines Kennels, Day Care and Home Boarding settings
- how welfare issues can be prevented in Kennels, Day Care and Home Boarding settings
- feeding requirements for canines Kennels, Day Care and Home Boarding
- common eating and dietary issues in canines
- techniques for dealing with eating and dietary issues in canines in Kennels, Day Care and Home Boarding
- different ways to enter dog enclosures
- different ways to exit dog enclosures
- potential problems with exit and entry to dog enclosures
- essential Personal Protection Equipment for canine handling
- the importance of Personal Protection Equipment for canine handling
- ways to provide environmental enrichment in Kennels, Day Care and Home Boarding settings
- the impact of correct environmental stimulation in Kennels, Day Care and Home Boarding settings
- safe and unsafe play in canines
- safe management of canine interactions
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes.
What form does the learning take?
Learning is provided by online video seminars and self-study from our list of learning resources.
You have access to an online tutor and you get live and recorded seminars, as well as flashcards, quizzes, podcasts, a research and self-study list, together with workbooks and a question and answer books for each unit.
You’ll need access to half decent Internet and email. The course is a blend of different learning content and styles.
How will I be assessed?
At the end of the course, Learners are assessed in two formats:-
- Multiple (questions and) ‘Answers’
- Short ‘questions’ requiring you to use the self-study resources and video seminar resources, so that you can describe/explain/evaluate (as required), answering the ‘questions’ with short ‘essay’ answers providing supporting references (if appropriate)
How long do I have to complete my course?
From two to 6 months.
We recognise that some people are in full time employment with busy family lives and preparing for a new future.
Others are very likely already dog professionals who have dog needs and customer demands to meet, before you wash off all the mud, do the household stuff, put their feet up and start thinking about studying. Covid permitting!
We have to have a finite timeline, to keep everybody focused. But if you can complete and pass your course in 2 to 3 months, Brilliant!
Does this course meet the DEFRA Ofqual requirements?
Yes.
Successful candidates will receive the following:
Ofqual Level 3 Award in Canine Care, Behaviour and Welfare
Qualification Number: 603/4536/6
The certificate will come from the Ofqual nationally authorised organisation, Open College Network West Midlands who are our examining body.
We should stress you only get the certificate if you pass the accredited assessment(s), but if you want to check the core qualification exists, you can check it on the Ofqual list of regulated qualifications.
https://register.ofqual.gov.uk/Detail/Index/1379?category=organisations&query=Open%20Network
And the approved qualification number is 603/4536/6
Do come back to us with any more questions.