The ABC Dog Obedience Instructor Curriculum is structured to offer each student the convenience and cost of a Home Study dog obedience training program with the added benefit of working one-on-one with some of the most talented dog trainers in the industry.


ABC's comprehensive curriculum is 11 stages long and expands over 800 pages. The first stages of the curriculum give you a strong foundation of academic and theoretical knowledge about dogs. Once a strong foundation has been established, ABC students will be given the authorization to observe and participate in professional dog training sessions being taught by ABC Mentor Trainers. This is a priceless component of the curriculum, as you will have the opportunity to see the experts in action.

Curriculum Description by Stage

The maximum time allotted for each student in the ABC program is 60 weeks but students are encouraged to progress more quickly based upon their own efficiency and desire to do so.

Stage 1 - A BASIC STUDY OF CANINES - 7 Days (2.67 units)
This stage will provide you with basic knowledge about canines. It is important as a Dog Obedience Instructor to have an understanding of dog breed characteristics, developmental periods, proper socialization, basic health routines, disease prevention and canine communication. This will serve as a foundation of knowledge about normal canine behavior and ideal canine husbandry you can refer to as you counsel your clients. Having a clear understanding of normal canine behavior can help you clarify to your clients the difference between normal canine behavior occurring at inconvenient or inappropriate times and abnormal canine behavior. Being able to educate your clients on ideal canine husbandry can even help them prevent potential behavioral and health problems.
Click here for a sneak peek at Stage 1

Stage 2 -LEARNING THEORY - 14 Days (5.33 units)
This stage provides you with a strong understanding of the scientific principles of how animals learn. You will learn that animal training is most successful if it follows the basic principles of behavioral theory. This stage is designed to teach you these principles along with many specific training strategies, including, classical conditioning and operant conditioning. Included in this stage are step by step instructions explaining clicker training, a worldwide movement involving new ways to communicate positively with pets and other animals.

Stage 3 - A TRAINER'S TOOLBOX - 7 Days (3.33 units)
This stage is designed to introduce the student to many types of dog training tools. These include; clickers, collars, leashes, housetraining aids, chewing deterrents, interactive toys, and safety equipment. Students will learn that although the key component to a successful training program is a mutually committed relationship between a dog and dog owner; training tools will often expedite the training process.

Stage 4 - TRAINING BASICS - 7 Days (2.00 Units)
This stage begins by reviewing the history of dog training and the differences between obedience training, behavior modification and problem solving. This stage is packed with information that is designed to help you identify specific genetic behaviors and characteristics in dogs. This knowledge will be an invaluable tool when you begin training dogs on your own.

Stage 5 - HOW TO TEACH BASIC OBEDIENCE CUES - 28 Days (10.67 Units)
In this stage you will be given written and illustrated step-by-step instruction on how to teach basic obedience cues. These instructions will help you better serve your future clients, both two legged and four legged. The obedience cues covered include sit, stay, down, come, heel, loose leash walking, leave it, and fetch. A myriad of different training techniques are included, however, the bias is toward positive motivation. This stage also includes solutions to the most common challenges that you will encounter while teaching dogs and dog owners.

Stage 6 - THE ART OF EFFECTIVE PROBLEM SOLVING - 28 Days (10.67 units)
This stage is designed to teach the student how to effectively treat the most common behavioral problems in dogs, e.g. housebreaking, house manners, puppy nipping, chewing, digging, jumping, excessive barking, and begging. This stage further explains how to set up a treatment plan using positive reinforcement of alternate behaviors and management. As a professional dog trainer, your clients will ask you for solutions to a wide variety of behavior problems shown by their dogs. This stage will give you a library of solutions to offer along with the ability to convey these solutions in an effective and clear manner.

Stage 7 - SAFETY - 7 Days (2.00 units)
This stage teaches the students how to recognize the precursors of dog aggression, how to avoid it and handle such aggression. It will also discuss owner aggression and indicators of frustration in the owner when working with their dog. An instructor knowledgeable on how to take proper precautions will be able to conduct safe and stress free lessons with their clients. This goes a long way in creating a positive learning environment for all involved.

Stage 8 - PUBLIC SPEAKING & TEACHING GROUP CLASSES - 7 Days (2.67 units)
During the first portion of this stage you will be given information regarding public speaking and methods to use for conveying training lessons clearly and effectively to dog owners. During the second portion you will be given information on how to conduct group classes. It is important as a Dog Obedience Trainer to be able to effectively speak and motivate people. Since you are studying to become an instructor, the manner in which you speak and how you organize your instruction is crucial. This stage includes a variety of techniques used for communicating effectively to both individuals and groups, along with methods of improving basic people skills.

Stage 9 - BUSINESS BUILDING - 21 Days (8.00 units)
This stage was written by Mr. Steven Appelbaum. Mr. Appelbaum is the President of Animal Behavior College, Inc. (ABC) and was the owner and builder of the nation's largest independent dog training company, Animal Behavior & Training Associates, Inc. (ABTA) for over ten years. Mr. Appelbaum will share his journey and business building secrets, from hanging flyers up in grocery stores to procuring an exclusive agreement with Petco Animal Supplies to provide dog training services in over 500 Petco stores, nationwide. Included in this stage is the step by step instruction of how to create a business plan, how to create a budget, and how to successfully market a pet training business. Sample proposals, contracts and miscellaneous forms are also included. This stage will also provide students with the skills and information needed to work as an employee in the Pet Industry including resume writing, job-search skills, and interviewing techniques.

Stage 10 - SHELTER PRACTICUM & EXTERNSHIP - Up to 21 Weeks (1.33 units)
As you enter this stage of the program, you will become part of ABC’s international campaign to improve shelter dog rehabilitation and adoption. The campaign is called “Students Saving Lives” and was actualized from the personal quest of Ms. Debbie Kendrick, the Vice President of Animal Behavior College. As an ABC Student, you will be asked to volunteer a minimum of 10 hours at a local animal shelter, humane society, or rescue organization of your choice. This will give you a chance to practice everything you have learned thus far and prepare you for the upcoming hands on training with your Mentor Trainer. You will be practicing your timing using basic clicker training techniques, as well as, starting to build an excellent relationship with the organization of your choice. This will give you a head start on building your business in your community. This portion of the program is exciting for students as they are able to practice what they have learned while helping homeless dogs become better candidates for adoption.

The second portion of this stage is the Student Externship. During this portion, you will work with an ABC Mentor Trainer, observing and participating in the instruction of basic obedience cues, such as, sit, stay, come, down, heel, and loose leash walking. You will have a chance to work with individual dogs under the guidance and supervision of the Mentor Trainer. As a student, you will be applying the various training techniques just observed, as well as, the ones learned in the previous stages. The Mentor Trainer will evaluate you on your teaching performance providing suggestions, guidance, and constructive critique of your skills. Your hands on training will differ in structure and is based on the frequency of training sessions. The Student Externship varies from 7 to 21 weeks in length.

Stage 11 - Graduation - 14 Days (5.33 Units)
Stage 11 is graduation. During this stage you will be given a Final Exam to measure your overall performance. Once it is passed, you will receive a diploma certifying you as a graduate from the Animal Behavior College Obedience Instructor Training Program.

The Animal Behavior College (ABC) Obedience Instructor Training Program is designed to provide it’s students with the knowledge necessary to teach dog owners the skills required to humanely and effectively train their own dogs. The Animal Behavior College Obedience Instructor Training Program curriculum emphasizes the understanding of canine problems as well as solutions using techniques based on decades of experience. This same experience has taught us that while it is important to understand the motivations behind a dog's behavior, exceptional obedience instructors must have a myriad of behavioral solutions at their disposal. Finally, we have endeavored to provide students with the tools that will allow them to become an effective communicator and teacher.

Continuing Education Courses

ABC is also proud to provide supplementary Continuing Education Programs (CEPs) to graduates of our Dog Obedience Instructor Program. ABC’s vastly informative CEPs were created due to our ongoing efforts to ensure that our students receive the most comprehensive and well-rounded education possible well after graduation. Each CEP is jam-packed with remarkably valuable, up-to-date and relevant information that enhances the student’s knowledge in the field of dog training. Once students have become an ABC Certified Dog Trainer, they are provided with the exciting opportunity to gain additional information on how to train dogs being housed at a dog rescue or dog shelter. The CEPs are available for purchase at the time of enrollment, during the program, and at graduation.

Training Shelter Dogs
As an ABC Certified Dog Trainer, you will frequently encounter dogs temporarily residing in shelters and rescues due to owner relinquishment. This devastating situation calls for immediate attention, and for that reason, ABC has created a greatly informative Continuing Education Program (CEP) that will assist our graduates in helping homeless dogs to become more adoptable. This CEP consists of 250+ pages of material authored by Teoti Anderson, former president of the APDT, with contributions from Kelly Gorman-Dunbar and numerous members of the ABC staff. The wealth of information provided discuss everything from understanding the different kinds of shelters, how to approach them, identifying dogs for adoption and defensive handling, to temperament assessments, including some excellent information from the ASPCA MYM Safer Program. Furthermore, the Training Shelter Dogs CEP has been approved by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT) for 8 CEU credits!

Upon completion of this course, you will have a solid foundation of knowledge regarding the training and treatment of shelter dogs everywhere with specific attention to re-homing. You will also have the skills necessary for launching an animal shelter or dog rescue training program in which you can hold classes for dog owners and/or seminars to improve the knowledge of people in your community. As an ABC Certified Dog Trainer, you will strive to not only train shelter dogs, but to place them in permanent, loving homes. Every hour spent with a shelter dog makes a world of difference, and upon completion of the Training Shelter Dogs CEP, you will have the knowledge, skills, and drive to positively transform the lives of shelter dogs everywhere.

The Art of Selling and Teaching Private Lessons
Understanding how to expertly perform private dog training sessions is a crucial component of every professional dog trainer’s career. There are several reasons why learning how to offer quality private lessons is greatly beneficial to your training repertoire. Some clients are better served by one-on-one, individualized, personalized training rather than a group class atmosphere – perhaps the client’s schedule is especially hectic, her puppy is not of age to attend group classes, or her older dog’s shyness renders him uncomfortable when forced to interact with other dogs. Regardless of the particular client’s reason, there will always be a demand for private-lesson training.

This comprehensive Continuing Education Program (CEP), titled “The Art of Selling and Teaching Private Lessons,” is comprised of approximately 300 pages of highly-detailed, invaluable, critical information that every trainer should familiarize herself with in regards to conducting private lessons. Authored by Teoti Anderson, former president of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT), this CEP will ameliorate your knowledge of proper private-lesson training and will instruct you on such imperative topics as sales techniques and tips, understanding communication styles, the different types of private training, developing effective training plans, how to teach off-leash behaviors, and how to achieve client compliance in order to maximize the successfulness of your training. Additionally, the CEP covers advanced tips for marketing yourself and your business and includes essential information on liability protection, a necessity for every dog trainer.

Upon completion of this course, you will have the proficiency and aptitude necessary in order to offer and administer effective private lessons within a client’s home, at a local park or at your own facility. Your knowledge of how to obtain clientele and conduct efficient private lessons will assist you in growing your business and maximizing its potential as you will have the ability to offer a plethora of training services to your clients aside from group classes.

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