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Courses for you

Communication Workshop

This 4-hour seminar is designed to give you real, practical skills you can immediately apply when working or living with dogs. You’ll learn how to truly understand what dogs are communicating and how to respond with confidence.

Whether you work with dogs professionally or simply want to become a more knowledgeable, responsible owner, this workshop will transform how you see canine behaviour.

Perfect for:
Dog walkers, daycare staff, shelter and rescue workers or volunteers, groomers, pet owners, parents, and anyone managing nervous, reactive, or resource-guarding dogs.

What you’ll gain:

  • A deeper understanding of canine communication
  • The ability to accurately read body language
  • Confidence interpreting play and social interactions
  • Skills to recognise and manage stress signals
  • Insight into a dog’s emotional state
  • Awareness of how your own body language impacts dogs
  • Safe, practical techniques for approaching nervous, fearful, or aggressive dogs

Important details:

  • Duration: 4 hours
  • Location: NSPCA, Rathfarnham
  • Minimum age: 17
  • All bookings are non-refundable
Topics Covered:
  • Canine Communication
  • Reading canine body language
  • Interpretations play-styles
  • Monitoring stress
  • Identifying the dog’s emotional state
  • The importance of human body language
  • How to approach a nervous / fearful or aggressive dog

Locations, Dates and Booking

Saturday 25th November 2025, 12.30PM – 4.30PM

NSPCA, Mount Venus Road, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16

Dog Trainer Course

Canine Behaviour & Training Course

Turn your passion for dogs into the first step toward a career working with them.

This 16-week introductory course gives you a solid foundation in canine behaviour, learning theory, and humane dog training methods, combining engaging theory with guided practical sessions.

As part of the course, students will also receive a Pet First Aid Certificate, an essential qualification for anyone working with animals.

You’ll explore how dogs think, learn, and communicate. From domestication and breed differences to behaviour models and common challenges, all while developing practical training skills.

Ideal for anyone considering a future in dog training, animal care, or canine behaviour, this course helps you decide if a professional path with dogs is right for you and prepares you for further hands-on training.

Successful students may progress to assisting with our Dog Training Classes, where many of our team began their careers!

Fee: €950

Duration: 16 weeks, 2 hour per week

Assessment: Combination of theoretical and practical

Prerequisites: None

Award: DSPCA Certificate

Topics Covered:
  • Study Skills
  • Critical Thinking
  • Evolution & History
  • Canine Communication
  • Canine Learning
  • Dog Training
  • Problem Solving
  • Canine Aggression
  • Health & Physiology
  • Class Design & Layout
  • Dog Breeds
  • Working Service Dogs

Locations, Dates and Booking

Tuesday 27th January – 12th May 2026, 6PM – 8PM

DSPCA, Mount Venus Road, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16

Pet First Aid

Pets have accidents the same as us humans and as pet owners we should know what to do should the worst happen.

Pet first aid is not aimed to replace veterinary care but it will help you to recognize an emergency, calm your pet and reduce the risks of delayed treatment.

Learning pet first aid should be fun and informative and will give you the skills to deal with a pet emergency should it arise.

This course is ideal for any pet owner or pet professionals. It covers the main first aid subjects for Dogs and Cats but this information is also suitable for most other animals.

Understanding basic first aid for your pet will give you the skills to assist them and prevent them from getting worse before professional help is given by your vet.

Fee:  €155.00

Duration: Half Day Training Course.

Students receive 4 CPD hours certification & an accredited Pro Trainings certificate validated for 3 years.

Topics Covered:

Introduction to Pet First Aid

  • Introduction to the course
  • Pet First Aid Course Overview
  • Endorsed pet first aid certificate option
  • Pet first aid and the law
  • The vet and your role in first aid
  • When is Veterinary Care Required
  • Keeping your pet safe in an emergency
  • Car Accidents
  • Pet Proofing your home
  • How pets show pain
  • Checking your pet’s health and finding out what is normal
  • Taking a Pulse

CPR, Pet Accidents and First Aid

  • What to do if your cat has an accident
  • Breathing and respiratory problems
  • Pet CPR Introduction
  • Pet CPR
  • Pet CPR Practical Demonstration
  • Drowning and Treatment
  • Shock
  • Pet fractures treatment
  • Spinal injury and moving an injured pet

Medical Conditions & Illnesses

  • Types of Bleeding
  • Dressings, bandages and controlling bleeding
  • Pet wrap bandages
  • Paw Problems
  • Nail and Claw Injuries
  • Bandaging the Ear
  • Bandaging the tail and tail injuries
  • Bandage aftercare
  • Dog Digestive Process
  • Vomiting in Animals
  • Dehydration in pets
  • Pets and Illnesses
  • Hypothermia Treatment
  • Choking Overview
  • Choking
  • Snake Bites on Pets
  • Fleas
  • Ticks
  • Insect Stings
  • Fly Strike
  • Seizures and Epilepsy
  • Alabama foot rot
  • Blue-green algae
  • Diabetes
  • Stings on animals
  • High Temperatures and Heatstroke

Locations, Dates and Booking

Sunday 29th March 2026, 10.00AM – 3.00PM