This pathway has been designed to give those working in pet shops (or looking to work in pet shops) the skills they need to provide members of the public and their pets with knowledgeable service and a high standard of care.
The content of this pathway has been curated to enable students to provide consistent high-quality care and service within the pet shop environment, by focusing on the following areas:
There are no prerequisites for this pathway. As a general guide, we recommend students looking to take one of our pathways should have some experience in their chosen field. However, we strongly believe open study should be just that. If you want to challenge yourself, our tutors will be on hand to help.
You can phone or email your tutor at any point during your course – to ask questions, for advice, encouragement or to draw on their wealth of knowledge.
You can also contact the support team who are here to help you Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
Unit 1
Advanced Care and Management
Section 1 looks at the physical aspects of kittens and puppies from conception to old age including their growth and development. It also discusses the expressive language used by dogs and cats, grooming needs and essential equipment.
Section 2 concentrates on their mental development, how socialisation and play affects them and also considers the dangers that lie within various environments. Boarding and veterinary insurance are also discussed.
Advanced Health Care
Section 1 looks at general health care, preventative medicine, the effects of spaying and neutering, poisons and the effects and alleviation of hereditary defects and diseases. It also examines the increasingly popular alternative medicines in the form of homeopathy, flower remedies, osteopathy and chiropractice.
Section 2 considers the common ailments of dogs and cats and their treatment as well as first aid and emergencies, including those which may occur during whelping and kittening.
Advanced Nutrition
Section 1 discusses food and the digestive system and how it works and investigates the constituents and merits of the various feeding regimes, labelling and packaging.
Section 2 investigates the nutritional requirements of dogs and cats from birth to old age. Also considered are feeding the pregnant and lactating bitch and queen, the special needs of the veteran dog or cat, feeding the sick or convalescent animal and special dietary regimes.
Section 1
Section 2
Section 1 looks at general health care, preventative medicine, the effects of spaying and neutering, poisons and the effects and alleviation of hereditary defects and diseases. It also examines increasingly popular alternative medicines, including homeopathy, flower remedies, osteopathy and chiropractice.
Section 2 considers the common ailments of dogs and cats and their treatment as well as first aid and emergencies, including those which may occur during whelping and kittening.
Section 1 asks ‘What is Food?’, discusses the digestive system and how it works and investigates the constituents and merits of the various feeding regimes, labelling and packaging.
Section 2 investigates the nutritional requirements of dogs and cats from birth to old age. Also considered are feeding the pregnant and lactating bitch and queen, the special needs of the veteran dog or cat, feeding the sick or convalescent animal and special dietary regimes.
There are no deadlines for this pathway. Simply study in the comfort of your own home, and in your own time.
Distance learning is designed to be flexible, but as a guide, students who can spend 4-6 hours a week studying tend to complete a single unit within a month.
On successful completion of this pathway you’ll receive the Animal Care College Certificate* in our ‘Work in a Pet Shop – Canine’ programme, graded to show the standard you have reached. There are no exams.
* The Animal Care College Certificate will be issued once you have successfully completed your course and finished your course payments.
This pathway can help you progress in your career in the animal care sector.
Once it’s completed, you may wish to further your study. If that’s the case, we’d suggest:
If you’d like to turn what you’ve learned into a career, or you’re wondering how best to apply it to your existing role, get in touch with one of our tutors, or contact our support team from 9am - 5pm.
There are no prerequisites for this pathway. As a general guide, we recommend students looking to take one of our pathways should have some experience in their chosen field. However, we strongly believe open study should be just that. If you want to challenge yourself, our tutors will be on hand to help.
This career pathway combines 3 of our individual courses, providing students with a clear and comprehensive path towards a career in animal care. What’s more, when you take this pathway, you’ll save over £100, compared to taking each course on its own.
There are two ways you can enrol
Pay the total course fee of £495 in one sum and receive a voucher towards the cost of your next course
or
Pay a deposit of just £95, followed by 10 instalments of £40
