Click APPY & LEARN MORE to find out more about the CBTT Specialisation or to begin the application process.
Check out the Course Calendar to see the schedule of delivery.
Why do CBTT?
The Canine Behaviour & Training Technician (CBTT) Specialisation is what AniEd is best known for, largely because our CBTT-ers are out there in the real world, helping pets & their people, and putting their stamp on the industry in Ireland.
The CBTT Specialisation is a challenging journey, equipping you with the skills and knowledge to shape the developing animal care, training & behaviour industries. There really isn't anything else like this program especially in terms of delivery and course materials. So, if you want to build a career and develop a business in this area, this is the program for you.
See more about why you should choose to study with AniEd and what our graduates have to say about their experiences with us here.
How long is CBTT?
You must complete all required courses and submit all assessment work within 18 months of your commencement date.
How much is CBTT?
Total fees: €2980 (tuition: €2430, assessment & certification: €550)
More on payments and terms here.
Points required: 150
All Specialisations have a points requirement, collected as you successfully complete component courses. For CBTT you must achieve 120 points from mandatory courses and 30 from electives.
Entry requirements
Due to the challenging nature of this program of study, applicants should have academic experience to at least Level 6 (NFQ) and some experience with animals, other than their own.
We want to set all applicants up for success so we will consider all backgrounds and have options that might suit those that don't have the academic and experiential requirements.
Career goals & progression
This challenging program is ideally suited to those who wish to develop a business in walking, training, behaviour work, daycare or play groups. It will also benefit those wishing to work or already working in training & behaviour capacities with dogs.
The CBTT Specialisation is our most intensive and in-depth program of study, preparing you to become a skilled and knowledgeable professional, building and improving the canine training & behaviour industry from within.
This Specialisation emphasises your development of critical thinking skills, mechanical training skills, human counselling & coaching skills and providing you with an in-depth understanding of canine behaviour. This allows you to develop successful, effective and welfare-friendly training programs.
The canine training & behaviour industry is growing in Ireland and around the world. However, there is no regulation in the industry meaning that there are no minimum standards in education or experience for professionals, or even most course providers. This makes it very difficult for those wishing to enter or progress in the industry to know where to start.
The CBTT Specialisation is offered by Ireland’s only independent course developer in this professional area – AniEd, and only one of a few around the world. We offer bespoke courses written and delivered to a high standard by qualified and experienced professionals.
The Canine Behaviour & Training Technician (CBTT) Specialisation aims to provide you with the skills, understanding and knowledge to help you become an excellent professional dog trainer, setting you up with a foundation upon which to continue to build your skill and education.
Component Courses
CBTT comprises of 21 component courses to choose from. You must complete 20 to achieve 150 points. You are encouraged to complete all of them, although you must submit assessment work for twenty only.
Mandatory Courses (all must be completed successfully - 120 points):
Foundations Courses:
(schedule at the start of your studies)
Canine Behaviour Foundations (5 points)
Learning Theory Foundations (5 points)
Mechanical Skills Foundations (10 points)
General Studies:
(schedule at any time)
Safe Dog Handling (5 points)
Canine First Aid (5 points)
Canine Health & Disease (5 points)
Canine Nutrition (5 points)
Intermediate Courses:
(schedule when you have successfully completed foundations)
Business Management (10 points)
Client Relations (5 points)
Instruction Skills (5 points)
Organising Classes & Sessions (5 points)
Animal Welfare (10 points)
Advanced Courses:
(schedule when you have successfully completed foundations and intermediate courses)
Domestication & Selective Breeding (5 points)
Mechanical Skills Progression (10 points)
Canine Behaviour Progression (10 points)
Biology of Behaviour (10 points)
Canine Ethology & Cognition (10 points)
Elective Courses:
Choose three from the following four (30 points): Aggression & Reactivity , Helping Rescue Dogs ,Supervising Dog Groups & Play, Teaching Puppies
Schedule when you have successfully completed foundations courses. You are encouraged to complete all four but need only submit assessment work for three.
Flexible Scheduling:
Course calendar can be found here.
Each component course is run at least once per calendar year. You choose which dates you wish to attend and book with us. We reserve your spot and you'll be good to go.
Scheduling is flexible, so if you need to change a booking, even at short notice, that's generally no problem. There are some limitations to the sequence you schedule your courses (as above) but other than that we have maximised flexibility to suit your busy life.
Entry Requirements:
This is a challenging course that puts the pressure on, right from the start. To set learners up for success, we want to make sure that you are ready to go, in terms of knowledge and skill. There are specific entry requirements for the CBTT program:
Along with that, there are general entry requirements for AniEd courses:
We will consider all applicants who may not have formal qualifications and/or experience working with animals but can demonstrate the capacity to participate. We will take every application on an individual basis and will do our best to help you reach your career goals.
If you don't quite match those entry requirements just yet, we have developed a TOP-UP service to help you so that you can complete the coursework, over a longer time period.
Please note that to complete assessment work you will need access to the following:
Contact us with your questions about applying for our courses.
TOP-UP to CBTT
You might not have the specified entry requirements for this program just yet, so we are here to help you.
If you are serious about becoming a CBTT, you can build toward this program by starting with one of our other Specialisations. Upon successful completion, you can then TOP-UP to CBTT, by completing the remaining required component courses.
Because of our flexible scheduling and modular delivery, regardless of which Specialisation you are on, you will attend with others doing that course, who may be on other Specialisations - everyone is doing a different combination of the same component courses!
This means that once you have the required elements of your first Specialisation completed, you just need to work through any left over component courses that are required to accumulate the 150 points for CBTT.
It's cost effective and provides you more time to complete the grueling CBTT program:
Dog Training Assistant: TOP-UP costs a further €1700 and you have a further 12 months to accumulate the remaining points.
Dog Walkers/Pet Sitters or Daycare Supervisors: TOP-UP costs a further €2200 and you have a further 14 months to accumulate the remaining points.
Ask about this TOP-UP service today!
Fees & Payment Plans
Total Course Fees: €2980 (Tuition €2430 + Assessment fee €550)
Payment Plan 1:
Total course fees are paid in full before commencing.
Payment Plan 2:
Payment Plan 3:
Payment Plan 4:
Click CONTACT US with any queries about fees and payment plans.
See what our graduates say about studying with AniEd here.