As a caring, responsible and ethical dog owner and breeder, I have completed the Animal Care College "Diploma in Advanced Canine Care" and I am pleased to say that I passed with Distinction (the highest grade obtainable).

Subjects covered are:

Animal Health and Welfare, Cleanliness and Hygiene, Feeding and Food Preparation, Disease Control, Recognition of Sick Animals, Dog Handling, Health and Safety, Emergency Procedures.

Advanced Care and Management:

The physical and mental development of puppies from conception to old age including their growth and developmental stages, the special care needed for puppies, adult dogs and elderly dogs. Puppy socialisation, training and rearing and the expressive language used by dogs. Health and safety, stress management, day-to-day care.

Advanced Health Care:

General health care, canine infectious diseases, preventative medicine, the effects of spaying and neutering, poisons and the effects. Alleviation of hereditary defects and diseases, homeopathy, flower remedies, osteopathy and chiropractic treatments. Common ailments and treatment as well as first aid and emergencies, including those which may occur during whelping. Internal and external parasites - signs and symptoms and treatment/prevention.

Advanced Nutrition:

The nutritional requirements of dogs from birth to old age. Feeding the pregnant and lactating bitch, the special needs of the veteran dog, feeding the sick or convalescent animal, special dietary regimes, the digestive system and how it works and the constituents and merits of the various feeding regimes.

"All of this students work was extremely well written in an articulate and informed manner, and were a great source of pleasure to read. Essay format was used and was easy to read in style, articulate and extremely informative demonstrating a student who really knows what they are talking about and makes use of this in breeding practice.

Pedigree selection was excellent for those units where they were required and all associated illustrations were well above average. The student demonstrated an aptitude and style for synthesising the content and backgrounds in a well thought out reflective analysis, which will be extremely useful to her for future use. In some instances where critical analysis of standards had to be made the student proved to have a questioning mind, which lent itself well to the concept of choice of breeding stock for future development of the lines with which she is involved.

Units were particularly well presented with photos, graphs and drawings, which together with the supporting written material, gave a very clear indication of the student's ability not only to seek out evidence, but also to understand the theory and learn from what she read.

It was quite clear that a lot of research and reading about the relevant topics had been done and this was always reflected in the units. References were always present and correctly identified.

The work was exceptionally good; it included both current literature and original research, together with evidence of extensive study and reflection on the content matter. The work would make a worthy paper for a dissertation." - Sara John - Course Tutor.

To see the courses available visit the Animal Care College website.