This Pet Sitter Certification program is designed to give you the knowledge, skills, and confidence you need to gain a competitive advantage in the pet care industry.

You will learn to:

• Become a proficient dog handler and confident pack leader
• Understand cat body language and successfully interact with cats
• Provide all aspects of pet care, for a variety of pets
• Understand a pet sitter's role and responsibilities to the pets in their care
• Fully groom a dog and a cat
• Use techniques used by professionals in veterinary offices and grooming parlors
• Set your business up for success
• Create the right service offering for your business
• Implement the right policies and procedures to protect your business
• Develop a strategic marketing plan
• Prepare yourself for the unexpected
• Administer pet first-aid and CPR
• And much more!

This program is 9 days long, starting on a Saturday and ending on the following Sunday.  You will be enrolled in all of the courses we offer, including an additional day of Dog Handling for Professionals, giving you an extra day to practice the dog handling skills you have learned.

Upon completion of the program you will receive certification in both Pet First-Aid & CPR AND Pet Sitting.

All classes on Saturdays and Sundays are 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. But we understand that weekdays can be busy for many people. As such, classes on Monday - Friday are offered 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., so students can choose a class time that works best for their schedule.

• Dog Body Language 101

  1. Dog communication
  2. Human and Dog communication
  3. The social hierarchy
  4. Reading a dog from snout to tail

• Dog Handling 100

  1. Becoming Pack Leader

• Dog Handling 101

  1. Greet a dog
  2. Correct undesirable behavior
  3. Tools for correction
  4. Total Submission
  5. Handling an aggressive dog
  6. Breaking up a dog fight

• Dog Handling 102

  1. Preparing for the walk- tools and mindset
  2. Properly walking one or multiple dogs
  3. Correcting undesirable behavior on the walk
  4. Crossing the street
  5. Switching up the route
  6. High energy dogs
  7. Biking a dog
  8. Handling aggressive dogs on the walk

• Dog Handling 103

  1. Dog interactions
  2. Human interactions
  3. Proper way to greet a dog
  4. Wildlife interactions
  5. Responsibilities of a dog walker
  6. Walking in inclement weather

 

• Cat Body Language 101

  1. Communication between cats
  2. Cat and human communication
  3. Socialization
  4. Cat personalities
  5. Feral Cats

• Cat Handling 101

  1. Properly greet a cat
  2. Safely pick up a cat
  3. Interactions with a cat

 

• Pet Care 101

  1. Feeding and meal prep for various diets
  2. Care for pets other than dogs and cats
  3. Following instructions
  4. Your responsibility vs. owner responsibility
  5. Medication Administration
  6. Leaving a pet unattended

• Pet Care 102

  1. Transportation
  2. Home care (house sitting)
  3. Pets in your home

 

• Health & Safety

  1. Meeting a potential client
  2. Zoonotic diseases
  3. Extreme weather
  4. Dangers to avoid on the job
  5. Medical emergencies for humans
  6. Medical emergencies for pets
  7. Personal emergencies
  8. Natural disasters
  9. Prepare an emergency kit

 

 

• Grooming for Dogs

  1. Fur
  2. Skin problems
  3. Parasites
  4. Choosing the right shampoo
  5. The bath
  6. Ear care
  7. Dental care
  8. Anal gland expression
  9. Nail care
  10. Blow drying
  11. Finishing touches
  12. Quick grooming

 

• Grooming for Cats

  1. Fur
  2. Skin problems
  3. Parasites
  4. Choosing the right shampoo
  5. The bath
  6. Ear care
  7. Dental care
  8. Anal gland expression
  9. Nail care
  10. Blow drying
  11. Finishing touches

 

• Pet First-aid and CPR

  1. Restraining your pet
  2. Choking management
  3. Bleeding management
  4. CPR
  5. Rescue breathing
  6. How to help your pet in a medical emergency
  7. Snout-to-Tail Wellness Assessment
  8. Snout-to-Tail Injury Assessment
  9. Heat and cold injuries
  10. Assessing your pet's vitals
  11. Poisoning
  12. Insect bites and stings
  13. Snake bite
  14. First-aid kit

 

• Business 101

  1. Choosing a business structure
  2. Understanding taxes
  3. Writing a business plan
  4. Finding insurance
  5. Implementing policies
  6. Creating forms
  7. Setting Pricing
  8. Learning to live without a paycheck

 

• Marketing 101

  1. Creating a website
  2. Paid advertising vs. Gorilla Marketing
  3. Cross Marketing
  4. Promotional items for your Budget
  5. Constant Contact with Clients
  6. Social Media