Course curriculum

With the u-TICC Signature Puppies Programme, breeders will provide evidence of the socialisation, habituation and problem prevention activities they have undertaken with their puppies. Only then will their puppies be considered u-TICC Signature Puppies and be awarded their bespoke Signature Puppy Certificates. You will need to be able to take short videos (or have someone take these for you) and upload these to WhatsApp or emails.

  • 1

    CHAPTER ONE Welcome to the Programme

    • How to use this Programme

    • What does u-TICC Stand for?

    • Our promise to you

    • Welcome to the u-TICC Signature Puppies Programme

    • Why should you complete this programme?

    • What problems will the programme help prevent?

    • Evidence required as part of the u-TICC Signature Puppies Programme

    • What we will provide to hand out to new guardians

    • Certificates for your subsequent litters

    • Laws relating to breeding in the UK

    • Quick Survey

    • Test your Learning - Welcome to the Programme
  • 2

    CHAPTER TWO Problem Prevention by Teaching Life Skills

    • Preventing Emotional and Behavioural Problems

    • 1. Building bonds with people

    • 2. Body Handling

    • 3. Mental Enrichment and Stimulating the Senses

    • 4. Calmness and crate/mat training

    • 5. Play

    • 5a. Positive Effects of Play DOWNLOAD

    • 6. Chew Training and Food Etiquette

    • 7. Toilet Training

    • 8. Environmental Enrichment

    • 9. Proprioception

    • 10. Life Skills Training

    • 11. Self-control/self-regulation

    • What can go wrong?

    • Test your Learning - Problem Prevention and Teaching Life Skills
  • 3

    CHAPTER THREE Personality, Character and Temperament

    • The Dominance Myth

    • Breed Traits

    • Extrovert and Introvert Personalities

    • Temperament

    • Gender biased litters

    • Traits associated with personality

    • Avoid inflexible labels

    • Matching puppies to new guardians

    • Test your Learning - Personality, Character, and Temperament
  • 4

    CHAPTER FOUR Canine Body Language

    • Observing Canine Body Language

    • Test your Learning - Canine Body Language
  • 5

    CHAPTER FIVE The Prenatal Period - Conception to Birth

    • The Prenatal Period

    • Build a whelping box

    • Preparing for regular weighing

    • Setting up a camera

    • Prepare a 'Caring for the Puppies Schedule'

    • Imprinting and Bonding

    • Mum's additional nutritional requirements

    • The Puppies' nutritional requirements (and preparing for emergencies)

    • Sensory area or garden

    • Test your Learning - Prenatal Period
  • 6

    CHAPTER SIX The Neonatal Period - Weeks One and Two

    • The Neonatal Period

    • Priorities for Weeks One and Two

    • The Birth

    • Bonding and Imprinting takes place

    • Mum's immediate needs

    • The puppies' immediate needs

    • Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS)

    • Picking up the puppies - give it a name!

    • The puppies' physical development

    • Mum cleaning up after the puppies (if you are new to breeding this might be a surprise)

    • Test your Learning - Neonatal Period

    • Submit your evidence to the u-TICC team
  • 7

    CHAPTER SEVEN The Transitional Period - Week Three

    • The Transitional Period

    • Priorities for Week Three

    • 'Sounds Sociable' Dogs Trust Booklet

    • How the puppies learn bite inhibition

    • Test your Learning - Transitional Period

    • Submit your evidence to the u-TICC Team
  • 8

    CHAPTER EIGHT The Socialisation Period - Week Four

    • The Socialisation or 'Sensitive' Period with so many priorities!

    • Priorities for Week Four

    • Advertising and the law

    • Feeding from individual bowls

    • Recall Training

    • Test your Learning - Socialisation Period (Week Four)

    • Submit your evidence to the u-TICC Team
  • 9

    CHAPTER NINE The Socialisation Period - Week Five

    • Priorities for Week Five

    • Enquiries from prospective new guardians and matching a puppy to their requirements

    • How do people choose a puppy from a litter?

    • Consider a Puppy Contract

    • Test your Learning - Socialisation Period (Week Five)

    • Submit your evidence to the u-TICC team
  • 10

    CHAPTER TEN The Socialisation Period - Week Six

    • Still in the Socialisation Period

    • Priorities for Week Six

    • Capturing Calmness and Teaching the Puppies How to Settle

    • An Introduction to Appropriate Exercise and Anatomy

    • Environmental enrichment

    • DOWNLOAD List of Items Poisonous to Dogs (from the Dogs Trust)

    • Test your Learning Socialisation Period (Week Six)

    • Submit your evidence to the u-TICC team
  • 11

    CHAPTER ELEVEN The Socialisation Period - Week Seven

    • Priorities for Week Seven

    • Consequences of taking a pup away from Mum before 8 weeks of age

    • Travelling in the Car

    • Taking unvaccinated puppies out

    • Start preparing your New Puppy Packs

    • The Certificates and Handouts you need to include in your New Puppy Pack

    • Test your Learning - Socialisation Period (Week Seven)

    • Submit your FINAL evidence to the u-TICC team
  • 12

    CHAPTER TWELVE The Socialisation Period - Week Eight

    • Priorities for Week Eight

    • Protecting puppies after their vaccines

    • Prepare your New Puppy Pack contents

    • 1. The Socialisation and Habituation Problem Prevention Activities Checklist

    • 2. The New Puppy Guardian Guide to Socialisation & Habituation Handout

    • 3. Day One Advice for New Puppy Guardians Handout

    • YOUR SIGNATURE PUPPY CERTIFICATES ARRIVE

    • Future litters

Instructor

Canine Professional

June Pennell

My name is June Pennell, and I am a Certified Canine Behaviourist and Trainer based in Wiltshire, UK. I am a proud member of the following professional organisations whose aim is to ensure members adhere to the most modern, scientifically proven, positive methodologies. * The UK Dog Behaviour & Training Charter * The Pet Professional Guild * The Association of INTODogs, and * ICAN: International Companion Animal Network Dogs have been the inspiration for my incredible journey over the last 12 years. Having dogs most of my life didn’t help much when I adopted an unsocialised and resource-guarding, 3-year-old Rottweiler. So, I hit the books and internet, and I studied. I studied hard and yes, I turned the Rottie around, and he became a fantastic ambassador for the breed. All this study led to my second career and to me becoming a fully certified canine behaviourist and trainer and I have now had the pleasure of working with scores of dogs. My personal business is now called 'Dog Only Knows' and it is called this because I feel that dogs are the only real expert on dogs there are. The rest of us, well, we need to be detectives; listen, observe, and look for the data that can help us understand what the dog is trying to tell us with their behaviour. Only then can we make the changes necessary to bring harmony back to the relationship and help the dog overcome their challenges and fears. In 2016, I became a tutor for an international school for canine psychology and behaviour teaching students right up to degree level. Shortly after, I became the principal, director, and co-owner of the same school and I am immensely proud to have been involved in the education of many of today's professional canine behaviour practitioners and trainers around the world. Now, with my good friend and fellow professional, Lizzie Morris, we have launched a new venture. u-TICC (which stands for ‘you teach intelligent canine companions’) has problem prevention at the core of all our comprehensive programmes for professionals, breeders, and pet dog owners. All our programmes and short courses have been designed with compassionate and scientifically up-to-date methods. We look to empower professionals, breeders, pet parents and their puppies and dogs, not only to learn more but to want to do better because they will always know they are on the right track. We only ever use scientifically proven, modern, positive, force-free and rewards-based methods.