Gain Your Dog Training Master Course Certificate
Achieve Professional Excellence in Dog Training!
Enroll Now $800 or $135 x 6 Monthly Payments
Become the Dog Trainer Others Look To
Achieve Professional Excellence Through Advanced Science, Practical Skill, and Critical Thinking
The DogNostics Master Dog Training Course is the third and final educational level of the DogNostics Dog Trainer Certificate (DN-DTC) Program.
Designed for trainers who already possess solid practical skills and a sound understanding of learning theory, the Master Course challenges you to think more deeply, analyse behavior more critically, and apply learning science with increasing precision and confidence.
While this is a standalone course, we strongly recommend completing both the Apprentice and Journeyman Courses - or possessing equivalent knowledge and practical experience - before enrolling.
The Science Behind Exceptional Dog Training
Exceptional trainers don't simply know how to teach a behavior.
They understand why a learner behaves the way they do, how emotions influence learning, how to analyse complex behavior, and how to design training plans that are ethical, effective, and tailored to the individual dog.
Throughout the Master Course you'll deepen your understanding of learning theory while exploring subjects including:
- Applied Behavior Analysis
- Advanced respondent conditioning
- Task analysis and behavior chains
- Data collection and behavioral decision-making
- Ethology and canine evolution
- Cognition and concept learning
- Neuropsychology and emotional processing
- Social learning
- Advanced training mechanics
- Professional behavior case studies
This is the level where training becomes less about teaching individual behaviors and more about understanding the learner in front of you.
Learn. Practice. Refine. Excel.
Outstanding trainers continually refine both their knowledge and their practical skills.
Throughout the Master Course you'll continue developing both. Every module combines advanced theoretical concepts with practical training exercises, allowing you to apply new knowledge immediately while refining your observation, planning, timing, and training mechanics.
As your scientific understanding grows, so too will your ability to solve complex training challenges thoughtfully, ethically, and effectively.
Learn From Real-World Training
Theory only becomes valuable when you know how to apply it.
Throughout the Master Course you'll work through practical demonstrations, advanced skill assessments, downloadable resources, and detailed case studies that bridge the gap between learning science and everyday training.
Each practical assessment receives personalised instructor feedback, helping you continue refining your skills while preparing for the final DogNostics Dog Trainer Certificate assessment.
Prepare for Professional Certification
The Master Course completes the educational component of the DogNostics Dog Trainer Certificate Program.
After successfully completing the Apprentice, Journeyman, and Master Courses, you'll be eligible to undertake the final DogNostics Dog Trainer Certificate assessment. Successful candidates earn the professional credential DN-DTC, recognizing their knowledge, practical competence, and commitment to evidence-informed, force-free dog training.
The DN-DTC represents far more than completing a collection of courses. It reflects a commitment to scientific learning, continual professional development, exceptional practical skills, and the highest standards of animal welfare.
Explore the Curriculum
The Master Course contains an extensive collection of lessons, demonstrations, practical exercises, downloadable resources, knowledge assessments, skill evaluations, and behavior case studies designed to help you reach the highest level of the DogNostics educational pathway.
Across six comprehensive modules, you'll progress from advanced Applied Behavior Analysis and behavior chains through respondent conditioning, data collection, ethology, canine evolution, concept training, cognition, neuropsychology, social learning, and complex behavior analysis, while continuing to refine the practical training skills that distinguish outstanding professionals.
Every lesson has been carefully designed to help you think more critically, train more effectively, and make informed decisions grounded in both science and compassion.
View the complete curriculum below to discover everything included in this comprehensive Master Course.
Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
- PPAB: 25 CEUs
- IAABC: 25 CEUs
- CCPDT: 21 CEUs
Course Curriculum
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PreviewLesson 1 - Introduction Master Module One: Behavioral Principles, Training Decisions & Behavior Chains (2:18)
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StartLesson 2 - The Three-Term Contingency: From Observation to Functional Understanding (16:58)
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StartLesson 3 - Operant Processes & Extinction: Function, Effects & Application (37:34)
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StartLesson 4 - Selecting Training Methods & Reinforcement Strategies: Plan for the Learner (5:58)
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StartLesson 5 - From Task Analysis to Training Plan: Using Data to Guide Learning (25:27)
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StartLesson 6 - Building Strong Behavior Chains: Fluency, Stimulus Control & Proofing (13:08)
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StartLesson 7 - Forward Chaining: Engineering a Strong Behavioral Chain (13:54)
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StartLesson 8 - Backward Chaining: Building from a Strong Finish (13:11)
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StartLesson 9 - Behavioral Sequences: Stimulus Control, Errors & Emotional Responding (12:17)
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StartLesson 10 - Building a Formal Retrieve: From Components to a Fluent Chain (20:56)
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StartLesson 11 - Constructing the Retrieve: From Basket to Hand (22:44)
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StartLesson 12 - Strengthening the Retrieve: Proofing, Generalization & Puzzle Moments (23:33)
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StartLesson 13 - Teaching “Fetch Me a Drink”: From Component Skills to a Functional Chain (19:43)
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StartLesson 14 - Building Retrieve Foundations Through Play (9:21)
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StartLesson 15 - Bringing It All Together (3:09)
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StartYour Documentation
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StartMaster Module 1 Quiz & Skill Assessment
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PreviewLesson 1 - Introduction Master Module Two: Respondent Learning, Data & Deliberate Training (2:26)
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StartLesson 2 - Data-Informed Training: From Assessment to Decision-Making (15:39)
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StartLesson 3 - Video as a Training Tool: Observe, Evaluate, Improve (4:41)
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StartLesson 4 - Respondent Conditioning: Understanding Stimulus-Stimulus Relations (11:31)
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StartLesson 5 - Respondent Conditioning Procedures: Timing, Order & Prediction (19:43)
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StartLesson 6 - What Influences Respondent Conditioning? Five Variables That Shape Learning (17:35)
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StartLesson 7 - Respondent Conditioning Across Time & Context: Acquisition, Extinction, Recovery, Generalization & Discrimination (19:10)
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StartLesson 8 - Higher-Order Conditioning: How Stimuli Acquire Meaning Through Other Conditioned Stimuli (14:55)
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StartLesson 9 - Respondent Conditioning in Practice: From Assessment to Everyday Training (51:38)
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StartLesson 10 - Expanding the Reinforcement Repertoire: Conditioned & Unconditioned Reinforcers (12:27)
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StartLesson 11 - Developing a New Behavior as a Conditioned Reinforcer (14:40)
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StartLesson 12 - Creative Use of Props: From Training Tool to Performance Element (16:06)
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StartLesson 13 - Selecting & Arranging Behaviors for Fluent Sequences and Chains (15:24)
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StartLesson 14 - Bringing It All Together (4:44)
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StartYour Documentation
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StartMaster Module 2 Quiz & Skill Assessment
Frequently Asked Questions
Your Instructor
Louise Stapleton-Frappell - B.A. Hons. PCBC-A. PCT-A. CAP3. CTDI. CWRI. DN-FSG2. DN-CPCT2. FFCP.
Louise Stapleton-Frappell is a highly respected professional canine trainer and behavior consultant, and a valued Partner and Faculty Member of DogNostics Career Center. She also serves as a Board Member of The Pet Professional Guild.
A graduate of the University of Leeds, Louise holds a joint honors degree in Spanish and Portuguese with subsidiary studies in Management Economics and Industrial Management. She was among the first to achieve dual accreditation as both a Professional Canine Trainer and Professional Canine Behavior Consultant through the Pet Professional Accreditation Board.
Louise is the creator and lead instructor of the internationally respected DogNostics Dog Trainer Certificate Program, a comprehensive curriculum that prepares aspiring professionals to train ethically, effectively, and with confidence. She also authors and instructs a range of other DogNostics programs and has co-authored several respected industry texts and educational resources, contributing significantly to the continuing education of pet professionals worldwide.
Through her business, The DogSmith of Estepona, Louise offers personalized training services to an international clientele in Southern Spain. Known for her clarity, compassion, and commitment to positive training, she is frequently invited to speak at international conferences and educational summits.
Louise continues to raise industry standards through her mentorship, educational leadership, and unwavering dedication to force-free, ethical training.