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I did the course a while ago and I know the format has changed. Anyway . . .

Fav topics -

Psychology and behaviour because it is fascinating! And so many important factors - thresholds, motivation matrix, inherited and learned behaviour, classical and operant conditioning.

The class instruction module I found very helpful, the practical experience helped me to get over my nerves. When I first started instructing I was like :D :eek: but now I am confident and it has spilled over into my public speaking in general.

Fav instructors

Boyd - his enthusiasm and love for the subject shows!

Steve Austin - Loved scent work!

I got so much out of this course! Techniques, terminology, a network of people, a chance to do other courses, confidence building (for me too! :laugh: )

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When I did mine (many moons ago - before the courses had numbers!!) we only had Boyd and Darren North as instructors of the course...oh and 2 sessions with Dr Robert Holmes.

Loved the pysychology and behaviour as well as the class instruction segment.

You guys these days are so lucky to have the likes of Steve Austin!!

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Just about finished now.... (course 28)

Loved the Psychology & First aid. - find these the most valuable.

Favourite instructors.... (not in any order!!!) Jim, Sean, Owen & Kelly - Mainly because these guys are who I've had the most contact with and are always willing to take the time to answer all my questions and help me out with any problems. I found all the instructors to be very knowledgable and experienced and a credit to the industry.

I have gained so much knowledge and experience through the course and made some great friends. Also gained a dog! (and a job in the animal industry!) It has been one of the most valuable experiences of my life so far and has impacted positively on all aspects of my life. Hard work, but worth every minute!

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hi

what were your favourite topics and why?

loved Psychology and behaviour, so many things to look at, so much viriaty and with out a good understanding of this i fel you are litraly stabbing in the dark for a answer to a dog behavioure problem. i don't realy think the course ever left the subject, every thing keeped comming back to this.

Who were your favourite instructors and why?

Owen, Julija, Cathren, Boyd

Owen, his enthusiasm, dedication to what he was teaching, he managed to get the info to sink in to my thick head.

Julija, wow what a great persion, more then willing to explaine and explaine again, demonstrate things realy well, ease to ask questions to and get an answer pointing you in the wright direction with out telling you the exact answer. :p

Cathren, didn't realy have much to do with Cathren excep signing me up for the course, and helping with travel plans and logistics of doing the course in a different state. however Cathren and Julija at the recent agility workshop where great :rofl: if i wasn't so cought up in my self i would have enjoyed it even more.

Boyd, what can i say ... i think he managed to get through the first 10min (a record i think) of the class with out cracking a joke (at a perticular gender)!

Judy, great to talk to outside of class. though could give a bit of a clue of whear to look when asked a question :rofl:

What did you get out of the course?

the knowlge that what i was doing with my dog training was spot on (and i should not have listened to the "purly positive" trainer). friends. the knowlage to get myself around melb... on public transport lol. a new insite to training equipment, i no longer think of check chains as evel, mearly a tool, and have greater respect for other training tools. i beleave i could train most dogs that i come across, and any i can't i can refer them to a more experianced trainer in almost any feild of training.

an even greater love of dogs, the ability to see what the dog has problems with it's human. the desire to continue my k9 education.

Edited by petmezz
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Favourite Topics....

1. Psychology

Because it gave me a sound scientific background to begin to understand animal behaviour from a psychological perspective.

2. Canine Behaviour

Particularly instinctive and innate behaviour and canine communication. All topics which are imperative to understand if you are going to work with dogs. I found it fascinating as it was all new to me.

3. Loved the guest instructors, Steve Austin and Dr Robert Holmes.

Loved it because here were experts in their field, willing to pass on some of their broad knowledge and experience. They also had a knack of communicating with students as equals and with a great sense of humour.

Favourite Instructors....

Boyd - because of his wealth of knowledge and experience, professional manner and always interesting, never boring classes. I also actually enjoyed his way of pushing you to the limit and challenging you. Love him or hate him he certainly made you think and rethink. Cant say I always appreciated his jokes though.... :p

Owen - Enjoyed his practical sessions. Again he always pushed you and challenged you. I guess I like being challenged - Makes me think.

What did I get out of the course - A new career and life for one. I also learnt enough to know that there was so much more to learn and I have never stopped that journey of learning. I met a whole bunch of people who love dogs as much as me, made new friends and wouldn't change it for the world.

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wow, so jealous. I'm studying vet at the Uni of Qld and everyone complains that there is not enough behaviour stuff in the course. I think behaviour and training is one of the most important things and I can't understand why we don't do more of it when a major reason that dogs get dumped and put down is behavioural problems. We also don't do a lot of first aid. We do the basic bandaging stuff but I'd bet that if a dog choked away from a clinic/surgery most new graduates wouldn't have a clue what to do. Maybe one day after I graduate I'll make it to the course, 'til then I'll just have to glare all green-eyed! lol

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Am not an NDTF student but was privileged enough to have done 12 months plus of training with my dogs under Steve Austin - he is a great trainer, helpful, authoritive, knowledgeable and noticed the improvements we had made. Loved him!!

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Ok I just finished today too! For all #28 students - it was a great day and i'm gonna miss u :D ! Razz - who are u?!?!?! PM me if you like - i'm trying to keep tabs on everyone ;)

what were your favourite topics and why?

Hmm this is a hard one - i'd have to say Canine behaviour naturally because without this you couldn't have firm grounding for being a dog trainer and without an interest in this you wouldn't be here in the first place :D !

I also really enjoyed Nutrition as this is often something that we don't think about that may be causing a behaviour issue. Was really good to cover this.

I loved Robert Holmes' stuff on Behaviour problems also - getting some info from a vet in the field etc, was very interesting :D

Who were your favourite instructors and why?

Ok i'm going to have to go with the general thread here - Julija, Owen, Boyd, Steve Austin.

I guess it is because these guys have a passion in the field and the way that they relate the classes across is really good and keeps your attention. Their explanations are also really good and I found them easy to approach.

Steve Austin - what can I say - why wouldn't you enjoy a lecture from him!! LOL - he is very knowledgable and soo easy to approach and willing to help you out.

What did you get out of the course?

A wealth of information and the confidence to instruct a class. A great network of friends who I can hopefully keep in contact with and discuss 'doggy' issues with should we ever have problem dogs that we need help with *g*! The thing that I gained the most from the course was seeing that there is not ONE way to train a dog. Sure - there can be preferred methods and Joe Bloggs may not agree with mine, but I can now stand firmer and stronger in the ways I want to train my dogs and teach others to train dogs because of my PERSONAL experience and not through heresay - that is by far the most I have gained through the course.

Good question HR! What about you - what do you think of us students :):) :p !!!

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I was on the waiting list for the distance education, but decided to bite the bullet and enrol. Speaking to the NDTF staff they say they are working hard on getting the distance education side running, but they've still got a few things to iron out.

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LOL - I started a new trend - waiting waiting brigade

:thumbsup: :D :laugh:

Not that I mind waiting... I have e-mailed the NDTF, and even though I'm doing Vet Nursing through TAFE, I won't be able to get RPL for the Veterinary Modules I've already done

Monitor Canine Health Care

Provide Basic First Aid for Animals

Follow OH & S Procedures in the Animal Care Environment

Participate in Workplace Communications

because they are SLIGHTLY different to what I'm studying..... I TOTALLY hate OH&S subjects LOL So BORING!

Otherwise I probably wouldn't have minded doing the fly to Melbourne & back thing as much.

I'd LOVE to do Animal Acting which they used to have as an elective, but don't seem to have anymore :cry:

Oh well...

Waiting Waiting.....

-WithEverythingIAm

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LOL - I started a new trend - waiting waiting brigade

:thumbsup: :D :laugh:

Not that I mind waiting... I have e-mailed the NDTF, and even though I'm doing Vet Nursing through TAFE, I won't be able to get RPL for the Veterinary Modules I've already done

Monitor Canine Health Care

Provide Basic First Aid for Animals

Follow OH & S Procedures in the Animal Care Environment

Participate in Workplace Communications

because they are SLIGHTLY different to what I'm studying..... I TOTALLY hate OH&S subjects LOL So BORING!

Otherwise I probably wouldn't have minded doing the fly to Melbourne & back thing as much.

I'd LOVE to do Animal Acting which they used to have as an elective, but don't seem to have anymore :cry:

Oh well...

Waiting Waiting.....

-WithEverythingIAm

Hmm I'm not sure what you mean by 'animal acting' as to my knowledge the NDTF has never had an elective in this. If you are refering to the Teach Dogs Complex Skills and Tricks module it is still there, although it is now a core module rather than an elective.

You certainly can APPLY for RPL, but doing a course in Vet nursing doesn't automatically mean you will be granted RPL because the Cert III in Dog Behaviour and Training is not a Vet nursing course.

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Slightly off-topic.... can anyone tell me what it costs to do the course? Have emailed NDTF but waiting on reply.... just keen to know! :offtopic:

PM me if you don't want it published on forum :rofl:

Me too?

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