Dog Trainer Certificate
Dog Trainer Certificate Programme
How to Become a Dog Trainer (UK)
Professional Dog Trainer Certification with Lifetime Mentoring
Watch this short video to learn how real people — including teachers, carers, dog walkers/groomers, retirees, business people — are all building dog training careers they love.
Just pop in your details and I’ll send it straight to you.
If you’re thinking about becoming a dog trainer, you’re probably looking for more than just a certificate.
You want:
a career that makes a difference,
a qualification that gives you confidence,
hands-on experience,
practical teaching skills, and
support that doesn’t stop when the course ends.
And if you’re someone who:
learns best in small groups,
values personal, ongoing mentoring,
prefers real dogs and real people over online theory,
or you’re changing career later in life and want the right guidance…
Then the NDTA Dog Trainer Programme was built for you.
Ready to go?
Pick your in person training dates and book your place.
Or scroll on down for more info ..
Our programme gives you everything you need to become a confident, professional, in-demand dog trainer — including lifetime mentoring from our experienced team.
You won’t be left alone after qualifying.
You will always have someone to turn to for advice, feedback, and support.
This course is perfect for:
Complete beginners
Career changers (many of our students are 40+)
Dog owners who want to take their skills further
People who want hands-on, practical experience
Those who prefer a supportive learning environment
Anyone who wants a true profession — not just a piece of paper
You do not need prior experience.
You do need a willingness to learn and a love of dogs.
What You’ll Learn
You will gain real-world, practical skills including:
Plus, you will receive lifetime access to ongoing training, and a professional community.
This is where we are different:
Small, supportive groups
Hands-on teaching from day one
A clear, structured pathway
A qualification with practical confidence
Lifetime mentoring
A community that stays with you throughout your career
Training that reflects real life, not just theory
Turn Your Passion Into a Profession — Without Guesswork
We know you don’t just want to work with dogs — you want a life that feels good.
The Dog Trainer Certificate Programme gives you both: a clear, proven route to professional certification and a fully supported business that’s ready to roll the moment you graduate.
Whether you’re changing career or adding a new income stream, you’ll gain the structure, confidence, and lifelong support to make it succeed.
If you think you need loads of experience, special skills, or even your own dog to become a successful trainer, think again! My Dog Trainer Certification Programme will take you from dog enthusiast to confident, competent professional trainer in 4 simple steps.
BUT, before we look at the 4 simple steps, let me just explain why my programme is different:
We help you to,
DEVELOP YOUR UNIQUE TRAINING STYLE
Why be a carbon copy when you can be an original?
Most dog training courses teach you to follow their method exactly. We’re different.
At The National Dog Training Academy, we believe great dog trainers aren’t made by copying – they’re developed by understanding, experimenting, and growing. Here’s how we do it:
✦ Foundation Phase: In Level 2 you’ll master our proven 6-week training programme – your springboard to success. You’ll receive our complete, ready-to-use system that’s been refined through years of experience.
✦ Guided Innovation Phase: During your hands-on training, you’ll:
✦ Evolution Phase: Graduate with both our proven system AND the confidence to make it your own.
I don’t just teach methods – I teach you how to think like a professional trainer.
I’m Sandra Lawton, founder of The National Dog Training Academy and author of Leading the Pack.
Over the past 15 years, I’ve helped so many people change careers, gain certification, and build thriving dog-training businesses across the UK.
My team and I don’t just teach training methods — we show you exactly how to turn your passion for dogs into a sustainable, fulfilling business.
When you join us, you join a lifelong community that supports you at every step.
Discover How I Went From Clueless Dog Owner to In-Demand, Highly-Paid Dog Trainer…And How You Can Too!
Sandra Lawton — Multiple Award Winner, certified dog trainer UK, dog training business mentor, NDTA founder
LEVEL 1 – ONLINE: Learn all the crucial theory about dog behaviour, learning, training methods, business basics, teaching skills and more. No prior experience needed! (10 hours)
LEVEL 2 – ONLINE: Dive deeper into the NDTA’s unique, proven dog training system with comprehensive video tutorials. Start practicing with your own dog or dogs you know to solidify your skills. (~25 hours)
LEVEL 3 – IN-PERSON: Put your knowledge into action with 4 intensive, exciting days of live training with me and my expert team in Southampton. You’ll get hands-on experience training real dogs and humans. Teaching your first classes. We keep these groups super small (max. 4 people) so you’ll get plenty of personalised attention and support. This is where the magic happens!
LEVEL 4 – ONLINE: This is for later, when you have your own classes running. Continue mastering advanced training techniques to help your clients with behavioural issues and keep their dogs progressing after basic training.
By the end of Level 3, you’ll be a bona fide dog training wizard, ready to launch or level-up your own profitable dog training business! And don’t worry – you’ll have ongoing support and mentorship from me and my team every step of the way. We’re here to make sure you succeed, no matter what.
Heard enough? Ready to get started on the most rewarding journey of your career? Here’s what to do next:
Pick your Level 3 In-Person Training dates. This is when you’ll come train hands-on with us in Southampton.
Enroll now for just £1997 (including VAT). This is an absolute steal considering everything that’s included! You immediately get access to Level 1 & 2 online so you can start learning right away.
Get ready to transform your life as a successful, NDTA certified dog trainer!
Don’t waste another minute at a job that doesn’t fulfil you or let fear hold you back from pursuing your passion. If I can go from a clueless, frustrated dog owner to an in-demand trainer and business owner, so can you! All it takes is deciding you’re ready and taking that first step.
So what are you waiting for? Let’s get you leading the pack as a certified dog trainer!
For full transparency on cost and what’s included, you can view our dedicated Dog Trainer Certificate Programme pricing page
Got questions? Give us a call on T.07714 769260 or email me directly.
More course detail below – click here.
Training dogs can be a way to do something you truly enjoy, while making enough money to support yourself, your family, and – of course – your dogs. But, being a dog trainer is as much about people as it is about dogs. Learning how to train a dog, does not equip you to become a dog trainer.
If you’re not sure being a dog trainer is for you, and you want to find out,
I can’t thank you enough for building my confidence and showing me direction. It truly means a lot to me 🙏 you are the kind of mentor anyone would wish for
This is just a quick email to say a mega thank you to you, Tracey and the rest of the wonderful people who helped us during last week.
It was a real privilege to have been taught by you. I have learnt so much during the course and can't help thinking how well the course was run and how important the hands-on activities were to gain confidence, understanding and knowledge.
I just wanted to say thank you for such a great week. I’ve really learnt so much and enjoyed being with you all and I was slightly torn about wanting to go. I couldn’t get over the amount of support from your customers and staff which made it all the more special.
Understanding The Dog
If all you want is to understand your dog better, you can take this course alone.
The Human
And much more …..
Online self-study combined with 2 live, online classrooms. The live sessions will also be recorded.
This level is all about preparing you for the practical training level.
You will:
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You need to be seen and heard, not get lost in a crowd.
Level 3 – we provide the dogs
You will put together all that you’ve learned in Level 1 and 2, and work in a small group (spaces are capped at 4 participants) with me and my team.
We guarantee you the personal attention you need to succeed in setting up your dog training business.
Remember, you have lifetime support, 121 zoom, emails or you can visit us in person
This all inclusive, Dog Trainer Certificate Programme, taking you on your next career path, with lifetime support is just, £1997 incl. VAT.
Lifetime Support and Guidance as and when you need it – priceless. I know the personal value of this. It’s the one thing I wish I’d had available when I started out. All the worries, concerns and questions that kept me awake at night.
That won’t happen to you – you have someone you can turn to.
Additional Resources
November 2025 25th – 28th – Now Full
February 2026 24th – 27th – Now Full
March 2026 24th – 27th
April 2026 28th – 1st May
4 places only on any course
Need a personalised, monthly payment plan? Just whizz me an email and we can sort that for you.
Your certificate is good for life. You will have the responsibility to take some basic continuing development courses each year, though.
You can take as long as you like to complete the onine learning. Level 3 date needs to be booked in advance, but we will do our very best to provide alternative dates, if you can provide genuine reasons for needing to change this.
So, if you’re ready to begin your journey as a dog trainer, please act fast. There are only 4 spaces available for each practical section, and they disappear fast!
Click the link below, select your course date and payment option, and I’ll see you in class.
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