All creatures great and small...
A course for pet owners, people working with pets, or anyone with a passion for domesticated animals.
Completing this course will give you a sound introduction to caring for a wide variety of different pets.
This course is a must for any animal lover, particularly those wishing to work with domestic animals or in the pet care industry.
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Lesson Structure
There are 8 lessons in this course:
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Introduction to Animal Care
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Laws and licenses
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Animal Charities and Societies (eg. RSPCA, WSPA, Blue Cross)
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Pet Care Needs (feeding, Watering, Shelter, Containment, Fencing, Caging, Protection)
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Maintaining Health
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Hygiene
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Cats
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Breeds (Lang Haired, Semi Long Haired, Short Haired, Oriental etc)
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Cat Selection
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Allergies
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Containment
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Sexing
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Desexing
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Breeding
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Newborn Kittens
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Exercise
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Behaviour
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Hygiene
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Feed and nutrition
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Amount of food
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Watering, Grooming
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Travelling
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Care for a sick cat (Signs of illness, Temperature, Common ailments, Skin disorders, Ticks)
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Cats and wildlife
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Dogs
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Dog Selection
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Breeds (Pure and mixed)
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Varying size and temperament
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Grooming
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Skin care
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Inherited traits (aggression, deafness)
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Containment
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Breeding
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Desexing
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Exercise
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Behaviour
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Feeding
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Canine Nutrition
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Bones
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Watering
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Training
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Travelling
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Identifying sickness
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Birds
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Bird Selection
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Breeds (eg. Canaries, Finches, Budgerigars, Small Parrots etc)
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Sexing
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Desexing
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Containment (Aviaries –selection, design, size, management)
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Feed and Feeding
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Watering
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Grooming (Wing trim, Beak Trim, Nail Trim)
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Hygiene
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Catching and Restraining
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Travelling
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Caring for the Sick Bird
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Signs of illness
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Temperature
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Supportive therapy
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Common Ailments (eg. Abscesses, Alopecia, Apoplexy, Aspergillosis, Breathlessness, Constipation, Parasites)
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Safety in the Home
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Fish
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Fish Selection
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Inside or Outside
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Warm or Cold water
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Number of fish
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Types of fish (Tropical, Marine, Cold Water)
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Costs, Size
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Equipment: Tanks, Ponds, Pumps, Aquariums, Night lights
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Water quality
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Changing Water, Feed (Pelleted, live feed –Daphnia, Brine Shrimp)
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Illnesses (Fungal, Bacterial, Parasites, Environmental)
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Rabbits
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Rabbit Breeds (Large, Small and Dwarf)
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Selection
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Legality (Illegal in some areas)
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Containment (Hutch or Cage)
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Environment (temperature etc)
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Feeding, Nutrition, Watering, Feed quantities and routine
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Grooming
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Handling
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Moulting
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Transporting
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Sexing, Breeding
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Identifying illness (Coccidiosis, Snuffles, Myxomatosis, Sore Hocks, Pasteurellosis, Ear Canker, Heat Stroke, Cannibalism, Calicivirus Disease)
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Care of sick rabbits
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Reptiles and Amphibians
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Types (eg. Salamander, Frogs, Venomous snakes, Non-venomous snakes, Shingle-backed lizard, Tortoises, Terrapins, Axolotls, etc),
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Selection,
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Legal Issues,
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Housing,
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Environmental requirements (Moisture, Humidity, Warmth, etc),
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Terrariums,
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Problems (eg. Dehydration, Stress, External and internal parasites, Blisters, Scale Rot, Mouth Rot or Canker, Colds/pneumonia, Constipation and diarrhoea, Cannibalism, Incomplete sloughing of the skin -shedding of the skin)
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Feed and feeding
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General Care
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Guinea Pigs, Hamsters and Mice
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Varieties, Selection
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Containment
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Sexing, Breeding
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Grooming
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Feeding, Watering
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Illness (eg. Skin Problems, Abscesses, Mites, Ringworm, Fleas, Respiratory Infection, Vitamin C Deficiency, Otitis, Salmonella, Stripping etc)
Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
Aims
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Discuss the general principles of pet care, as they relate to a wide range of different types of pets.
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Describe routine care for cats.
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Compare the characteristics of different cat breeds.
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Describe routine care for dogs.
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Compare the characteristics of different dog breeds.
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Describe routine care for birds as pets.
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Describe routine care for fish
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Describe routine care for rabbits as pets.
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Describe routine care for reptiles and amphibians.
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Describe routine care for rodent pets.
What Do Pets Need?
No matter what type of pets you are looking after there are some general needs that must be fulfilled. Learn to cater to a wide variety of needs, including:
- Food
- Water
- Exercise
- Shelter/containment/protection
- Hygiene
- Controlling pests and diseases
Keep Your Pets Healthy
Healthy pets live longer, and cost less to keep. Some breeds may be more susceptible to health problems than others. Some pets may be more suited to your environment than others, and some are easier to care for than others.
Good hygiene is critical for all types of pets. Maintaining hygiene involves ensuring provision of good quality food and water, regularly removing waste matter, and controlling pests and diseases. Regular preventative measures for controlling pests and diseases are vital. Examples include spraying cages/shelters, regular worming treatments, vaccinations, flea and tick treatments, regular inspections for signs of problems in the animals yard as well as on the animal itself, regular grooming and dental care, and quarantining animals that are suspected or known to have pest or disease problems can significantly reduce the likelihood of problems occurring, and minimise their spread when they do occur. Regular veterinary check ups are important, to detect any conditions that may otherwise go unnoticed.
It is important that animals receive adequate opportunity for exercise to avoid them becoming overweight and unhealthy. Many smaller pets thrive on human contact and it is necessary to spend time interacting with them, playing, wrestling or during grooming.
WHY CHOOSE THIS COURSE?
Learn your own way, with flexibility in place, time and pace.
Receive prompt, friendly and supportive guidance as needed throughout your studies from our expert tutors and industry professionals.
Enjoy and take hold of your future through studying what you want in a way that suits you!
Undertaking research reinforces learning, and it makes me learn more than I would on the course notes alone. The tutor’s comments are very useful. He also provides links to interesting materials relative to my course -- Lana Hurley, Australia, Pet Care course.
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