Qualifications for your Animal Welfare Licence - Dog Home Boarding
We have used LearnDirect since our Boarding Business started in 2022 and have been overjoyed with the level of service and knowledge gained. Aside from delivering great courses they are also highly affordable and offer many ways to reduce the cost (at least, this is true at the time of writing).
For example, using one of our links below will help you save an additional 20% off course costs, dropping the Level 4 mentioned later to less than £200 – a right steal!
Meeting Minimum Standards - Animal Welfare Licence
To help meet the minimal standards set out in the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 there are two recommended courses for you to take;
- Level 2 Award in Canine Care and Welfare
- Canine First Aid
Both of these are broken down below:
Level 2 Award in Canine Care and Welfare (RQF)
The Level 2 Award in Canine Care and Welfare is recognised and regulated by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual). This means completing this course meets the Standard Requirements for achieving your Animal Welfare Licence – so this course is the minimum you need to complete to attain your licence.
This course is made up of two units covering Canine Health Care and Canine Training & Behaviour, and while LearnDirect is very generous in giving you 2 years to complete the course it isn’t needed and with enough commitment from you the materials and assessments could be completed in a matter of months, if not sooner.
Currently, this course will cost you £220 (RRP: £364). Using the button below you could take this course down to £145.60.
So if you are looking to get your Animal Licence quickly, for less than £150, and aren’t worried about meeting the higher standards then this course is ideal for you. Cheap to buy and fast to complete. Yes, it will limit the amount of stars you can get on your licence but if speed is the name of the game, it’s perfect.
Click the button below to save 20% on this course.
Canine First Aid
As set out in the Regulations all staff need to be trained in “giving first aid treatment to animals”, it does not state the type of training needed therefore the online webinar that LearnDirect offers does, to my knowledge, help meet this criteria (Although I would also look for an in-person Canine First Aid course – just so you can sleep well at night!).
With the small cost of only £21.99 it is a fantastic introduction into Canine First Aid and covers the basic knowledge you need.
Meeting the Higher Standards - Animal Welfare Licence
To meet the higher standards for your Animal Welfare Licence you need to hold an Ofqual Level 3 or above in a related field. In my opinion, there are two main options you could go down.
- Level 3 Diploma in Canine Care, Behaviour and Welfare (RQF)
- Or Level 4 Certificate in Professional Pet Sitting, Dog Walking, Dog Day Care and Home Boarding (RQF)
Level 3 is quicker and less intense to complete, however, Level 4 may be more specific to your needs as a Home Boarder or Dog Walker. There is not a wrong answer there, both courses will meet the higger standards and are fantastic in their own right.
Level 3 Diploma in Canine Care, Behaviour and Welfare (RQF)
At the time of writing this course will cost you £579 (RRP: £964) and is made up of 7 units. These units cover vital information from looking at Canine Legislation, Canine Safety, how they learn, their behaviour and also how to care for them.
It’s a great course, and if your passions are looking to take you down the Dog Behaviourist/Training route in the coming years then this is a good first stepping stone on that path and opens the door to the Level 4, 5 and 6 in Canine Care and Behaviour.
Click the button below to save 20% on this course.
Level 4 Certificate in Professional Pet Sitting, Dog Walking, Dog Day Care and Home Boarding (RQF)
Arguably this is the most relatable course when it comes to running a Dog Business as it is aimed at just that – running your business.
This course covers essential legislation you need to know for your Dog Business, understanding the different breeds, and running the business from the ground up. It’s a strong, in-depth course that ticks all the right boxes – especially if you are new to running a business in general.
Currently, this course costs £297 (RRP: £495) making it significantly cheaper than the Level 3 and not far more expensive than the Level 2. However, due to its level, it should be a harder study with tougher assignments (which I can tell you, they are). And, as you already know, if you use the button below you can pick this up for less than £200.
The only issue is that this course doesn’t open any more doors like Level 3 does. So if you did want to go down the Training route later you’d then have to do the Level 3 anyway. Doing this Level 4 is not essential for owning, running and getting an Animal Welfare Licence – although it is the most relatable of the bunch. If you have no intention of going down the training route then this would be my 100% go-to course.
As I said, there is no wrong answer here… it comes down to personal preference, or just do them both 🙂
Click the button below to save 20% on this course.
Things To Note
If you purchase through LearnDirect’s payment plan your assessments will not be submitted for their final assessment until the balance is completely paid. This, I believe, is the same with other companies too – but something to be aware of nonetheless. So, you might get through Level 2 in a month but not get it assessed for another 6 months.
We hope this information has been helpful to you in your Dog Business Journey. Of course, learndirect offers far more than just the courses mentioned above however, these are the key ones you need for your Animal Welfare Licence.
For us, it was immensely helpful to find one provider who offered every course we needed when we first set out to run our own Dog Business. So I am hopeful it will be as helpful to you.
We wish you the best of luck, and… happy learning!