Animal Behaviour and Training with Canine

Animal behaviour and training with a canine clinical specialism is a degree that addresses the science and practice of understanding and working with animals, with a particular focus on how behaviour is learned, modified and managed in a clinical and professional context. It draws on ethology, the science of animal behaviour in natural settings, alongside applied behavioural analysis, physiology and the principles of animal welfare, and it prepares you to work with animals therapeutically and therapeutically across a wide range of species and settings.

At Hartpury University the programme includes a foundation year that builds your scientific and practical foundations before the main degree begins. Across the full four years full time, you will study the management, training and physiology of animal behaviour, developing in-depth knowledge of canine behaviour and clinical practice alongside broader work with the university's extensive 70-species animal collection. Practical activities are central to the course, giving you experience across a wide range of species and situations from standard husbandry and training through to supporting the wellbeing and recovery of animals with behavioural challenges.

A sandwich year in industry and work placement opportunities mean you graduate with substantial professional experience.

Graduates move into careers in animal behaviour consultancy, veterinary practices, animal rescue and rehabilitation, zoo and wildlife management, canine hydrotherapy, pet behaviour therapy and welfare organisations. The canine clinical specialism is particularly valued in practices and organisations where understanding and addressing complex behavioural issues in dogs is central to the work. Some graduates go on to postgraduate study in animal behaviour, veterinary science or conservation, while others establish their own specialist animal behaviour practices or move into roles within large charitable and commercial animal organisations.