Companion Dogs · NICS-02
Advanced Obedience
30-day advanced dog obedience training course from NICS. Learn proofing, generalisation and real-world reliability training for professional dog trainers. Builds on Foundation obedience.
- Advanced
- 30 days
- ₹29,999
- Onsite · Indore
About this course
Advanced Obedience is a 30-day professional training programme that takes a dog already holding the fourteen NICS foundation obedience behaviours and proofs, generalises and applies them under real-world conditions. Learners work with distance, duration and distraction as three independently trained variables, apply variable reinforcement schedules to reduce dependency on constant reward, and train each behaviour across multiple locations, handlers and levels of environmental difficulty.
The practical skills developed include structuring a proofing session that increases only one variable at a time, managing a dog approaching behavioural threshold in a distracting environment, running a training session outside a controlled facility, and diagnosing and rebuilding a behaviour that has become unreliable. Learners also begin combining single behaviours into working sequences and handling a dog through realistic scenarios a client will actually encounter.
The responsibility carried at this level is substantially greater than at Foundation: learners make real-time decisions about environmental difficulty, reinforcement strategy and session structure with far less predictable dogs and settings, and are assessed on their ability to produce reliable results outside the training room, not simply inside it.
This course builds directly on Introduction to Obedience and assumes that Foundation standard. It prepares the learner for Introduction to Canine Behaviour, where the same diagnostic and generalisation skills are extended from obedience performance to behavioural assessment.
Who this is for
- Graduates of Introduction to Obedience (Foundation), or learners who can demonstrate equivalent baseline obedience competence
- Professional dog trainers seeking to deliver reliable, real-world obedience results for private clients
- Companion dog handlers preparing to manage dogs in public, multi-person or multi-dog environments
- Group class instructors who need to generalise behaviours across multiple handlers and locations
- Learners progressing toward the Canine Behaviour pathway, for whom proofing and generalisation are prerequisite skills
What you will learn
Theory
- Variable reinforcement schedules and why they produce more resilient, durable behaviour than continuous reinforcement
- Competing reinforcers and how environmental distraction functions as an alternative reward the trained behaviour must outcompete
- Generalisation theory: why a behaviour trained in one context does not automatically transfer to another, and how to train for transfer deliberately
- Extinction and extinction bursts: why a previously reliable behaviour can temporarily worsen before it improves during retraining
Practical
- Structuring a proofing session that isolates and increases one variable — distance, duration or distraction — at a time
- Running training sessions in real-world locations: streets, parks, markets, cafés and multi-dog households
- Managing a dog through a realistic combined sequence of behaviours rather than an isolated drill
- Handling a dog approaching behavioural threshold in a distracting environment
Professional Application
- Designing a client-appropriate proofing and generalisation plan tailored to that dog's environment and lifestyle
- Coaching a client to maintain a dog's reliability outside supervised sessions
- Reporting progress and setbacks in professional, evidence-based terms
Safety & Welfare
- Managing long-line and public-space safety during distance and distraction work
- Recognising when environmental difficulty has been increased beyond the dog's current capability and must be reduced
- Welfare considerations specific to public training work, including heat, traffic, unfamiliar dogs and crowding
Problem Solving
- Diagnosing why a previously reliable behaviour has become unreliable
- Distinguishing an extinction burst from genuine regression
- Rebuilding a broken-down behaviour through staged reduction of difficulty rather than repeated correction
Curriculum highlights
- 1 Group 1 — Attention & Position: Name Recall, Focus, Sit, Down, Stay
- 2 Group 2 — Movement: Loose-Leash Walking, Heel Walk
- 3 Group 3 — Safety & Management: Come (Recall), Go to Bed, Go to Crate, Muzzle Conditioning
- 4 Group 4 — Impulse Control & Object Behaviours: Out, No, Game of Fetch
Day-by-day structure
The 30-day programme is organised into two phases: Days 1–15 rebuild and proof each behaviour group under increasing distance, duration and distraction; Days 16–30 generalise across locations and handlers and apply behaviours in real-world combined sequences.
| Day | Focus | Content |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Baseline & Theory | Confirm Foundation-standard baseline across all 14 behaviours; variable reinforcement and competing-reinforcer theory introduced |
| 3–5 | Group 1 Proofing | Name Recall, Focus, Sit, Down, Stay — distance and duration proofing |
| 6–7 | Group 1 Distraction | Group 1 behaviours proofed against staged distraction |
| 8–9 | Group 2 Proofing | Loose-Leash Walking and Heel Walk — distraction proofing in real walking environments |
| 10–11 | Group 3 Proofing (Part 1) | Come/Recall proofed on long line at distance with staged distraction |
| 12–13 | Group 3 Proofing (Part 2) | Go to Bed, Go to Crate and Muzzle Conditioning — duration and handler-absence proofing |
| 14–15 | Group 4 Proofing | Out, No and Game of Fetch — proofed against higher object value and mild social distraction |
| 16–18 | Generalisation (Locations) | All groups practised across at least three different real locations |
| 19–21 | Generalisation (Handlers) | All groups practised under at least two different handlers |
| 22–24 | Behaviour Chains | Behaviours combined into realistic working sequences |
| 25–27 | Real-World Application | Full sessions conducted in public or client-representative environments |
| 28 | Troubleshooting Clinic | Deliberate breakdown-and-rebuild exercises across all four groups |
| 29 | Client Coaching Practice | Learners coach a peer through maintaining a dog's reliability, simulating client handover |
| 30 | Final Assessment | Theory assessment; full practical competency assessment across all four behaviour groups in a real-world setting |
Outcomes
- Explain variable reinforcement, competing reinforcers, generalisation theory and extinction bursts, and apply each concept to a real training scenario
- Proof a behaviour systematically against distance, duration and distraction as independent variables
- Generalise a trained behaviour across multiple locations and handlers
- Combine individual behaviours into realistic working sequences
- Conduct a full training session safely in a public or real-world environment
- Diagnose the specific cause of a behavioural breakdown and rebuild it using a staged, non-punitive approach
- Design a client-appropriate proofing and generalisation plan
- Coach another person in maintaining a dog's trained reliability
- Produce a structured, evidence-based progress report
Frequently asked questions
Who can join this course?
This course is for graduates of Introduction to Obedience (Foundation), or learners who can demonstrate equivalent baseline command of the fourteen NICS foundation obedience behaviours.
Is previous experience required?
Yes. A working Foundation-level command of all fourteen obedience behaviours is required before starting this course, since this programme proofs and generalises those behaviours rather than teaching them from scratch.
How much practical training is included?
This course is heavily practical, with the majority of contact time spent on live-dog work, including sessions conducted in real public and real-world environments during the second half of the course.
What theory is taught?
Learners study variable reinforcement schedules, competing reinforcers, generalisation theory and extinction bursts, and apply each concept directly to proofing and troubleshooting live behaviour.
What training methods are used?
This course uses proofing, generalisation, variable reinforcement, differential reinforcement and structured troubleshooting. All methods remain reward-based; no positive punishment or physical correction is taught.
What equipment is required?
Learners work with a standard flat collar or harness, a secure long line for recall and distance work, a properly fitted muzzle, and food and toy rewards, including higher-value rewards used for distraction and object-value proofing.
How is the course assessed?
Assessment is competency-based, covering theory, live-dog proofing and generalisation across multiple locations and handlers, and professional skills such as client coaching and progress reporting.
Where can these skills be used professionally?
Graduates apply these skills delivering complete, real-world obedience training programmes in private client homes, training centres, group classes and public-facing companion-dog handling roles.
What is the next course in this pathway?
Graduates progress to Introduction to Canine Behaviour (Foundation), which extends the same diagnostic and generalisation skills into behavioural assessment.
What professional pathway does this course support?
This course completes the core Companion Dogs obedience pathway and leads into the Canine Behaviour pathway: Introduction to Canine Behaviour → Advanced Canine Behaviour → Canine Behaviour Specialist.
Does completing this course guarantee employment or a training business?
No. This course provides structured professional training in advanced obedience skills. It does not guarantee employment, income or business outcomes, which depend on the individual's further study, experience and effort.
How much does Advanced Obedience cost?
The course fee for Advanced Obedience is ₹29,999.
How long does Advanced Obedience take to complete?
Advanced Obedience runs for 30 Days.
What level is Advanced Obedience?
Advanced Obedience is an Advanced-level course, building directly on the skills taught in its Foundation-level course.
Which NICS pathway does Advanced Obedience belong to?
Advanced Obedience sits within the Companion Dogs pathway at the National Institute of Canine Studies.
Is Advanced Obedience conducted online or in person?
Advanced Obedience is delivered onsite through hands-on, in-person training at NICS.
What topics are covered in Advanced Obedience?
Advanced Obedience covers: Group 1 — Attention & Position: Name Recall, Focus, Sit, Down, Stay, Group 2 — Movement: Loose-Leash Walking, Heel Walk, Group 3 — Safety & Management: Come (Recall), Go to Bed, Go to Crate, Muzzle Conditioning, Group 4 — Impulse Control & Object Behaviours: Out, No, Game of Fetch.
What will I be able to do after completing Advanced Obedience?
By the end of this course, students will be able to: Explain variable reinforcement, competing reinforcers, generalisation theory and extinction bursts, and apply each concept to a real training scenario Proof a behaviour systematically against distance, duration and distraction as independent variables Generalise a trained behaviour across multiple locations and handlers Combine individual behaviours into realistic working sequences Conduct a full training session safely in a public or real-world environment Diagnose the specific cause of a behavioural breakdown and rebuild it using a staged, non-punitive approach Design a client-appropriate proofing and generalisation plan Coach another person in maintaining a dog's trained reliability Produce a structured, evidence-based progress report
Who is Advanced Obedience designed for?
Graduates of Introduction to Obedience (Foundation), or learners who can demonstrate equivalent baseline obedience competence Professional dog trainers seeking to deliver reliable, real-world obedience results for private clients Companion dog handlers preparing to manage dogs in public, multi-person or multi-dog environments Group class instructors who need to generalise behaviours across multiple handlers and locations Learners progressing toward the Canine Behaviour pathway, for whom proofing and generalisation are prerequisite skills A working Foundation-level command of all fourteen NICS obedience behaviours is required before starting this course.
Do I need to complete another course before Advanced Obedience?
Yes — Introduction to Obedience (Foundation) is the recommended course to complete before starting Advanced Obedience.
What can I study after completing Advanced Obedience?
Graduates of Advanced Obedience can progress to Introduction to Canine Behaviour (Foundation) to continue building their skills in the Companion Dogs pathway.
What is the NICS course code for Advanced Obedience?
Advanced Obedience is listed under NICS course code NICS-02.
How do I enrol in Advanced Obedience?
You can enrol in Advanced Obedience by selecting it in the NICS course catalogue and sending your enquiry via WhatsApp, or by using the enquiry button on this page.
Ready to enrol in Advanced Obedience?
Enquire now, or add this course to a learning package. Package discounts of 5–20% are calculated automatically in the catalogue.