Our 3-Day Dog Handler Certification workshop is an intensive, hands-on course designed to turn you into a confident dog handler. Over one weekend, you'll work directly with professional trainers and training dogs to master the fundamentals of dog handling in real-life situations.
This course emphasizes learning by doing – from leash techniques to behavior management – so that by Sunday, you’ll walk away with practical skills, real experience, and an official certification to show for it.
ADHC - Academy Dog Handler Certification
Leash Handling Mastery: Learn safe and effective leash-handling techniques to maintain control and confidence during walks.
Dog Handling & Control: Develop proper dog control skills (sometimes called “control work”) for managing dogs of various sizes and temperaments
Collar Selection & Usage: Understand how to choose and correctly use different types of collars and training tools – from standard collars to e-collars – as part of your handling toolkit.
Real-World Training Techniques: Practice techniques for addressing on-leash behavior issues (like pulling or reactivity) in real time, and learn how to apply training fundamentals during handling.
For questions or enrollment please email: pamela@woofholdings.com
Meet Your Instructor
Meet Pamela Chandler, The Academy’s founder and your lead instructor for this workshop. With over 20 years of experience in dog rescue and training, Pamela has worked with thousands of dogs across all breeds and behaviors. She is Certified in Dog Training Knowledge (CDTK) and an AKC-approved Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Evaluator, ensuring you’re learning from a truly qualified expert.
Pamela has distilled her extensive career into accessible, results-driven training methods, and she’ll be personally guiding you through the entire 3-day course. Assisting her will be a team of The Academy’s certified trainers, so you’ll benefit from a low student-to-instructor ratio and plenty of one-on-one guidance.
Course Structure & Schedule
Friday (9am - 4pm): Kick off at 9:00 AM with a welcome and orientation. The morning covers leadership development, communication strategy, foundational handling theory and safety briefing. After that you’ll jump into hands-on work. In the afternoon, practice basic handling exercises with hand picked dogs that will challenge your skills and provide a rewarding learning experience. No need to bring your own dog – we provide friendly training dogs for you to work with. Expect a mix of short lectures and lots of active dog-handling practice throughout the day.
Saturday (9am - 4pm): Deep dive into advanced techniques. The morning focuses on topics like reading dog body language, dealing with common behavior issues on the leash, and refining leadership and focus techniques. The bulk of Saturday is spent in the field – you’ll work one-on-one and in small groups with various dogs, applying what you learned on Friday to more challenging real-world scenarios (e.g. handling over-excited greetings or leash reactivity). Instructors provide real-time feedback as you train. By late afternoon, you’ll feel your confidence growing with each session.
Sunday (9am - 12pm): A concluding half-day to solidify your skills. Sunday starts with a review and a final round of hands-on exercises to cover any remaining scenarios or questions. You’ll then undergo a practical assessment where you demonstrate your handling skills (don’t worry, it’s as much a learning experience as a test). After successfully completing the assessment, you’ll receive your Dog Handler Certification. We wrap up by early afternoon so you can travel home, armed with new skills and an official certificate!
Pricing & Registration. Workshop Fee: $2,495 per participant (includes the full 3-day training, all course materials, and certification exam). There are no additional fees – everything you need for the weekend is provided by The Academy (training equipment, dogs, etc.).
