Dog breeding course (Ofqual reg.) just launched.. CLICK HERE for more info

Ofqual Level 3 Dog Breeding course

iPet Network Level 3 in Dog Breeding, Litter Socialisation and Welfare (Ofqual regulated)

If you really want to uplevel your dog breeding skills and knowledge, our Ofqual regulated iPET Network Level 3 Certificate in Dog Breeding, Litter Socialisation and Welfare is for you.

It’s the only Ofqual regulated qualification written and delivered by an experienced dog breeder. Bag yourself a nationally recognised qualification especially for dog breeders and prepare your puppies for a secure and happy future.

With weekly guided lessons and tutoring, you’ll be establishing yourself as one of the only dog breeders in the UK to have this qualification.

This course covers absolutely everything you need to know to confidently breed, raise, match and home your puppies as ethically and safely as possible.

The course is unique because it doesn’t focus on just one element.

From start to finish, from planning to conception, through birth, raising and beyond, we cover it all!

jack russell puppies

Whether you consider yourself a dog breeder or not, if you’re due a litter of puppies or thinking about breeding then you have a HUGE responsibility to be the best breeder you can be.

Just one litter could result in 10 puppies, and those little lives are in your hands.

When you choose to breed (or get hit with a surprise impending litter), you are creating lives. And having the right support, skills and knowledge will go a long way to making those lives happy, confident and safe.

Dog breeding is full of surprises, and often, you don’t know what you don’t know until a problem arises. With the Ofqual regulated iPet Network Level 3 Certificate in Dog Breeding, Litter Socialisation and Welfare, you will discover how to navigate the journey ahead correctly, using the most up to date methods, so your dog and her puppies are in competent hands.

And you’ll have a community of support around you to answer the inevitable questions that arise throughout your breeding journey.

You have the power to care for and raise your puppies with love and science, setting them up to be world ready and set for success in their new homes.

Don’t go it alone.

Line of puppies with books studying for Pupstarts dog breeder courses

Why choose the Level 3 Certificate in Dog Breeding, Litter Socialisation and Welfare regulated by Ofqual?

We are HUGELY invested in creating a world where dog breeding is undertaken in an educated, professional and ethical way.

Feel prepared, clued up and ready for the journey

Advance your dog breeding knowledge and expertise, so you feel confident in any scenario

Acquire your hallmark of quality and stand out against backyard breeders

Sail through your licensing application and inspection with the most relevant industry-specific qualification

Assure new puppy owners and the licensing authority of your commitment to ethical dog breeding

Take unparalleled care of your bitch and her puppies throughout every stage

Become one of the only qualified dog breeders in the UK

You will learn everything you need to know about

Breeding, Pregnancy & Whelping so you’re equipped for every possibility

Puppy Socialisation for Breeders so your pups are world ready

Puppy Profiling to successfully match puppies with their forever homes

Breeder planning and schedules for healthy, happy pups

labrador puppies sleeping

The iPet Network Level 3 Certificate in Dog Breeding, Litter Socialisation & Welfare is equivalent to A level learning.

It’s the new industry standard we’ve all been waiting for, and you can be among the first to gain this influential qualification

At £1250, it’s the price of a puppy, but it’ll set you up for success with every litter you breed for life.

How it works

24/7 instant access

Exclusive access to our private member’s community

Regular LIVES, Q&A sessions, discussion threads and supportive peers

Pre-approved admission to our Ambassador programme

Consent to display your Pupstart’s Breeder Ambassador badge on your website, socials and paperwork

A nationally recognised qualification that stands you out as an ethical and reputable dog breeder

Learn how to breed dogs, whelp like a pro and raise resilient puppies set for happy forever homes.

Course Content

Instant access to everything you need to breed and whelp ethically, safely and with confidence.

Dog Breeding, Canine Pregnancy and Whelping

Deciding to breed

UK Dog Breeding Law and Licensing

Choosing a mate

Planning your mating

Confirming pregnancy

Canine pregnancy

Fetal development

Caring for the pregnant bitch

Whelping and Aftercare

Whelping Preparation

Troubleshooting the Whelping

Newborn Care

Aftercare for the bitch and puppies

Worming & Immunisation

Weaning

Puppy Socialisation

Understanding socialisation

What you need to raise your puppies

Newborn puppy handling and early scent introduction

Sound and texture socialisation and desensitisation

House training

Socialisation with people

Car and crate socialisation

Exploring the outside world

Early recall so your puppies can experience freedom safely

Nail care and husbandry so your puppies get used to handling early on

Fear periods, sleep and processing so you can meet all your puppies needs

Raising a singleton puppy

Matching puppies with the appropriate owners

Breed-specific considerations to be aware of

Enrol on the course with Pupstarts, and we’ll throw in our BONUS Dog Breeder Paperwork Bundle, Puppy Profiling Program and access to The Puppy Pod for FREE!

Dog Breeder Paperwork Bundle

  1. Instructions for this bundle
  2. UK Dog Breeding Law and Licensing explained
  3. Contracts & Receipts
  4. Dog Register
  5. Flea/Worm/Vaccine Charts
  6. Breeding & Whelping Charts 
  7. Puppy Records & Charts 
  8. Health Testing Charts 
  9. Monitoring & Information Sheets
  10. Emergency Forms
  11. Isolation & Quarantine
  12. Health & Welfare Plans
  13. Risk Assessments
  14. Socialisation & Enrichment Plans
  15. Feeding

Puppy Profiling (Matching pups with their perfect homes)

  1. Benefits of Profiling
  2. Observing and Recording Puppy Behaviour
  3. Matching People & Puppies
  4. Individual Puppy Profiling Sheet

The Puppy Pod (early training and support for your puppy owners)

  1. Preparation & mindset
  2. Microchipping and vaccines
  3. New Puppy Shopping List
  4. Managing children and existing pets
  5. Understanding dog body language
  6. Resource guarding
  7. Separation anxiety
  8. Puppy Biting and nipping
  9. Puppy Development & socialisation
  10. Puppy Training methods explained
  11. Complete set of puppy training tutorials including:
  • Sit
  • Down
  • Leave it
  • Recall
  • Targeting
  • Loose lead walking
  • Hand touch
  • Stand
This course is quite simply, everything you need for every litter you breed.
Ofqual Level 3 Certificate in Dog Breeding Litter Socialisation and Welfare

WHAT BREEDERS ARE SAYING ABOUT

Pupstarts

“Being a Pupstart’s Breeder has opened my eyes in so many different ways. Not only do I breed bigger litters, but I also raise them in a far better way, and my owners are having fewer problems with them.

Plus, the owners have The Puppy Pod owner’s course, which makes my life so much easier. I sleep better knowing my owners are getting professional advice on how to care for the puppies. I would highly recommend the course to anyone thinking of breeding a litter.”

JAY MIDDLETON - DOG BREEDER CHESTER

“I am so pleased with how my puppies have grown and developed, they were fabulous pups, worth every second of the hard work, worry and lack of sleep! I could not have done any of it without Rebecca Walters and Pupstarts Breeders.

Thank you so much for supporting me when I wasn’t sure what to do, and how best to help my girl and her puppies.”

CATHY WALLINGTON - DOG BREEDER WORCS

“The CPD courses were great and we always refer back to them when we breed and raise a litter.

We breed working spaniels and the Pupstart’s course has helped us so much.”

CHRISTINE WALLACE - DOG BREEDER HEREFORD

“When you get lovely feedback several weeks after they collected their pup it makes my heart melt.

Thank you to Pupstarts Breeders and Rebecca Walters for always being there for me as a breeder, for reassurance and just for understanding what level of crazy I was at at any given time!”

KATE FRENCH - DOG BREEDER

FAQS

Do I need this for licensing?
The UK dog breeding licensing requirements ask all licensees to hold a minimum level 3 qualification in order to be granted a license. Our Ofqual Level 3 Certificate in Dog Breeding, Litter Socialisation and Welfare is currently the only nationally recognised qualification, written by a dog breeder, especially for dog breeders, that allows you to meet licensing standards.

Yes, you can undertake Ofqual level 3 certification in alternative canine subjects, but this is the only course that focuses specifically on dog breeding, helping you achieve licensed status AND to breed safely and ethically throughout.

How much does the Course cost?

The course costs £1250. To put it into perspective, that’s the sale price of one puppy, and you’ll be setting your entire litter, plus any future litters up for the absolute best in life.

Not to mention, you’ll know exactly how to take excellent care of your bitch at every stage of the breeding journey.

Payment plans are available.

How long does the course take to complete?
This is a 12-week course. However, all teaching sessions are recorded so you can work through the content at your own pace – whether that’s lightning speed or at a pace that’s manageable for you.

You can take your assessment whenever you’re ready, so it’s entirely up to you how long the course takes to complete.

I don’t have a litter of puppies right now. Can I still take the course?
Absolutely. In fact, we encourage you to take the course before breeding a litter of puppies. The more well informed and knowledgeable you are before you begin the breeding process, the better it will be for everybody!

Don’t forget, you’ll have lifetime access to the course content, so you can revisit and refresh your understanding whenever you need to.

I’m not very academic. Will I struggle?
The course content is made up of a combination of videos, written modules and live lessons. You’ll have direct access to your tutor, who will help explain anything you need help with.

The course assessment is both written and verbal, and you’re not graded on your grammar! So you’ll be just fine!

Are you teaching people how to make money from breeding dogs?
No, No, No! Our courses are intended to help support and educate people who have ALREADY decided to breed. Education is KEY to changing how breeders are viewed, how the dogs of our future are born and raised, and it is at a grassroots level that we need to get the skills, knowledge, and support so that breeders are no longer ‘learning on the job.’

Prior to the launch of our Ofqual Level 3 Certificate for dog breeders, DEFRA has long been stating that breeders must have a minimum Level 3 Ofqual Qualification for licensing. However, previously there was nowhere for breeders to learn and obtain this specific information. This has led to breeders getting qualifications that are not best suited for their roles and responsibilities.

Now becoming a qualified, knowledgable and skilled dog breeder is possible. Nobody has to take a course in an alternative area as a tick box exercise. Instead, they can tick the box, get qualified and crucially, obtain the knowledge and support they need to be the best breeder possible.

And that is great news for everybody.

Join the new cohort of breeders leading the way in ethical dog breeding today.