A course for pet owners or anyone working with pets, providing a sound introduction to caring for a wide variety of different pets including dogs, cats, fish, birds, rabbits, rodents, reptiles and amphibians.

If you love animals this is a course for you!

There are 8 lessons in this course:

1. Introduction to Animal Care
   • Laws and licenses, Animal Charities and Societies, Pet Care Needs, Maintaining Health, Hygiene
2. Cats
   • Breeds, Selection, Allergies, Containment, Sexing, Desexing, Breeding, Newborn Kittens, Exercise, Behaviour, Hygeine, Feed and nutrition, Amount of food, Watering, Grooming, Travelling, Care for a sick cat, Cats and wildlife.
3. Dogs
   • Selection, Breeds, Varying size and temperament, Grooming, Skin care, Inherited traits, Containment, Breeding, Desexing, Exercise, Behaviour, Feeding, Canine Nutrition, Bones, Watering, Training, Travelling, Identifying sickness, etc.
4. Birds
   • Selection, Breeds, Sexing, Desexing, Containment, Feed, Feeding, Watering, Grooming, Hygiene, Catching and Restraining, Travelling, Caring for the Sick Bird, Signs of illness, Temperature, Supportive therapy, Common Ailments, Safety in the Home,
5. Fish
   • Selection, Inside or Outside, Warm or Cold water, Number of fish, Types of fish, Costs, Size, Equipment, Tanks, Ponds, Pumps, Aquariums, Night lights, Water quality, Changing Water, Feed, Illnesse
6. Rabbits
   • Breeds, Selection, Legality, Containment, Environment, Feeding, Nutrition, Watering, Feed quantities and routine, Grooming, Handling, Molting, Transporting, Sexing, Breeding, Identifying illness, Care of sick rabbits, etc.
7. Reptiles and Amphibians
   • Types, Selection, Legal Issues, Housing, Environmental requirements, Terrariums, Problems, Feed and feeding, General Care,
8. Rodents, Guinea Pigs, Hamsters, Mice
   • Varieties, Selection, Containment, Sexing, Breeding, Grooming, Feeding, Watering, Illness 

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school\'s tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

• Discuss the general principles of pet care, as they relate to a wide range of different types of pets.
• Describe routine care for cats
• Compare the characteristics of different cat breeds
• Describe routine care for dog.
• Compare the characteristics of different dog breed.
• Describe routine care for birds as pet.
• Describe routine care for fish
• Describe routine care for rabbits as pet.
• Describe routine care for reptiles and amphibian.
• Describe routine care for rodent pets.

• Develop timetables for husbandry tasks to be undertaken over a typical week when caring for a specific breeds of animals (several, your choice).
• Recognize signs that indicate a dog is sick
• Develop a checklist of things which should be done regularly to ensure the good health for pets
• Determine what a person should consider when trying to decide what type of pet to acquire.
• Compare the requirements and restrictions for keeping different types of animals as pets in your locality.
• Discuss the advantages/disadvantages of keeping different types of cats
• Explain why is it particularly important to have cats desexed, and when should desexing be carried out
• Discuss the nutritional requirements of a cat, and identify the cause of N.S.H. and its early signs.
• Describe problems associated with long-haired dogs
• Discuss a dog\'s sleeping requirements in a temperate climate