Welcome to the Sensory Enrichment Coach Certification™ program!

Why Sensory Enrichment?

1. Mental Stimulation:
An enriched environment provides a variety of sensory stimuli, such as different scents, textures, and sounds. These stimuli engage a dog’s senses and mental faculties, promoting mental agility and preventing boredom.

2. Physical Exercise: 
Enrichment activities often involve physical movement, which benefit the physical health in dogs of all ages.

3. Reduced Anxiety:
An enriched environment can help alleviate anxiety and stress in dogs. Providing appropriate outlets for their instincts, like sniffing and exploring, helps create a sense of mastering, security and comfort.

4. Problem Solving:
A sensory environment challenges and stimulate a dog’s problem-solving skills and boost their confidence.

5. Social Interaction: 
Some enrichment activities can be shared with other dogs or their human companions, promoting positive social interactions and strengthening the bond between the dog and their family members.

6. Prevention of Destructive Behaviors: 
When a dog is mentally and physically stimulated in their environment, they are less likely to resort to destructive behaviors like chewing furniture or excessive barking due to boredom or stress.

7. Improved Adaptability: 
Exposure to various sensory stimuli in different environments can enhance a dog’s adaptability, making them more confident and comfortable in novel situations.

8. Emotional Fulfillment: 
Providing opportunities for exploration in an enriched sensory environment gives dogs a sense of purpose and fulfillment, leading to overall improved emotional well-being.

Why becoming a certified Sensory Enrichment Coach?

1. Expertise in Canine Well-being: 
As a certified Sensory Enrichment Coach, you gain specialized knowledge in understanding canine behavior, sensory needs, and emotional well-being. This expertise allows you to create tailored enrichment plans that cater to individual dogs’ needs, enhancing their overall quality of life.

2. Reducing Stress and Behavioral Issues: 
Enriching a dog’s environment helps reduce stress and prevents behavioral issues caused by boredom or anxiety. By offering stimulating activities, you can address behavioral challenges and foster healthier and happier dogs.

3. Strengthening the Bond with Dogs: 
As a Sensory Enrichment Coach, you facilitate positive interactions with dogs, building trust and strengthening the bond between dogs and their human caretakers. This enhanced relationship leads to a more fulfilling and harmonious partnership.

4. Career Development: 
This certification can open doors to various career opportunities working with dogs. You can establish your own business, providing enrichment services to dog owners, training facilities, and shelters. As the demand for specialized dog care continues to grow, this certification can be a valuable asset in building a successful career in the pet industry.

5. Volunteering and Giving Back: 
Enrichment activities can be a fulfilling way to volunteer and give back to the community. Offering your services for free to shelters or rescue organizations helps improve the lives of dogs awaiting adoption, increasing their chances of finding forever homes.

6. Enhancing Canine Adoption Rates: 
Dogs that are mentally and emotionally stimulated are more likely to exhibit positive behaviors and traits, making them more attractive to potential adopters. By enriching shelter dogs’ lives, you contribute to increasing their adoption rates and finding them loving families.

7. Personal Satisfaction: 
Working as a Sensory Enrichment Coach can be personally rewarding. Witnessing the joy and contentment of dogs as they engage in enrichment activities brings a sense of fulfillment and purpose to your work.

8. Flexibility: 
As a certified coach, you can offer enrichment services as a paid activity on a part-time or full-time basis, allowing you to work at your own pace and schedule. Alternatively, you can choose to engage in enrichment activities as a free activity during your spare time, providing a positive impact on dogs and caretakers without any financial burden.

Learning objectives:

• Understand when the dog has finished investigating
• Understand that the dog should be either off-leash or on a long leash
• Understand that no commands should be given to the dog whilst in the enrichment area
• Underdstand that the handler, coach, or anyone else should not tell the dog what to do
• Understand that the handler, coach, or anyone else should not physically show the dog what to do through body language (where to go or what to sniff)
• Understand that the dog can be allowed to urinate/relieve itself in the environment

Study material:

Study material:

• In addition to the level 1 curriculum these recorded lectures:
• by Turid Rugaas
• by Galen Myotherapy on physical benefits
• by Lisbeth on how to start up and how to get customers
• by Lisbeth on various environments; what, where, how long, how and why
• compendium

Practical information:

• This course is entirely self-paced for independent study.
• Register at your convenience, without strict enrolment deadlines.
• Upon registration, gain immediate access to the course platform, enabling you to view theory lectures at your preferred time and pace.
• Complete all four assignments and the quiz within a generous twelve-month (1 year) timeframe from the date of enrolment.

Estimated time use:

• theory lectures: approx. 5 hours
• per practical assignments: 2- 3 hours
• compendium (reading): 30 min – 1 hour
• theory test (quiz): 30 min – 1 hour