Become A Certified Smart Master Dog Trainer
Train with your own dog, work with expert instructors, and leave with a recognised qualification - and a fully built business.
What's Included in Your Certification
5-day residential bootcamp
Max 5 students per cohort
Train with your own dog
Daily theory + hands-on sessions
Accommodation and meals provided
Website, bookings, and CRM setup
Smart Master Dog Trainer certification
12-month mentorship included
The Smart Master Dog Trainer Certification
The Smart Master Dog Trainer (SMDT) is a full-scale professional certification for those ready to enter the industry as credible, confident, and business-ready dog trainers. You’ll join us at one of our residential venues across the UK, where over five intensive days you'll combine structured education, live practical training, and full business setup - all delivered in person.
You’ll work with your own dog, develop real training and coaching skills, and learn how to deliver both private and group sessions with structure and clarity. At the same time, you’ll build your business infrastructure - including your website, booking platform, payment tools, and branded materials - with expert guidance throughout the week.
Most graduates operate under the Smart brand, with access to our trainer network, licence, and 12-month mentorship. A certification-only option is available for those with established branding. Either way, you’ll leave with a nationally recognised qualification, your systems in place, and a professional identity ready to grow.
Accommodation, meals, and all training materials are included - so you can focus fully on your development and leave with everything ready to go.
Who This Certification Is For
This programme is built for people who want to train professionally - not casually. Whether you’re changing careers, adding a second income, or levelling up what you already do, this certification gives you the structure, systems, and confidence to work like a professional from day one.
You don’t need experience - but you do need intent. We work with career changers, professionals, and passionate dog owners who are ready to coach clients, lead structured sessions, and operate under a respected national brand.
You're in the right place if you want to:
- Build a professional dog training career - full-time or part-time
- Launch a business with real systems, not guesswork
- Add certified training to your existing pet or canine services
- Transition from a job that no longer fits into a career that does
- Work with structure, support, and proven methodology
- Be part of a recognised brand - not just build alone
How the Certification Works
The Smart Master Dog Trainer Certification is delivered in person at a residential venue - combining structured theory with live, instructor-led training. Each day blends classroom learning with practical application. You’ll train with your own dog, build mechanical skill and handling confidence, and practise real coaching under expert guidance.
In the evenings, you’ll build your business infrastructure - with live support to set up your website, booking system, payments, CRM, and branded tools. By graduation, your business is live, your systems are working, and you're ready to serve clients.
The full SMDT package includes Smart brand licence, marketing resources, and 12 months of direct mentorship - giving you structure, national recognition, and support beyond certification. A certification-only option is available for those with established branding.
After graduation, you’ll unlock access to Smart’s specialist development pathways - including puppy training, reactivity, therapy, service dog work, and personal protection. These are delivered online and designed to help you grow your skills, expand your offering, and continue developing as a professional.
What’s Included in Your Certification
The Smart Master Dog Trainer Certification is a complete training and business launch system. Everything is included - from accommodation and live instruction to your full tech stack, branded materials, and 12 months of mentorship. There are no upsells, no hidden fees, and no missing components. This is a fully supported pathway into professional dog training - built to prepare you, equip you, and launch you.
Included with Your Certification
- Accommodation
Four-night residential stay, Monday to Friday, with on-site support - Meals and Refreshments
All meals, drinks, and snacks provided - so you can focus entirely on your training - Complete Business Tech Stack
Website, bookings, payments, CRM and automations - built, branded, and ready to use - Smart Brand Licence (Year One Included)
Operate under the Smart name with full access to systems, assets, and support - 12-Month Mentorship with Scott Walker
Includes monthly coaching calls, strategic reviews, platform access, and ongoing support - Pathways + Alumni Platform Access
Specialist courses (puppy, reactivity, therapy, protection), trainer community, and lifetime development tools - Certifications Awarded
Smart Master Dog Trainer (SMDT), Group Class Leader and Foundation Obedience Specialist
What You’ll Learn
Each day blends structured classroom learning with live, instructor-led training. You’ll work with your own dog, develop timing and handling precision, and learn how to plan and deliver professional training - both one-to-one and in group settings. From mechanics to mindset, every element of this certification is designed to build confidence, clarity, and leadership.
Think like a trainer. Operate like a professional.
Lay the groundwork for professional clarity and structured delivery. You'll develop a working understanding of behavioural science, ethical decision-making, and how to think and assess like a trainer. This is where the Smart Method begins — with the terminology, logic, and structure that supports everything we teach.
- Operant theory and motivational systems
- The client–trainer–dog relationship
- UK canine law and duty of care
- Structure and language within the Smart Method
Mechanical skill, timing, and clarity in every cue.
Using your own dog, you’ll develop reliable communication and control across essential obedience behaviours. This module is about fluency — posture, timing, and purposeful pressure — with every rep contributing to trust and responsiveness.
- Sit, down, stay, recall, place, loose-lead walking
- Marker systems and reinforcer control
- Leash mechanics and handler timing
- Introducing pressure clearly and without conflict
Teach real people — with structure and confidence.
Private sessions are where trust is built and outcomes are delivered. You’ll learn how to coach using the Smart teaching sequence — combining clear instruction, real-time correction, and practical progression that clients can follow and apply.
- Smart teaching sequence: name, explain, demonstrate, coach
- Managing client errors and adapting delivery
- Structuring progression and regression
- Professional flow from intake to outcome
Lead structured classes with control, clarity, and authority.
Here, you’ll learn to run multi-dog, multi-handler sessions that feel organised and professional. You’ll develop the spatial awareness, tone, and control to manage reactivity, adapt to mixed abilities, and maintain flow without chaos.
- Designing and delivering progressive group sessions
- Managing energy, distraction, and class dynamics
- Tone, posture, and instructor presence
- Leading with clarity across multiple handlers and dogs
Graduate with your business built, branded, and working.
In the evenings, you’ll work with our team to build your tech stack — including your website, bookings, payments, and automations. Everything will be ready by graduation, so you leave certified, branded, and ready to take bookings immediately.
- Website, payments, CRM, bookings, and automation
- Smart-branded account setup and asset library access
- Templates, forms, client workflows, and marketing tools
- Full launch support and 12-month mentorship with Scott
Smart Master Dog Trainer Certification (SMDT)
£
2497
Nationally recognised qualification
Fully built business under the Smart brand
12-month mentorship and direct coaching
Upcoming Dates & Venues
Choose your location and secure your space - just 5 students per intake.
FAQs
Still have questions? Book a call - we're happy to talk it through.
Online courses are passive. This certification is immersive, instructor-led, and delivered in person. You’ll leave with live experience, coaching skill, and a complete business - not just videos.
Most students choose to operate under the Smart name for its recognition, support, and marketing tools. But if you have your own brand, you can choose a certification-only track.
You’ll continue to receive mentorship, business coaching, access to specialist pathways (like puppy, reactivity, therapy, and protection), and full platform access for 12 months.
Yes - this certification is designed to prepare you to work professionally with clients and their dogs. You’ll learn how to deliver structured training both one-to-one and in group settings, using the Smart Method to achieve reliable, real-world outcomes.
No. The programme is designed for beginners, career changers, and working professionals. What you do need is commitment, focus, and a genuine interest in becoming a professional trainer.
We welcome all breeds and mixes, provided your dog is physically healthy and suitable for a multi-dog environment. If unsure, we’re happy to advise before booking.
We don’t offer in-house finance or long-term payment plans. Many students use a credit card or short-term personal loan to secure their place, as the programme delivers immediate, career-focused return on investment. You’ll receive a receipt and enrolment confirmation as soon as your booking is processed.
That’s exactly what we help you overcome. We don’t just teach obedience - we teach you how to lead, instruct, and coach. You’ll learn how to run private sessions, manage group classes, give feedback, and speak with clarity and confidence. It’s all part of becoming a professional.
How Smart Compares
One is a complete, in-person business launch system with expert support. The other is a login, some videos - and a lot of guesswork.
Find A Venue
Find a Smart Dog Training or University venue near you.