# School of Canine Science > Science-backed education for dog trainers and behaviourists. Courses, memberships and CPD led by Nando Brown and Dean Nicholas. ## About The School of Canine Science (SoCS) is a UK-based education provider for professional dog trainers and canine behaviourists. Founded by Nando Brown — a working trainer with over two decades of experience and a regular face on TV (Channel 4's "Dogs: Their Secret Lives", BBC, ITV) — SoCS exists to bridge the gap between academic canine science and what trainers actually do at the end of a lead. Our teaching is evidence-based, ethologically grounded, and unapologetically practical. We reject quick-fix dogma in favour of methods that hold up under scrutiny: learning theory, applied behaviour analysis, ethology, and welfare science applied to real-world cases. Our flagship programme, the High Performers Membership, is a coaching community for trainers who want to grow their skills and their businesses alongside peers held to the same standard. We serve two audiences: new trainers building a career on solid foundations, and experienced practitioners ready to deepen their craft, mentor others, or specialise. We are not affiliated with the ABTC and operate independently of UK regulatory bodies. ## Pages - [Home](/): Overview of the School of Canine Science. - [About](/about): Story, mission, and team behind SoCS — Nando Brown (founder) and Dean Nicholas (operations). - [Courses](/courses): All courses and memberships. - [Blog](/blog): Articles on canine behaviour, training, and the business of dog training. - [Free Resources](/free-resources): Free webinars, downloads, and a 1:1 progress call. - [New Trainer Pathway](/new-trainer): Recommended route for trainers in their first three years. - [Experienced Trainer Pathway](/experienced-trainer): Recommended route for established professionals. - [Practical Dog Trainer Course — Immersion](/practical-dog-trainer-course): Five-day hands-on practical training course for trainers and behaviourists with your own dog. First UK Phase One: 23 to 27 November 2026, Eye to Eye Dogs, Clevedon, Bristol. - [MyCanine360](/mycanine360): AI-powered session notes, reports, and admin tools for working trainers. ## Courses - [High Performers Membership](/courses/high-performers): Flagship monthly coaching and community for serious trainers. Currently closed to new members — waitlist open. - [The Behaviour Bible](/courses/behaviour-bible): Three-year comprehensive canine behaviour qualification. - [30 Days of Canine Science](/courses/30-days): Month-long science foundation for trainers new to the evidence base. - [Scent for Six](/courses/scent-for-six): Six-week scent work specialism. - [Puppy Lab](/courses/puppy-lab): Evidence-based puppy development programme. - [Fusion](/courses/fusion): Specialist subjects from world-class guest instructors — Jane Ardern (gun dog), Mike Shikashio (aggression), Sarah Whitehead, Kamal Fernandez (shaping), Rachel Bean (canine first aid), and more. ## Blog - [Protection Sport Does Not Need Silence. It Needs Standards.](/blog/protection-sport-standards): A working Mondioring decoy on the AVD e.V. trial near Slough, the reports circulating in the working dog world, and why the sport needs standards, not silence. - [5 things I WISH more people knew before becoming a dog trainer…](/blog/5-things-before-becoming-dog-trainer): Dog training can be an amazing industry, but there are a few things people often underestimate before they step into the work. Here are my top 5!!!! - [Should You Shave Your Dog in Summer?](/blog/should-you-shave-your-dog-in-summer): Thermal science, double coats, and what 20 years in hot climates actually taught me about keeping dogs cool. - [Following the Paperwork: David Montgomery's Regulation Blog Doesn't Add Up](/blog/red-tape-of-regulation): Public-records analysis of recent claims about UK dog-training regulation. - [Do I Need Insurance to Be a Dog Trainer in the UK?](/blog/do-i-need-insurance-to-be-a-dog-trainer): Public liability, care, custody and control, professional indemnity, employers’ liability and motor cover for UK dog trainers. - [How to Become a Dog Trainer: Why There Is No Perfect Route](/blog/how-to-become-a-dog-trainer): Qualifications, online courses, practical experience and dog sports — the strengths and weaknesses of every route into dog training. - [What Does "Accredited" Actually Mean in Dog Training?](/blog/what-does-accredited-actually-mean): What accreditation actually assesses, what it does not, and the questions to ask before you buy. - [Hand Feeding as a Foundation](/blog/hand-feeding-foundation): Why hand feeding shapes engagement, focus, and the working relationship. - [Why I'm Not a "Positive Reinforcement Trainer"](/blog/not-a-positive-reinforcement-trainer): On labels, ideology, and method-led vs. dog-led training. - [How to Become a Dog Trainer — Online Courses Compared](/blog/become-dog-trainer-online-courses): Honest comparison of routes into the profession. - [Best Dog Training Certification Programmes](/blog/best-dog-training-certification-programmes): What UK and international qualifications actually mean. - [Why Suppressing Behaviour Doesn't Work](/blog/why-suppressing-behaviour-doesnt-work): The behavioural cost of punishment-based suppression. - [Canine Stress Signals in Practice](/blog/canine-stress-signals-in-practice): Reading and responding to stress in working sessions. ## Optional - [Sitemap](/sitemap.xml): Full machine-readable list of indexable pages. - [Robots](/robots.txt): Crawler directives.