Case Study – Essential Canine Life Skills Ltd

In an industry where anyone can call themselves a dog trainer based solely on online courses, Emma Jane is determined to be different.

Fourteen years ago, Emma started as a one-woman dog-training business in Essex. When Covid hit, instead of closing, she pivoted overnight to online classes, wrote books and created digital resources – and the business boomed. In 2021, with the help of a cherished inheritance from her late grandfather, she turned her thriving local operation into Essential Canine Life Skills – a quality-controlled franchise with exclusive territories and rigorous entry standards.

But Emma’s biggest leap came in 2025: the launch of the Spirit Dog Trainer Course – a fully accredited, hands-on course designed from the ground up to produce trainers who are truly competent, compassionate and safe.

Going the Extra Mile Several Times Over

Emma knew that in an unregulated market, accreditation alone wouldn’t be enough to prove quality. So she:

• Co-developed robust policies and procedures with a college principal franchisee
• Had the entire course independently reviewed by five leading industry professionals (three of whom were completely external) – one declared it “better delivered than another leading Awarding Organisation”.
• Partnered with Skills and Education Group Awards for formal accreditation

The result? A course that demands portfolio evidence, five real-life case studies, practical teaching days, micro-teach assessments, canine body-language observation and a non-negotiable minimum of 20 dogs’ hands-on handling experience before enrolment even begins.

Learner voice: Overcoming Impostor Syndrome

One of the first cohort of seven learners explains the transformation: 
“ I already walked dogs and had shadowed a trainer, so I thought I was ready. But this course pushed me into completely new situations – delivering lessons to strangers and their unknown dogs, and carrying out one-to-one home visits. At first, it was daunting, but the structure, the questionnaires, the practical tools and the peer support gave me confidence I didn’t know I had. I used to suffer from impostor syndrome every time I taught a class. This course showed me I don’t need to – because I really can train dogs and pass on knowledge the right way. It’s been a pleasure and a revelation to know that, yes, I can be a dog trainer. ”

(The above images show learners working hands-on with dogs in supervised training sessions, building confidence and applying practical, real-life skills.)

Staff Perspective: “More than a Certificate, it’s a Promise”

The college principal who helped shape the programme says:

“ The Spirit Dog Training accredited course is more than a certificate – it’s a promise. A promise to every dog and every owner. Written with passion in an unregulated world, it stands as a beacon of integrity, knowledge and heart. The rigorous, evidence-based assessments ensure graduates leave knowledgeable, confident and able to support owners and their dogs with genuine empathy. I am incredibly proud to have played a part in a course that doesn’t just raise professional standards – it changes lives. ”

Why Skills and Education Group Awards Accreditation mattered

Emma is clear:

“ In this industry, I needed recognised credibility that actually meant something. Skills and Education Group Awards shared our ethos – improving lives through education (ours just happens to have four legs and a tail!). Their supportive auditor turned my weakest area, policies and procedures, into a strength, and the accreditation badge now tells the public: these trainers have gone the extra mile, just like we have.”

(Nicola Johnson, Relationship Manager at Skills and Education Group, joins an online call with Emma Jane and learners from Essential Canine Life Skills to offer guidance and support.)

The Bigger Mission

Emma’s driving purpose has always been “to slow the rate of dogs entering rescue through lack of quality education”. With the Spirit Dog Trainer Course now accredited, she is building an army of properly skilled, ethical trainers who can start turning that tide – one dog, one owner, one community at a time.

As Emma says: