The Kennel Club is pleased to announce the launch of its new online learning resource, the Kennel Club Academy, home to accessible education to support those involved in the world of dogs.
Led by the Kennel Club's Training Board, the Academy is an online learning resource for breeders, judges and KCAI scheme members. It aims to provide consistent and high quality standards of education and training in every area of Kennel Club activity.
A range of learning resources, films and assessments are available through the Academy, sharing insight and guidance from professionals and experts in their fields. The Academy will be showcased to the public on the Kennel Club stand at Crufts from 10th - 13th March at the NEC Birmingham.
Everyone interested in expanding their knowledge will be able to learn at their own pace, as all the Academy resources are available 24/7 and can be accessed as many times as the user wishes.
The information provided in the Judges Education area aims to encourage aspiring and established judges to attend seminars and assessments delivered by Kennel Club Accredited Trainers. These seminars explain the importance of the role of the dog show judge and provide information on Kennel Club regulations and judging procedures, making it easier for new and current judges to keep up to date.
The breed specific films featured on the Academy website are a learning resource for judges and others with an interest in the featured breeds. The Training Board is keen to develop this area into an online library of films with multiple films for a breed. Breed Clubs are therefore invited to give serious consideration to developing their own breed specific film. The Kennel Club's Educational Trust has agreed to contribute funds to help those clubs and councils that wish to take a proactive approach to their judge's education and develop their own breed specific film to be featured on the Academy. The Training Board's view is that the more information which can be made available about a particular breed the better to provide a rounded education for a breed.
Dog breeders will also benefit from the launch of the Kennel Club Academy. The Academy features a variety of films aimed at those who are considering breeding from their dog including all the knowledge needed to support their dog's health and welfare.
The Chairman of the Kennel Club Dog Health Group, Nick Blayney said: "The Kennel Club Academy is the single most useful resource available to dog breeders, new and old, to enable them to understand how to breed healthy dogs. It is a great achievement and one that I am proud to have been involved with. I hope that anybody interested in dog breeding, whether as breeders or as potential owners or who just wants to understand the principles, will turn to the Kennel Club Academy.
"Experienced and long standing dog breeders now have the opportunity to update their knowledge of the rapidly developing science of dog breeding. The Kennel Club has developed an impressive reference centre which puts it at the forefront on matters of dog breeding and the Academy is the public face."
All the presentations and films have been developed by experts in their fields and offer users an insight into their knowledge and experience.
With the launch of the Academy, KCAI scheme members will benefit from a new accessible online assessment process. This resource aims to help KCAI members work towards their accreditation in a more structured and convenient way. It provides a flexible and simple way to demonstrate knowledge prior to their practical assessment. This new process also reduces the need for much of the paper-based Accreditation application.
Gerald King, Chairman of the Kennel Club Training Board said: "This is an exciting development that will be a valuable learning platform going forward. It will work in conjunction with the current seminars, providing pre-course learning for people interested in judging, breeding and the KCAI scheme. We want to thank everyone involved from our experts and board members who have been invaluable to this process."
Users of the Kennel Club Academy will be able to see their own 'record of learning', providing a record of assessments and learning resources completed as well as space to host information on seminars attended plus calendars, glossaries of canine terminology and news.
The Training Board is keen to develop additional partners who might wish to contribute to the Academy. Interested parties can contact the Kennel Club Training Board with their proposal.
The breeder information will be free of charge, whilst the cost for judges education is £26 a year, with access to all courses. The costs for KCAI scheme members will be £5 per assessment.
The Academy Shop is where you'll find information on what's available. Once you set up your subscription and have received your login, you can start to browse the wealth of information available.
Breed clubs are encouraged to contact the Kennel Club Educational Trust which is offering to part fund breed specific films for the Academy. If your breed club or council is interested in making a breed specific film, please email us to request an information pack on how to apply and what is involved in developing a film.
For any press wanting to organise an Academy demonstration during Crufts, please contact the press office or visit the Toute Suite at the NEC Birmingham during the show.