Tellington TTouch Practitioner Certification
If your are looking for a gentle and effective way to work with your own animals, or you want to work with animals in a professional capacity, the Tellington TTouch Method may be the answer for you.
Our method involves the use of gentle techniques that will mutually enhance the relationship between people and animals, improve an animal’s well-being and encourages cooperation and understanding in everyday handling and training.
This Certification program is designed for people who want to share the benefits of the Tellington Method with their own animals as well as for people who want to work with animals on a full or part-time basis. There are hundreds of TTouch Practitioners all over the world.
Some work full-time with private clients, many do the Tellington Method part-time in addition to their other jobs, and some incorporate what they have learned into their work with animals in shelters, with rescue groups, training programs, obedience schools, veterinary clinics and zoos. The rewards of this training program include an inspiring way to relate to animals plus a new appreciation and understanding of themselves.
The traditional Practitioner program required attendance at six, 5 or 6 day hands-on workshops plus case studies.
To stay current with the present travel restrictions in place as well as the global nature of our students, we have updated our program.
We now offer Practitioner Certification that may be completed entirely online and remotely.
Tellington TTouch Practitioners may work one on one with clients as official representatives of the work.
The Tellington TTouch certification process is a combination of in-person or online instruction, and student practice between training sessions, to develop specific skills as well as practical experience in a wide variety of applications, such as behavior, training, and health issues. On average, students spend between eighteen months and two years to develop the skills required for certification. However, there is no specific time requirement for completing the certification so that students can progress at their own pace.
Those wishing to learn the Tellington TTouch Method for their own use, may choose a “non-certification” track. Non-certification track students will not be required to complete case studies or other certification requirements such as testing. They may change to the certification track by completing the requirements at any time.
Permitted practice during the certification process – Students are encouraged to work with as many dogs as possible to gain experience. They may not charge for this work. An exception to this is for students already working professionally with animals and who will be incorporating their TTouch skills into their profession. These students may say they are using the Method but may not advertise that they teach it.
In-person and Online Learning – Credits may be acquired through in-person events offered for certification credit, from online classes or a combination of both. The experience gained through in-person learning is invaluable and ideally, will make up at least some of the credits earned for certification. (1 day of coursework = 2 credits)
Requirements for upgrading – These requirements are designed to ensure as clearly as possible that the Practitioner has the technical, teaching, organizational and people skills required for the higher level. These are difficult to measure and for this reason, the listed requirements should be considered minimums. In some circumstances the TTouch International Education Board may consider accepting equivalent criteria. Practitioners will demonstrate appropriate skill levels through an evaluation process.
Dog (Companion Animal)
This certification program is designed for people who want to share the benefits of TTouch with their own animals as well as for people who want to work with animals on a full or part-time, professional basis.
Equine (Horse)
The Tellington TTouch Method, (formerly TTEAM), is an extremely effective way of working with horses.
This level is an opportunity for both professional and non-professional horse people to teach TTouch techniques that encourage understanding and partnership with horses and resolve behavioral and physical difficulties.
Practitioners include non-professionals and professionals such as; body workers, trainers, instructors, and more.
Payment
Students will pay for each session prior to participating in the session, unless a payment plan has been approved. In order to become certified as Practitioner or Practitioner 1, all sessions attended must be fully paid.
Students in North America: While registration for online courses is centralized, Canadians and Americans will register in their country of residence regardless of where they are attending the in-person training.
When a student believes they are ready to be tested for certification, they will inform their national office, pay the testing fee, and schedule their test.
Mentors
After completing 24 credits, students in the certification track are eligible to request and be assigned a mentor.
Assignments will be made on the basis of personal student needs, time availability of mentors, and in some cases, geographic proximity of student and mentor. It is our aim to match the interests of the students with the skills of the mentors as best we can. In this process, if a student has a specific mentor preference, we will make every effort to honor that.
Safety Guidelines
Tellington TTouch students and Practitioners must adhere to safe handling techniques to assure the safety of their clients, their client’s animals, and themselves.
This includes the following:
🟠 The ability to assess animal communication and stress signals and respond appropriately.
🟠 Awareness of personal space and how to position yourself safely while working with an animal.
🟠 Utilizing the concept of “giving choice,” to reduce the likelihood of an animal feeling threatened or trapped. This includes allowing an animal to retreat, or moving an animal away from a threatening situation.
🟠 Intervening as needed if you observe a client putting the animal or yourself in an unsafe situation.
🟠 Never employing the use of aversive training techniques or tools.
🟠 The ability to recognize when it is not safe to touch or work with a particular animal.
🟠 Keeping safe space between multiple animals in a class or workshop situation.
Tellington TTouch Certification Levels
Tellington TTouch Practitioner
Qualification Criteria:
Successful completion of required coursework for a total of 60 credits.
Submission of 5 approved case studies for Dogs/Companion Animals; 10 approved case studies for Horses.
Achievement of passing score on written and practical skills assessment.
Permitted Practice:
Certified to work with individuals.
May give short (one hour) lectures or demonstrations to groups.
Tellington TTouch Practitioner 1
Qualification Criteria:
Successful completion of required coursework for a total of 72 credits.
Completion of a class presentation to demonstrate teaching skills observed by an instructor
Submission and approval of a plan for conducting a one day workshop.
Achievement of passing score on written and practical skills assessment.
Permitted Practice:
Certified to work with individual clients.
Give lectures/demonstrations or weekly classes.
Teach one day hands-on workshops to groups.
Tellington TTouch Practitioner 2
Qualification Criteria:
Have been listed in the Guild as a Practitioner 1 for at least one year immediately prior to upgrading
Have taught at least 10 one-day or 20 half-day/evening hands-on workshops (or the equivalent) and turned in feedback forms from participants and organizers from at least five of the workshops.
Submitted, for discussion with an instructor, an outline of the agenda for a hypothetical two-day hands-on workshop.
Permitted Practice:
Certified to work with individual clients.
Give lectures/demonstrations or weekly classes.
Teach one or two day hands-on workshops to groups.
Tellington TTouch Senior Practitioner (P3)
Qualification Criteria:
Been an active TTouch Practitioner for at least 8 years immediately prior to upgrading.
Taught a minimum of 16 workshops/webinars/modules (or equivalent)
Assisted at a minimum of 10 trainings.
Guild member for a minimum of 4 years before application and remain a Guild member
Demonstrates exceptional teaching and interpersonal skills
Submitted feedback forms from 5 workshops taught in the past three years prior to upgrading.
Demonstrates excellent handling and technical skills with a wide variety of animals in your area of expertise.
Permitted Practice:
Qualified to function as senior assistants at trainings.
Develop and teach webinars for the TTouch Online Learning Program.
Teach workshops (up to 3 days) to provide TTouch CEU credits according to curriculum guidelines.
Tellington TTouch Instructor:
Instructors are selected based on experience, technical and practical skills, teaching ability, and other contributions to (and needs of) the organization.
Benefits of Practitioner Certification
The process of becoming a Certified Tellington TTouch Practitioner for Dogs has many benefits, besides the tremendous personal learning potential.
Tellington TTouch Practitioners are certified to:
- Teach the method and its exercises to individual clients and their animals
- Use the official Tellington TTouch Logo and branding in a professional capacity
- Eligible to join the Professional Guild which allows for discounts, insider access, invitations to weekly educational webinars, annual membership to the TTouch Community
- Access to private Practitioner Facebook page
TELLINGTON TTOUCH PRACTITIONER GUILD:
The Tellington TTouch Practitioner Guild is a professional membership organization with the mission of promoting the Tellington TTouch Method.
Being a Guild member entitles you to:
– A discount on TTouch equipment purchases (for current Certified Practitioners only).
– Subscription to the Tellington TTouch Community FaceBook group.
– Listing in the Practitioner Directory of the Tellington TTouch Guild Site and the TTouch USA and TTouch Canada sites. Listing includes an individual Profile Page for each Guild Member to enter business information, services, contact data and photographs.
– Assist at trainings which can count toward keeping your certification current.
– Updated teaching resources and access to the members only section of the Guild website.
– Referrals through the TTouch offices.
Current Practitioners and Instructors will be listed with the TTouch Guild provided they maintain their status (see section below in Maintaining Practitioner Status) and pay the appropriate Guild Membership fee.
With prior approval, Certified Practitioners who are Guild Members may assist at training sessions. If the Practitioner’s intent is to upgrade or maintain status, the Practitioner must be present and attentive at the sessions. This will preclude organizers unless all duties have been delegated.
Guild membership for all levels of Tellington TTouch Practitioners depends on maintaining status and paying the annual fees. Robyn Hood sends out Guild renewal forms each year, by e-mail and/or postal mail, to all Practitioners. This information includes the prices for all the levels of membership and the directions for how to renew.
MAINTAINING PRACTITIONER STATUS:
Tellington TTouch Training uses a system of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to maintain/re-establish Practitioner status or provide means of additional study.
Practitioners of all levels will be required to accumulate 12 CEUs within the previous two years.
CEUs will be awarded for the following:
- Attending or assisting at a five- or six- day in-person training or Level 1 or 2 online courses – 12
- Advanced Training/CELLebration – 12
- Online Practitioner Update – 12
- 2-day workshops with approved practitioner – 3
- 1-day workshops with approved practitioner – 1.5
- TTouch approved webinar – .75
Practitioners teaching courses, modules or webinars will be assigned appropriate CEUs.
RE-CERTIFYING OUTDATED PRACTITIONERS
Depending upon the length of time they have been away from the TTouch work, the CEU requirements may vary in order to re-establish the original Practitioner level. For example, a Practitioner 2 outdated for two years may regain their status after accumulating 12 CEUs, whereas a Practitioner 2 outdated for 5 years may need 24 CEUs to regain the Practitioner 2 status, but will be recognized as Practitioner 1 after 12 CEUs.
After two years of being outdated, 12 of the required CEUs must be accumulated at a Practitioner Training Session. In-person trainings may be attended at half the cost of the session.