Hi - I’m Tracey McLennan, a dog trainer, behaviour professional, published researcher, and author who specialises in prey drive in dogs. This page will explain my certification course so you can decide if it is something you'd like to complete.
Hi - I’m Tracey McLennan, a dog trainer, behaviour professional, published researcher, and author who specialises in prey drive in dogs. This page will explain my certification course so you can decide if it is something you'd like to complete.
For dog trainers and behaviour consultants
A 12-month professional program the incorporates theory, real-world training, shadowing, and assessment.
The Prey Drive Practitioner Program is a professional certification route for dog trainers and behaviour professionals who want to develop real skill with prey drive.
You’ll spend a year working through structured monthly training, live coaching, practical exercises, discussion, and support inside my specialist prey drive training community. This is the same learning environment I use to help owners of high prey drive dogs. That gives you access to real people working with their own dogs. It also lets you gain valuable experience of being part of it as you work with your own dog.
An important part of the Practitioner Program is the opportunity to shadow my work over time. You’ll see how I approach complex cases, how I think through training problems, how plans change when things are not working, and how I help people navigate the emotional side of living and training with high prey drive dogs.
As part of the Practitioner Program, you’ll use the training to build your own written and video evidence over time. At the end, you can submit your work for assessment and, if it meets the required standard, become a Best Dog Prey Drive Practitioner.
Enrol in the Practitioner ProgramMany dog professionals have very little formal education around prey drive.
What they do receive is often oversimplified, overly theoretical, or built around ideal training setups that do not reflect the reality of living with high prey drive dogs.
High prey drive dogs are dogs whose behaviour can change dramatically depending on where they are, movement, scent, arousal, frustration, learning history, genetics, and emotional state.
Clients will describe their dog chasing wildlife, fixating on movement, disappearing into the distance, redirecting frustration onto them, being reactive toward other dogs, as impossible to engage around prey.
The Practitioner Program is designed to help you develop the judgement and practical skill needed to work through that complexity ethically and effectively.
During the course you'll learn how to:
The Practitioner Program is completed over 12 months.
During that time, you will work through the High Prey Drive Club while applying the training practically with one dog over time. That can be your own dog or a dog you work with consistently.
That means observing the ways I approach problems, how things change when things aren't working and the way I support people through difficult situations.
This course is carefully designed to give you practical knowledge while also seeing the work in action. That way you'll gain skill and confidence so that this isn't just another thing you've done and forgotten about.
We all want to show ourselves in the best light. With dogs, that often means choosing to show training videos with dogs who excel at each exercise.
However, when you do that, you miss the chance to build skills that will help you be successful working with prey drive.
If you work with one dog over time, you learn how to:
You can change dogs during the course if you absolutely need to but do get in touch with me and have a chat about it first to make sure it's the right choice for you.
Separating trainers from the lived experience of owners during their learning is common - and it reduces the effectiveness of the learning.
So this course does the opposite.
In this course, you will be working alongside dog owners. You'll have assessments to do that they won't but otherwise you will learn along with them.
That experience is an important part of your learning as it will allow you to shadow my work and observe how I approach this vital work.
At the end of the training year, you can submit your work for formal assessment.
Your submission will include:
Certification is awarded when your work demonstrates the required standard.
This is not a participation certificate and it is not awarded simply for completing the year.
If part of your work does not yet meet the required standard, you will receive feedback explaining what needs improvement and you will have the opportunity to resubmit that section.
The assessment and certification review fee is £350 and is paid at the point of submission.
At the end of the process, successful candidates become Certified Prey Drive Practitioners.
Founding Practitioner Offer
This is the first intake of the Practitioner Program.
Because of that, I’m offering a founding price that will be available to people who join the program early.
Usually £504
£378
One payment for the full 12-month Practitioner Program.
Usually 4 payments of £140
4 payments of £105
Flexible payment option for the full Practitioner Program.
This offer is only available to the first intake of professionals joining the program.
Enrol in the Practitioner ProgramJoin the waiting list and I’ll let you know first when places become available.
I didn’t build this program based on theory alone.
My background combines academic study, practical training, and assessed work at a high standard — but more importantly, it is grounded in real-world cases where things were far from straightforward.
One of those cases became the subject of my book on canine aggression. It documents the process of working with a dog who was attacking and injuring other dogs, chasing deer for miles, as well as catching, killing and eating rabbits and birds — and taking him to the point where he could safely mix, socialise, and play with dogs. And leave prey alone.
That same dog went on to be the dog I trained and handled for my first degree assessments.
I’ve been assessed on my training. This certification is built on the same principle — you don’t pass by knowing the right answers, you pass by showing your work.
If you’re considering this seriously, these are the questions that usually matter.
Q. Do I have to be a professional already?
Q. Can I use multiple client dogs for my videos?
Q. Do I have to have a high prey drive dog to do this course?
Q. Will I have to have my dog off lead in open areas to pass this course?
Q. Why do I learn alongside dog owners?
Q. Is a pass guaranteed?
Q. When do I pay the assessment fee?
Q. How long do I have to submit my work for assessment?
Q. If I join part way through a month does that mean I have less time to work on that month's content?
Q. What happens after I pass?
Ready to start?
Enrol in the Practitioner ProgramLegal Disclaimer: This program does not qualify anyone to diagnose, treat, or prescribe for medical conditions. Dog training and behaviour work depends on a range of factors including but not limited to the dog’s health, history, temperament, environment, the handler’s skill, and the consistency of implementation. Practitioner status is awarded only when submitted work meets the required standard. You remain responsible for your own professional decisions, client work, and appropriate referral to veterinary or other qualified professionals where needed.