Phase 1
Focus and engagement
Build attention, motivation, and a stronger working relationship through short, reward-based sessions.
Practical everyday reliability for the dog you live with.
A four-phase programme for owners who want a well behaved dog.
Four-phase overview
A clear structure from foundation work through to real-life application.
The programme follows four phases in sequence so you can build attention, communication, core behaviours, and then practical reliability in everyday environments.
Phase 2
Communication skills
Introduce marker words and lead communication so your dog gets clearer, calmer information.
Phase 3
Essential obedience
Teach come, heel, sit, place, and down with a release cue and steady proofing.
Phase 4
Real-life application
Take those skills into everyday environments with a structured plan for distractions and setbacks.
What the programme helps with
Built for real life, not just a training session.
Life Skills is about the situations owners actually deal with day to day: lead pulling, unreliable recall, and dogs that know the cue at home but fall apart when life gets interesting.
Calmer walks and better lead manners
The programme helps owners build practical handling skills so walks feel more settled and less stressful.
Recall and responsiveness that hold up better outdoors
Training is progressed in stages so dogs learn to stay connected even when real-life distractions appear.
Day-to-day reliability, not just field performance
The aim is a dog that can cope better in ordinary life, from local walks to busier public settings.
How it works
Reward-based training, short sessions, and clear progression.
The programme uses marker-based training with clear success criteria, short practical sessions, and milestone-led progression so owners know what to focus on next.
Core behaviours
Your dog will learn come, heel, sit, place, and down. Not just the cue, but how to hold the behaviour, understand the release, and stay reliable as distraction, distance, and duration are added.
Training method
Reward-based marker training helps dogs understand exactly what is being reinforced, while short, repeatable sessions keep the work clear and manageable.
Milestones and real-life transfer
Each phase builds on the last, with progress measured before moving on. The goal is not just to get the behaviour in training, but to carry it into walks, public spaces, and ordinary daily routines.
Audience and scope
Suitable for dogs learning from scratch or needing a reset.
Life Skills suits younger dogs learning these foundations for the first time, as well as older dogs that need a clearer structure and a refresher on practical day-to-day behaviours.
This programme is designed for foundational life skills. If a dog has deeper behaviour issues with a stronger emotional component, a more tailored plan may be needed.
Next step
Ask whether Life Skills is the right fit for your dog.
Get in touch if you would like to talk through the programme and the best next step for you and your dog.