Everyday skills

Dog training for everyday life

Life with a dog involves a lot more than practising cues. Everyday Skills helps adolescent and adult dogs build useful habits for walks, greetings, settling, recall, handling, and daily routines.

Private sessions take place in your home and neighbourhood, so we can work on the skills where you’ll actually use them.

Two stages, personalized support

Choose the course that fits your dog

Adolescence brings its own changes and challenges, while adult dogs may be learning new skills, settling into a new home, or strengthening skills they already know. Both courses include individualized coaching, practical homework, and support between sessions.

Adolescent Foundations

For dogs 5 to 18 months

Five private sessions to help you navigate adolescence while building focus, recall, calmer routines, and useful everyday skills.

See adolescent training

Adult Dog Essentials

For dogs 18 months and up

A six-session course combining private coaching with guided practice around real-life distractions.

See adult dog training

For dogs 5 to 18 months

Adolescent Foundations

Adolescence can bring more energy, independence, sensitivity, and interest in everything happening around your dog. Skills that seemed solid a few months ago may need more practice as their world gets bigger.

Adolescent Foundations gives you individual support through this stage, with sessions shaped around the routines and situations that matter in your life. We can work on walks, greetings, recall, settling, household habits, handling, and staying connected around distractions.

What you’ll gain

A better understanding of what’s changing during adolescence

Practical ways to support focus around everyday distractions

Strategies for jumping, greetings, counter-surfing, and other teenage habits

A clear plan for walks, recall, settling, and home routines

Guidance for adjusting practice as your dog develops

What your dog will learn

To check in and stay engaged with you

Recall around gradually increasing distractions

Foundations for comfortable, connected walks

Settling and calmer behaviour during everyday routines

Cooperative skills for handling, grooming, and care

Package details

Adolescent Foundations

$495 for the five-session course

Five private 60-minute sessions in your home and neighbourhood. Your course includes individualized coaching, practice guidance, resources, support between sessions, and access to your Belle & Bark client portal.

Additional private sessions are $110.

Book Adolescent Foundations

For dogs 18 months and up

Adult Dog Essentials

Adult dogs can learn new skills at any age. Some are starting fresh after adoption, some need more practice around everyday distractions, and others have skills that work beautifully at home and disappear the moment they step outside.

Adult Dog Essentials combines individual coaching with opportunities to practise in real-life settings. We’ll choose priorities that make sense for your dog and your daily routines, then build those skills gradually across home, neighbourhood, and guided group sessions.

What you’ll gain

A training plan centred on the skills you actually use

Practical coaching for walks, greetings, and everyday routines

A clearer understanding of how your dog learns and communicates

Strategies for building skills around increasing distractions

Guided opportunities to practise beyond your usual training environment

What your dog will learn

Check-ins and attention around everyday distractions

Recall and response to you in real-life situations

Comfortable leash skills for neighbourhood walks

Settling and calm observation in different environments

Useful skills such as leave it, drop, and cooperative handling

Package details

Adult Dog Essentials

$495 for the six-session course

The course includes four private 60-minute sessions tailored to your dog and two guided small-group walks for real-world practice, weather permitting. You’ll also receive practice guidance, resources, support between sessions, and access to your Belle & Bark client portal.

Additional private sessions are $110.

Book Adult Dog Essentials

Small-group practice

Take your skills into the neighbourhood

Small-group walking gives you a chance to practise around other dogs, people, and everyday distractions with coaching nearby. Group options are designed for dogs who are comfortable sharing space with people and other dogs.

For dogs one year and up

Walking Foundations

$150 for three weekly one-hour classes

A three-week course focused on check-ins, leash skills, comfortable movement around distractions, and settling outdoors.

Small group size, with a maximum of 4 dogs.

For Walking Foundations graduates

Weekly group walks

$10 per walk

Guided one-hour walks give you regular practice with leash skills, check-ins, greetings, and settling in a small, supported group. Maximum of 4 dogs.

We meet Saturdays at 10h00 at various locations around the city.

Join a group walk

Does your dog bark, lunge, freeze, or struggle to feel comfortable around dogs or people? Behaviour Solutions gives us more space to understand what’s happening and build individualized support.

Common questions

What to know about Everyday Skills

Is Everyday Skills right for my dog?

Everyday Skills is designed for adolescent and adult dogs who are learning or strengthening practical skills for daily life. We can work on walks, recall, greetings, settling, household routines, handling, and attention around everyday distractions.

If fear, anxiety, reactivity, aggression, or another behaviour concern is having a bigger impact on daily life, Behaviour Solutions may be a better starting point.

Where do private training sessions take place?

Most sessions take place in your home and nearby neighbourhood so we can practise in the environments where you and your dog use the skills. We may also meet in another suitable location when it supports your goals.

Can you help with pulling on leash?

Yes. We can work on check-ins, leash skills, pace, positioning, and managing distractions during private sessions. Dogs who are comfortable around other dogs and people may also be able to practise through Walking Foundations and guided group walks.

Can an adult dog still learn new skills?

Absolutely. Adult dogs continue learning throughout their lives. Training can help a newly adopted dog settle into new routines, strengthen existing skills, or build new ones that make everyday activities easier to navigate.

What if my dog is reactive around other dogs or people?

Start with Behaviour Solutions. A private behaviour consultation gives us space to understand what contributes to your dog’s reactions and develop support suited to their needs. Group walking options are intended for dogs who can comfortably learn around other dogs and people.

What comes after the private course?

You can continue with individual sessions as needed. Dogs who are comfortable in a group environment may also join Walking Foundations and, after completing it, our guided group walks.

Get started

Build skills for the life you share

Choose the course that fits your dog’s stage and the skills you’d like to work on. We’ll shape the training around your dog, your priorities, and the situations you navigate together.

Book everyday skills training

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