Start your dog training journey
Start with the support your dog
actually needs.
Start with your dog’s age, then look at what happens around other
dogs, people and everyday distractions. That will point you towards
Puppy Life Skills, group training or one-on-one support.
The right starting point is not about how many commands your dog
knows. It is about whether they can cope, recover and still learn
in the environment around them.
Choose your starting point
Which starting point fits
your dog?
Puppy Life Skills is based on age and development. For older dogs,
the right pathway depends on the environment your dog can currently
handle. All three pathways use practical, reinforcement-based training.
01 · Puppy aged 8–18 weeks
Puppy Life Skills
A five-week puppy program in Bellingen for building communication,
confidence and useful foundations during your puppy’s early development.
- Small groups of no more than five puppies
- Thoughtful socialisation without uncontrolled puppy play
- Practical skills, weekly resources and Pocket Trainer Support
- A clear foundation for moving into Life Skills later
02 · Comfortable or overexcited
Life Skills Group Program
Your dog is at least 5.5 months old and can be around other dogs and
people without becoming overwhelmed, but struggles with focus, pulling on lead,
excitement, frustration, recall or distractions.
- Loose lead walking
- Recall and engagement
- Calm behaviour around distractions
- Clear communication for everyday life
- Pocket Trainer Support between classes
03 · Overwhelmed or reactive
Reactivity Support
Your dog barks, lunges, freezes, scans, fixates or becomes
overwhelmed around dogs, people, movement or busy
environments.
- Understand what is driving the reaction
- Reduce overwhelm and improve recovery
- Build practical handling strategies
- Work around triggers at an achievable level
- Pocket Trainer Support between sessions
Important
Group training is not always the right
starting point.
If simply seeing another dog is enough to push your dog beyond
the point where they can think, take reinforcement or recover,
asking them to learn in a group may make useful training much
harder.
That does not mean group training is off the table forever.
It means we need to start in an environment where your dog can
actually learn.
Life Skills Group Program
Seven weeks of practical,
real-world training.
Life Skills is for dogs who can learn around others but need
better engagement, lead skills, recall, emotional regulation
and clearer communication in everyday environments.
Dog-Free Human Workshop
Learn how dogs learn, how reinforcement works, how to use
markers clearly and how to set training up so the practical
work makes sense to both ends of the lead.
Build the Foundations
Develop communication, engagement, loose-lead skills,
recall, duration and emotional regulation while gradually
adding more challenge.
Proofing and Real-Life Integration
Bring the skills together around greater distractions and
practise behaviour that needs to work beyond the training
environment.
Included throughout
Coaching does not finish when class does.
Maximum six dogs:
Small groups create useful real-world distraction while
still leaving room for individual coaching.
Pocket Trainer Support:
Send questions and short homework videos through WhatsApp
between classes so you can get feedback while you are
practising.
Reactivity Support
Individual support built around
your dog’s starting point.
Reactivity Support is for dogs who need more space, individual
coaching and a training plan built around their specific
triggers, behaviour and environment.
Check fit
Read how Reactivity Support works and complete the short qualification form. Your answers help check whether a call is likely to be useful.
30-minute Fit Call
If the service appears suitable, choose a call time. We discuss your goals, safety, location and logistics. The call is a fit check, not a behaviour assessment or free training session.
Recommendation and first session
If Reactivity Support is a fit, I explain the starting plan I recommend, what it includes and the exact fee. You decide whether to proceed. We then complete the detailed intake and arrange the first in-person session to begin practical work.
Pocket Trainer Support is included between sessions as we practise, review progress and adjust the plan.
Clear next steps
Know the plan and fee before you commit.
The Fit Call checks whether this is suitable for you and your dog. If it is, I explain the proposed support block and exact fee. The first in-person session follows once you choose to proceed.
Dog training across the Coffs Coast
Training for
the life you actually live.
The Operant Dog provides dog training in Coffs Harbour and
surrounding areas, including Sawtell, Toormina, Urunga,
Raleigh, Boambee, Woolgoolga and nearby communities.
Training is designed around the places you actually need your
dog to function: neighbourhood walks, parks, beaches, cafés,
visitors, busy environments and everyday family life.