Life Skills for Dogs

A 6-week interactive online dog (and people!) training program that'll change your life with your dog. Basic obedience skills and good manners are just the beginning!

Ready to stop the chaos and regain some peace, but don't know where to begin?

Puppy biting, chewing, jumping

Does this sound familiar?

You're spending loads of time with your dog, trying to work off his anxiousness or his hyper energy and teach him, but….it's just not working...he might rest for 20 minutes, but then he's right back at it?

You feel like maybe you missed something along the way, and you're sharing your home and life with a dog who sometimes brings more frustration than joy. 

...You might not want the "all that" of formal obedience training, but you DO want the step-by-step detail of a training program that helps you teach your dog to make better choices, so you can stop saying 'no' all day long?

Get Life Skills for Dogs

Does this sound familiar?

You're spending loads of time with your dog, trying to work off his anxiousness or his energy and teach him, but….it's just not working... he might rest for 20 minutes, but then he's right back at it?

You feel like maybe you missed something along the way, and you're sharing your home and life with a dog who sometimes brings more frustration than joy. 

...You might not want the "all that" of formal obedience training, but you DO want the step-by-step detail of a training program that helps you teach your dog to make better choices, so you can stop saying 'no' all day long?

Dogs pulling, jumping on counter

Ready to regain some peace and start enjoying your dog again?

Get Life Skills for Dogs Now

Imagine feeling calm and confident, knowing you're on your way to having a well-behaved family member...

  • Looking forward to going for a walk, with a dog who won't lose her mind every time she sees a person or another dog...
  • Enjoying relaxed family time , while your dog lies calmly nearby (or on the sofa...if YOU want!)
  • Having your dog be free to be a dog...just a better-behaved one!

 

Introducing:  

Life Skills for Dogs

The 6-week interactive online training program that’ll have you enjoying your dog and looking forward to a lifetime of companionship

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What makes this training different?

 

If you need to have usable skills, FAST, because you live in the real world, not some perfect training arena, this program will get you living your life in a matter of weeks, not months.

Unlike most beginner training programs, we focus on the dog's state of mind, not a checklist of skills the dog learns to perform indoors, on cue, IF you happen to have a cookie in your pocket!   

 In Life Skills for Dogs, you'll learn how to teach your dog three simple life skills that will make a HUGE difference in your day-to-day, quickly--walking nicely on a leash, coming when called, and going to/staying on a cot or dog bed.

We'll use these skills to teach your dog good manners at home and in public, and to start to make good choices all on his own.

 


 

As is the case for all good dog training, it's not just about the skills, as much as it is about the effects of teaching those skills.

self calm

develop your dog's ability to self-calm (and moderate her own arousal levels to be appropriate for the situation), so that she's pleasant to have around or to take with you

 

cooperation

teach your dog to look to you for guidance, and cooperate with you when it's time to navigate situations that might be tricky for her, so that you can move through life with more calm, less frustration.

success

teach YOU how to see the world from your dog’s point of view, so that everyone is set up for success, now and going forward

 

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Sign Me Up!

Our easy-to-access, thoughtfully-sequenced lessons and supportive student community ensure your success, even if you've never trained a  dog to do a single thing before 

Here's what you'll get: 

 

🐾   Pre-recorded video lessons--these lessons will be available for you to access in an online student portal, so you can watch (or re-watch) wherever you have internet, whenever is convenient for YOU. There's even a mobile app!

 

🐾   Live video "office hours" coaching calls, that will help you stay focused and motivated, resolve any questions you might have, and provide additional tips and techniques

 

🐾   Private students’ community--because everything is better together. If you’re struggling with something, chances are really, REALLY good you’re not alone.  I’ll be in there daily to answer quick questions, add tips and tricks, and do my best to keep you on-track and smiling.

 

🐾  Need extra help? You'll be able to add on one-on-one video consultation time with your instructor, as you need it, at a special students-only rate.  Start with a pre-training consultation and planning session, or add a session to get private, specific feedback or help if you're ever struggling.

 

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Over the next 6 weeks, we're going to ... 

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Week One

Fill Your Tool Kit

We’ll go into the "why's" of most common problem behaviors, quickly and effectively teach your dog to access a calm state of mind, and make sure we're providing the necessary scaffolding and support for your dog's success. We'll evaluate your dog's temperament and choose appropriate training tools for you AND your dog.

Weeks 2-3

Stop & Go

We’ll really dive into learning the program's core skills over the next couple of weeks, to make sure you and your dog have a solid foundation to build upon going forward. As we teach nice leash manners, and "place" (going to, and staying on, a cot or dog bed), your dog will also learn to self-calm, to control her impulses, and to enjoy cooperating with you.

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Week 4

Walk with Me

Once we have the basics down, we can start to teach really useful life skills and manners, and have some fun together. We'll take your leash manners out into the real world, start using your "place" skills in daily situations, and address your "good manners" needs, including jumping, door-dashing, barking, etc.

Weeks 5-6

Practice time, and Handling Challenges

Just about every dog has that "thing"--the situation (or situationS) that just make them lose their marbles. We'll learn how to practice strategically, and learn how to do better than just barely getting through those situations!  We'll teach our dogs how they SHOULD respond, and help them learn to choose the preferred way more often. Also learn how you can use fun and games to practice and polish up many of the basic skills and manners you want to see from your dog every day

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Over the next 6 weeks we're going to ... 

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Week One

Fill Your Tool Kit

We’ll go into the "why's" of most common problem behaviors, quickly and effectively teach your dog to access a calm state of mind, and make sure we're providing the necessary scaffolding and support for your dog's success. We'll evaluate your dog's temperament and choose appropriate training tools for you AND your dog.

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Weeks 2-3

Stop & Go

We’ll really dive into learning the program's core skills over the next couple of weeks, to make sure you and your dog have a solid foundation to build upon going forward. As we teach nice leash manners, and "place" (going to, and staying on, a cot or dog bed), your dog will also learn to self-calm, to control her impulses, and to enjoy cooperating with you.

 
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Week 4

Walk with Me

Once we have the basics down, we can start to teach really useful life skills and manners, and have some fun together. We'll take your leash manners out into the real world, start using your "place" skills in daily situations, and address your "good manners" needs, including jumping, door-dashing, barking, etc.

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Weeks 5-6

Practice time, and Handling Challenges

Just about every dog has that "thing"--the situation (or situationS) that just make them lose their marbles. We'll learn how to practice strategically, and learn how to do better than just barely getting through those situations!  We'll teach our dogs how they SHOULD respond, and help them learn to choose the preferred way more often. Also learn how you can use fun and games to practice and polish up many of the basic skills and manners you want to see from your dog every day

all in roughly the same amount of time you're already spending with your dog every day…

Wait... dog training online? Does that even work? 

 

With our combination of teaching and support, ABSOLUTELY! In fact, many of our students have said they prefer online, as they have so much access to their trainer, and can go back and review lessons as they work.

As is true for all our in-person training programs, as long as you put in the time and effort, you and your dog  will learn

 

 psst! inside secret: it was always YOU training your dog 😉

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Is this for me?

Life Skills for Dogs is perfect for anyone who:

➜  Has a new-to-them dog and is feeling a bit overwhelmed by the “reality”

➜ Has had their dog for for a while and has always thought "training would be a good thing for both of us"

➜ Might have done some training, but still feels their dog is anything but "trained" and don’t want to spend the next 10 years trying to “figure it out”

➜ Wants to know how to do this stuff themselves and save thousands on in-person private lessons or board-and-train programs

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Meet Kirsten!

Hi there! My name is Kirsten Tolley, owner and founder of Free State Canine. I’ve been training dogs (and their people!) professionally for over 15 years, and perfecting this program for 8 years.

With all the unpredictability in the world, including everyone's schedules, travel, weather, and safety concerns, I'm hearing more and more people asking for online dog training options. 

This program is by FAR my most popular training program; it provides relatively fast, real-life-usable results, takes minimal daily time, and is extremely user-friendly. 

Nothing is as rewarding to me as a dog trainer, as watching owners fall head over heels in love with their dogs, as THEY work to bring out the best in them, and start to look forward to a lifetime of companionship.

You can get started right now!

We'll be starting a coaching-intensive round very soon, and you'll be automatically upgraded...

...but in the meantime, you get access to all 6 weeks of pre-recorded video lessons, bi-weekly live office hour / coaching calls, and a community of awesome people cheering you on your path forward to a "best dog ever?" 

I can't pass this up!
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