Comparisons
Puppy Fundamentals vs Functional Off-Leash for a young dog
Two three-week programs, two very different starting points. One is for the young dog still learning that a crate is a fine place to nap and that their name means look over here. The other is for the young dog who already walks politely and now has eyes on the river path. Age matters, but what your dog already knows matters more.
Last reviewed October 4, 2026
Starting point first
Ask what your dog already knows.
Puppy Fundamentals starts close to zero. It works on name recognition, sit and down with a stay, the place command, leash manners and crate comfort, plus structured socialization so new sights and sounds become ordinary. It is built for puppies in their key learning window, and for pups already rehearsing habits you would rather they dropped. Sooner tends to be easier than later, because fewer habits need undoing.
Functional Off-Leash starts further along. It is built for dogs with decent manners who are ready to earn real freedom, and it works on reliable recall around distractions, off-leash house manners, distraction training and basic behaviour modification. If your young dog still bolts from the crate and ignores their name indoors, the off-leash goal is real but the foundation may be missing. That gap is what the consultation looks at.
- Responds to their name indoors
- Settles calmly in a crate
- Walks without dragging you
- Holds a sit near distractions
Price and gear
Same three weeks, different kit going home.
Both programs run three weeks of daily one-on-one training and structured routine, and both include a free follow-up session. Puppy Fundamentals is $2,775 + GST and sends your pup home with a slip lead and training collar, an owner handover lesson, and a follow-up within 60 days. Functional Off-Leash is $3,030 + GST and includes a Micro or Mini Educator remote collar, with owner education on using every tool properly.
By simple arithmetic, the gap between them is $255 before GST. That difference is not a good reason to pick either one. A remote collar handed to an owner whose dog has no dependable sit is a tool without a job, and a puppy program for a dog with solid basics repeats work already done. We would rather recommend the program that matches, and we say so when the lighter one covers it.
The programs
Programs and prices
W · One-hour session
Private Training
One-on-one coaching with you on the other end of the leash.
Includes a written weekly plan to work from
NE · 2-week board & train
On-Leash Foundations
If every walk is a wrestling match, pulling, barking, zig-zagging, this two-week program rebuilds the walk from the ground up with foundational on-leash obedience..
Includes handover lesson, follow-up session, lifetime support, slip lead + collar
S · 5–6 week board & train
Behaviour Rehab
Kaitlin's specialty, and the work she loves most.
Includes assessment-built plan, 2 follow-ups, deep owner education
Asked and answered
The questions people ask us.
Is my young dog too old for Puppy Fundamentals?
We do not publish a strict age cutoff. The program is built for puppies in their key learning window, and the consultation looks at your dog's age and current habits before recommending it.
Can a puppy do off-leash training?
Functional Off-Leash is built for dogs who already have decent manners. A young dog without a solid name response, sit or leash manners is often better served by building those first, and the consultation will say which applies.
What is the difference between Puppy Fundamentals and Functional Off-Leash?
Puppy Fundamentals works on household basics such as crate comfort, name, sit, down, place and leash manners. Functional Off-Leash works on recall around distractions and off-leash manners, with an Educator remote collar included. Both are three-week board and train programs.
Does Puppy Fundamentals include a remote collar?
No. Puppy Fundamentals includes a slip lead and training collar to take home. The Micro or Mini Educator remote collar comes with Functional Off-Leash, along with owner education on using it properly.
Keep reading
Not sure which fits?
Book a consultation and we will look at your dog's age, habits and goals before recommending either program.
From real owners
Rated 5.0 on Google.
Real Northline dogs