Program fit
The program ladder: how Northline programs build on each other
Read the five board and train curricula in a row and a shape appears. One program teaches a dog to walk, sit, lie down and hold a place on a leash. The next assumes those manners and works on coming back when called with the leash gone. The one after assumes the recall and asks for heel, distance and composure in public. This page explains the shape, and why the consultation picks one rung.
Last reviewed October 4, 2026
Reading the rungs
Each curriculum assumes the one below it.
On-Leash Foundations is the base. Loose-leash walking, heel, sit, stay, down and the place command are taught with markers and rewards first, then proofed around everyday distractions, and a slip lead and training collar are included. Functional Off-Leash starts from there: it is built for a dog with decent manners already, and spends its weeks on reliable recall around distractions and off-leash manners, with an Educator remote collar introduced properly and taught to the owner.
Advanced Off-Leash assumes the recall and raises the bar: off-leash heel, sit, stay and down at a distance, public manners and advanced distraction work. Two rungs sit beside the ladder rather than on it. Puppy Fundamentals is built for puppies in their key learning window, with crate comfort, name recognition and calm exposure to new sights and sounds. Behaviour Rehab starts with a full assessment, because fear and reactivity are often more than a skills gap, and the program is shaped after it.
- Foundations before recall
- Recall before off-leash heel
- Puppies have their own rung
- Behaviour work starts with assessment
Pick one rung
The ladder is a map, not a route to buy.
A ladder invites you to picture climbing it. Resist that. Each program is built around one goal, set by what you want from your dog, not by where the curriculum could go next. If the walk is the goal, the on-leash rung is the one built for it. If the dog already walks well and you want the river path and the campsite, you do not start at the bottom to earn the right to recall; the consultation starts where the dog is.
The consultation is where the rung gets chosen. We look at the dog's current manners, what the household wants, and how the dog handles distraction and new places, then recommend a single program built for that gap. Sometimes the honest recommendation is the rung below the one you came in asking about, and we will say so. If a graduate later wants the next rung, the foundation is already there; nobody is asked to commit to the ladder.
| Program | Length | Price + GST | Built for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puppy Fundamentals | 3 weeks | $2,775 | Puppies in the learning window |
| On-Leash Foundations | 2 weeks | $1,865 | Loose-leash walking and household obedience |
| Functional Off-Leash | 3 weeks | $3,030 | Reliable recall and off-leash manners |
| Advanced Off-Leash | 4 weeks | $3,940 | Off-leash heel, distance commands, public manners |
| Behaviour Rehab | 5 to 6 weeks | $4,850 to $5,760 after assessment | Anxiety, reactivity, aggression |
The programs
Programs and prices
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
E · 3-week board & train
Functional Off-Leash
Everything in the on-leash program, then the next level: reliable off-leash recall even around distractions.
Includes handover lesson, follow-ups, Educator remote collar
SE · 4-week board & train
Advanced Off-Leash
The full four-week build: from functional foundations to advanced reliability in public environments and around higher-level distractions.
Includes handover lesson, 2 follow-ups, Educator remote collar
Asked and answered
The questions people ask us.
Do I have to do On-Leash Foundations before Functional Off-Leash?
No. Functional Off-Leash is built for a dog who already has decent manners, however they were learned. If those manners are there, the consultation can recommend the off-leash rung directly; if they are not, it will say the leash rung is the better starting point.
What is the difference between Functional Off-Leash and Advanced Off-Leash?
Functional Off-Leash works on reliable recall around distractions, off-leash house manners and distraction training, with an Educator remote collar included. Advanced Off-Leash assumes that recall and adds off-leash heel, sit, stay and down at a distance, public manners and advanced distraction work.
Which Northline program should I start with?
The one built for the goal you have now, which the consultation recommends after meeting the dog. Puppy Fundamentals is built for puppies, and Behaviour Rehab, built for anxiety, reactivity and aggression, is planned after a full assessment. For an adult dog with manners goals, the smaller rung gets recommended whenever it is enough.
Can my dog do two Northline programs back to back?
That is a question for the consultation, not a web page. Each program is built around one goal, and the recommendation is the single program that fits the goal in front of you. If a graduate later wants the next rung, the earlier foundation is already in place.
Keep reading
Find your rung
Tell us what you want from your dog and where the manners are now. We will name one program, not five. Book a consultation.
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