Everyday skills
Focus & connection
Building engagement and helping your dog make better choices around everyday distractions.
Ask about training →Dog training & behaviour · Leicester
Small steps.
Stronger connections.
Helping you understand your dog and build practical skills for a calmer, more confident life together.
Let's talk about your dogUnderstanding behaviour. Building skills. Supporting you.
Welcome to Lead the Pack
A better understanding.
A clearer way forward.
Every dog is an individual. Their emotions, experiences, environment and everyday skills all play a part in the behaviour you see.
At Lead the Pack, we focus on understanding those influences and making learning practical for you and your dog. Short, achievable games and everyday practice can help build confidence, focus, calmness and the ability to disengage.
The heart of Lead the Pack
Train the dog in front of you.
Progress over perfection. Patience, consistency and trust.
Find your starting point
What would you like help with?
Tell us what life with your dog looks like and what you would like to change. We can discuss a suitable next step.
Emotions & behaviour
Confidence & calmness
Understanding what your dog finds difficult and exploring skills that support confidence, settling and recovery from excitement.
Discuss your dog's needs →Practical learning
Games for real life
Simple, purposeful activities to practise optimism, disengagement and moving between excitement and calm.
Find your starting point →Individual support
One-to-one training sessions.
Training focused on you and your dog.
Looking for individual support? Contact me with your requirements and tell me what you would like to work on with your dog.
Whether you’re building everyday skills or working through a particular training challenge, we can discuss your goals and a suitable next step.
Contact me with your requirementsEmail Natasha.LeadthePack@gmail.com to discuss availability and session options.
In person · Leicester
Group training, real-life connections.
New courses starting in the new year — 2027.
Dates to be confirmed. Explore our planned group courses and walks below and get in touch to express your interest.
Baby puppy
A gentle introduction to learning, confidence and connection for your puppy’s earliest stages.
Puppy
Build useful foundations and everyday skills as your puppy grows.
Adolescents
Support focus, engagement and good choices through the teenage stage.
Basic training skills — any age
It’s never too late to build the basics. A welcoming group for dogs of any age, focusing on clear communication, connection and practical everyday skills — whether you’re starting from scratch or refreshing the foundations.
Loose lead
Develop the skills for more relaxed, connected walks together.
Puppy socialisation
Help your puppy build confidence around the world through positive, carefully managed experiences.
Obedience beginner
Start building clear communication and essential training foundations.
Obedience intermediate
Build on the basics and develop your dog’s skills further.
Obedience advanced
Refine established skills and work towards greater reliability.
Calm life skills
Practise settling, disengagement and moving from excitement towards calm.
Disengagement skills
Help your dog learn to shift their attention away from distractions, reconnect with you and make calmer choices.
Reactive dog group walks
Supported walks focused on giving dogs space, building confidence and practising disengagement around other dogs. Please enquire so we can discuss your dog’s needs.
All-dog group walks
Walk alongside other dogs and owners while practising connection, everyday skills and calm behaviour. Get in touch to find out which walk would suit your dog.
All group courses and walks are held in Leicester. Dates, venue details and prices will be confirmed before bookings open. Enquiring does not reserve a place.
Meet your trainer
Hi, I'm Tasha.
I'm a dog trainer and behaviourist, helping dogs and their owners build confidence, understanding and a stronger connection. Alongside my work, I'm committed to continuing my professional development and am currently studying towards a Level 6 Diploma in Clinical Canine Behaviour.
My interest is in helping owners understand the dog in front of them, with practical learning that fits into everyday life. Lead the Pack brings together that understanding of behaviour with skills and games you can practise together.
Free games · Small moments, useful skills
While the kettle boils ☕
10 one-minute training games.
A little learning before your next cuppa.
Pick one game, keep it easy and enjoy a small moment of connection. There’s no need to fit all ten into one kettle boil!
Your recipe for a good minute
One dog · a quiet space · tiny treats from their daily food allowance · gentle rewards.
Practise away from the kettle, hot drinks and busy cooking areas. One minute is a maximum, not a target — finish sooner when your dog succeeds.
Disengagement · shifting attention awayOptimism · confidence with unfamiliar thingsCalmness · genuine relaxationDimmer switch · moving gradually towards calm
Tap a game to reveal how to play ↓
01DisengagementLook and turn away
Place a mildly interesting object several steps away. Let your dog notice it. When they voluntarily turn their head away, quietly mark “yes” and reward beside you. Repeat a few times.
Keep it easy. Finish on success.02DisengagementTreat, then reconnect
Toss one treat a short distance across a nonslip floor. Once your dog eats it, wait for them to turn back towards you. Mark and reward near your feet. Repeat slowly.
Keep it easy. Finish on success.03DisengagementNotice and move on
Walk past an uninteresting household object at a comfortable distance. Reward your dog for noticing it and then choosing to continue with you. Make two or three easy passes.
Keep it easy. Finish on success.04OptimismNovel object, no pressure
Put a safe, unfamiliar object well away from your dog. Reward a relaxed glance or voluntary investigation. Deliver food where they already feel comfortable; let them move away whenever they choose.
Keep it easy. Finish on success.05OptimismEasy discovery box
Place a few visible treats inside a shallow, open cardboard tray. Let your dog explore freely. Keep it stable and easy, with no flaps or obstacles to push through.
Keep it easy. Finish on success.06OptimismTiny change, good outcome
Make one small change, such as placing a folded towel on the floor. Let your dog notice it, then scatter a few treats on familiar flooring nearby. Keep plenty of space available.
Keep it easy. Finish on success.07CalmnessCapture a soft body
Sit quietly near your already comfortable dog. Gently place a treat between their paws when you see relaxed muscles, a hip rolled to one side, or their head resting down. Avoid repeatedly asking for a sit or down.
Keep it easy. Finish on success.08CalmnessOne-minute mat moment
Put down a familiar bed or mat. Reward voluntary steps onto it, then any comfortable settling. Deliver food low and slowly. Your dog can leave; build duration over later sessions.
Keep it easy. Finish on success.09Dimmer switchMove, sniff, pause
Spend about 10 seconds walking gently together, 20 seconds finding a few scattered treats, then the remaining time quietly standing or sitting nearby. Reward any softening of the body.
Keep it easy. Finish on success.10Dimmer switchGentle play, quiet finish
Have 5–10 seconds of low-key play with a familiar toy. Use an already learned release or offer a comfortable trade, then scatter a few treats and finish quietly beside their bed. One cycle is enough.
Keep it easy. Finish on success.Look for the softening, not just the stillness.
Lying down while tense or staring intensely at food is different from relaxing. Watch the whole dog and reward a softer posture.
If your dog freezes, becomes frantic, repeatedly barks or avoids the activity, make it easier or stop. Keep the active part of dimmer-switch games gentle enough for a comfortable return to calm.
Kettle ready? Training done. Put the treats away and enjoy your cuppa.
Online courses · Coming soon
Bring learning home.
Practical, skills-based learning to help you understand your dog and build stronger foundations together. Explore our planned online courses below.
Courses are in development. Launch dates, full course details and prices will be confirmed before enrolment opens.
Coming soon
Breeder puppy training programme
For breeders who want to introduce early learning experiences and help puppies build foundations before joining their new families.
Coming soon
Baby puppy
Build connection, confidence and useful foundations during your puppy’s early stages.
Coming soon
Disengagement skills
Help your dog shift their attention away from distractions and reconnect with you.
Coming soon
Optimism skills
Build confidence and encourage a more positive response to new experiences.
Coming soon
Calmness skills
Develop the skills to settle, relax and recover after excitement.
Coming soon
Tolerance of frustration skills
Help your dog learn to cope with waiting, delays and not getting what they want straight away.
Coming soon
Engagement skills
Strengthen your connection and encourage your dog to choose to focus on you.
Coming soon
Flexibility skills
Help your dog adapt to changes and move more comfortably between activities and situations.
No online courses are available to purchase yet. Email Tasha to ask about a course or discuss where to start.
Your questions
Before we get started
I'm not sure what help my dog needs.
Describe what happens, when it happens and what you would like support with. We can discuss the next step.
Where are you based?
Lead the Pack is based in Leicester. Please enquire to confirm availability and whether we cover your area.
Can I buy an online course now?
Not yet. Our online course section is being prepared. Get in touch to ask about future courses.
Take the first step
Tell us about your dog.
Tell us your dog’s name, age and what you would like help with. We can discuss a suitable next step.