Your Mixed Breed adult plan
Here's where to start based on your dog's age and what you told us is hardest right now.
Not sure of the breed? Browse the Breed Hub to add breed-specific detail to this plan.
Mixed Breed
Mixed Breed · Adult
Start here
Three modules matched to your adult dog. The first one is free to read.
Understanding Dog Behavior
Learn the root causes of barking, destructive behavior, and leash pulling. Understand your dog's perspective to address issues at their source.
Open first lessonObedience vs Management
Learn the crucial difference between training behaviors and managing environments for lasting success.
Unlock this moduleMeeting Physical and Mental Needs
Discover how to fulfill your dog's exercise and enrichment needs based on their breed, age, and individual drives.
Unlock this module
Your plan with Alicia & Kobie
Real trainers, a real plan for your dog
Learn to Speak Dog was built by two working trainers, not an algorithm. Alicia Collins founded K9 Activity Club, where the team trains 750+ dogs a year. Kobie Quashie is its Program Director, with 35+ years of experience in behavior and aggression work. The lessons, the videos, and the plan below come from what they teach real families every week.
What we'd focus on first with your dog
Understanding Dog Behavior
Learn the root causes of barking, destructive behavior, and leash pulling. Understand your dog's perspective to address issues at their source.
Priority 2Obedience vs Management
Learn the crucial difference between training behaviors and managing environments for lasting success.
Priority 3Meeting Physical and Mental Needs
Discover how to fulfill your dog's exercise and enrichment needs based on their breed, age, and individual drives.
Your first 7 days
Day 1
Learn: Understanding Behavior — first lesson
Practice: Audit the day: sleep, exercise, and structure
Reflect: Where does the problem behavior usually show up?
Day 2
Learn: Obedience vs. Management
Practice: Set up management so the problem can't be rehearsed
Reflect: Did management prevent it today?
Day 3
Learn: Markers lesson
Practice: Charge your marker word with 20 quick reps
Reflect: Is your dog paying attention faster?
Day 4
Learn: Sit & Down lesson
Practice: Two 5-minute sessions in a quiet room
Reflect: Which one was easier?
Day 5
Learn: Slip-lead pressure and release
Practice: A short walk focused on releasing pressure the moment your dog gives
Reflect: Did your dog follow the lead sooner?
Day 6
Learn: Stay lesson
Practice: Proof one skill in the yard or driveway
Reflect: Did the skill hold with new distractions?
Day 7
Learn: Review the week
Practice: Same routine, one new location
Reflect: What's still hardest? That's your next lesson.
Quick check-in: how did the first sessions go?
If you have kids at home
Adults: Adults handle leash walks, management, and any correction.
Kids: Kids can practice sit and down for rewards and help keep the daily routine, with a parent present.
See the youth programWhen to get hands-on help
- Biting that breaks skin, or growling over people, food, or space
- Fear or reactivity that's getting worse, not better
- Anything that makes you worry about a child's or another dog's safety
- You've followed the plan for two weeks and nothing has changed
Ask Kobie
A 20-minute call with a real trainer. Bring your dog's breed, age, home setup, and biggest challenge — leave with a clear next step.
Book a 20-minute consult — $125What to expect in the next 30 days
- 1
Weeks 1–2: audit the day, not the commands
Sleep, exercise, and structure shape most behavior. Fix the routine before drilling obedience.
- 2
Weeks 2–3: management for the top problem
Prevent rehearsal of the unwanted behavior while you build the replacement skill.
- 3
Weeks 3–4: proof one skill in three places
Home, yard, sidewalk. Reliability comes from context, not repetition alone.