BEAR BASICS
CANINE ACADEMY
stop managing your gundog. start living with them.
Built for spaniels, retrievers and HPRs whose recall disappears when the world gets interesting, who pull, struggle to settle, and leave you wondering how life became this hard.In 60 days, you get a clear plan for your dog, practical support when real life happens, and a route towards safer freedom outside and a calmer home.
Fill out a short application. We review every one personally and respond within 24 hours.
PET GUNDOG SPECIALISTS
60-DAY PROGRAMME
REAL CLIENT RESULTS
WEST YORKSHIRE & WORLDWIDE ONLINE
SOUND FAMILIAR?
owning a gundog was supposed to feel different from this.
You did the research. You chose the right breed for your lifestyle. You have put the time in. So why does it still feel this hard?
At home, your dog is buzzing from morning to night. They struggle to settle, guests arrive and the energy goes up again, and you spend more of the evening managing them than enjoying them. By the end of the day, there is very little left for anything else.
Outside, the pressure changes. They pull before you have gone ten metres. You are scanning ahead, bracing for the next lunge, and hoping the scent, wildlife, ball, or dog in the distance does not take over. The moment it does, they are self-employed and you are left trying to get back into the conversation.
You see people walking calm, responsive dogs and wonder what they have that you do not. The missing piece is usually a plan that takes your dog’s instincts, daily life, and real-world pressure seriously.
This may not be your first attempt. You may have tried group classes, a gundog trainer, an online course, a long line, a residential programme, or a mix of advice from everywhere. You have put in the time and the money because you care about getting this right. Yet too often, the support ends before it reaches the walk, the front door, or the moment you need it most.
"I love my dog, but I'm starting to feel like I'm failing them."
That feeling carries a lot of weight. A clear route, support that fits real life, and a better understanding of your dog can change how it feels to live with them.
WHY THE USUAL ADVICE ONLY GETS YOU SO FAR
a gundog living as part of the family needs more than another exercise plan.
Spaniels, retrievers and HPRs were bred to search, flush, retrieve, range, notice movement, and keep going. In a pet home, that drive still needs somewhere useful to go. A useful outlet, clear boundaries, and practical communication give those instincts a place in everyday life. This is how your dog can enjoy being a gundog while staying connected to you when it matters.
fulfilment, structure and communication belong together. that is where calm at home and safe freedom outside start.
BEFORE AND AFTER CALM BY NATURE
see what 60 days can look like in real life.
THE SAME DOGS, THE SAME HOMES, AND A CLEARER WAY OF LIVING TOGETHER.
BEFORE
AFTER
zeus
GSP
BEFORE
AFTER
gizmo
SPANIEL X
BEFORE
AFTER
rex
SPRINGER SPANIEL
AFTER
BEFORE
loki
GSP X BRITTANY
INTRODUCING
a clear route for the dog in front of you.
60 DAYS. SAME DOG. DIFFERENT LIFE.
You do not need another collection of tips to try when you have time. You need to know what matters first for your dog, what to practise next, and what to do when the plan meets the outside world. Calm by Nature brings together gundog fulfilment, foundations, real-world application, and direct support in one 60-day route. The structure is proven. The application is built around your dog, your daily life, and the situations that are difficult right now. The work fits around the walks and routines you already have. Short, focused sessions move things forward without asking you to reorganise your whole life around training.
Available in-person in West Yorkshire, or fully online for clients across the UK, USA, and Canada.
01
pre-programme
Before the programme begins, you receive simple, useful homework so you and your dog can start making progress straight away. By the time of your onboarding call, you already have a head start.
02
the game plan
Your onboarding call is a proper deep dive into your dog’s behaviour, routine, history, and the situations that are difficult. You leave with a 60-day roadmap and clear priorities for the dog in front of you.
03
building the foundations
You build the foundations everything else relies on: engagement, food drive and markers, lead conditioning and loose-lead walking, recall, fulfilment, settling, impulse control and steadiness. You learn how each piece fits together before taking the work into real life.
04
real-world application
The work moves into the places that matter: your usual walks, public spaces, the triggers you cannot avoid, and the everyday moments where you want your dog to cope better.
05
freedom
The aim is safe off-lead time, a more relaxed lead, a dog who can settle, and ordinary days that include them more easily.
06
throughout: full support
Direct WhatsApp access to Nick for 60 days, weekly group coaching calls, one-to-one sessions, the Bear Basics Hub, and community support. When something different happens on a real walk, you have somewhere to take it rather than guessing for a week.
The Hub lives in a simple app on your phone. If you can use Facebook, you can use the Hub. We will show you exactly where everything is, and you can always ask if you get stuck. When the focused 60 days are complete, you can keep your Hub resources with our post-programme membership and stay in the Bear Basics WhatsApp community for life. The support does not disappear just as the work starts to click.
OPTION 1
in person - west yorkshire
OPTION 2
fully online - uk, usa & canada
Work with us face to face at our West Yorkshire base. A good fit if you are local or happy to travel for hands-on sessions, alongside the full programme support.
The full programme delivered remotely, with the same clear route, feedback, and access to support. Video review means we can see the dog you live with, in the environments where the work matters.
SEE IF CALM BY NATURE IS RIGHT FOR YOU
Fill out a short application. We review every one personally and respond within 24 hours.
WHY IT CAN FEEL DIFFERENT THIS TIME
the calm by nature way.
If you have had support before and it did not carry into everyday life, these differences matter.
THE OLD WAY
generic dog training
Advice built around broad obedience, with little space for drive, scent, movement, or fulfilment.
Progress in a controlled class, then very few answers when the issue shows up on your usual walk.
One-off sessions or scattered tips that leave you deciding what to try next.
A method that looks similar for every dog, regardless of history, household, and daily routine.
Support that pauses between sessions.
THE CALM BY NATURE WAY
built for gundogs
A programme built around gundog instincts and the realities of living with one in a pet home.
Practice in the places your dog actually struggles, with feedback when you need it.
A personal roadmap showing what matters first, what comes next, and why.
A proven structure applied to the dog in front of you and the life you are trying to live.
Direct access and consistent guidance for the full 60 days.
Calm by Nature gives you the gundog-specific context, clear sequence, and real-world support to put the work into everyday life.
THE RESULT
bred to work.
built to live.
A good walk feels different.
Your dog has room to explore, stays connected to you, and comes back when you call. You are no longer spending the whole time looking over your shoulder.
At home, they can settle when nothing is happening. Out in the world, they can notice another dog, a bird, or a new place without every moment turning into something you have to manage.
It becomes easier to take them to the pub, sit outside at a café, visit a holiday cottage, or head out for a family walk. They are there with you, rather than becoming the reason the plan changes.
safe freedom outside. calm at home. a dog who is part of your real life.
hear it from the people who have lived it.
REAL OWNERS. REAL RESULTS.
Owners who wanted a dog they could trust, enjoy, and include in the life they had imagined together.
louise
& DAVE
"Dave is off lead everywhere and the whole family can finally enjoy walks."
aby
& BUTTONS
"Our walks have gone from stressful to enjoyable."
becca
& LOKI
"He's been off lead for the first time ever."
A CLEARER PATH FORWARD
get results without the guesswork.
Calm by Nature gives you a clear, practical way forward without the trial and error, conflicting advice, and constant management that has made life with your dog feel harder than it should.
01
endless trial and error
A clear plan from day one, built around your dog, so you know what to work on and why.
02
one-off sessions that don’t stick
Support that carries into your actual walks, home life, and the situations where you need it.
03
conflicting advice from every direction
One explained approach, one team, and a clear order of priorities.
04
managing your dog every time you leave the house
Build the skills that make walks, visitors, cafés, and everyday outings easier to handle.
05
feeling like you're failing your dog
Understand their needs, meet them properly, and have a route you can follow with confidence.
06
being left on your own between sessions
Direct support from Nick throughout the 60 days, so questions get answered while they still matter.
A clear system, a team who gets it, and a dog who fits more easily into your life.
START YOUR APPLICATION
Fill out a short application. We will be in touch within 24 hours.
THE DIFFERENCE
life before vs after calm by nature.
More dogs, more starting points, and more proof of what changes when the work reaches everyday life.
BEFORE
when every day needs managing
Walking means pulling, scanning ahead, and bracing for the next trigger.
Recall works until scent, wildlife, a ball, or another dog becomes more relevant.
At home, there is no real off-switch and you are always monitoring what they will do next.
Pubs, cafés, visitors, and holidays feel like more management than enjoyment.
You hesitate to take them anywhere because of the stress, embarrassment, or safety worry.
You love them, but daily life feels harder than it should.
AFTER CALM BY NATURE
when life feels easier together
Your dog settles into a rhythm with you and walking becomes more enjoyable.
Your dog has more freedom to explore while you have a clearer, more reliable way to call them back.
Your dog can settle when nothing is happening, after a day that has made sense to them.
Your dog can be included in more of the places and moments that matter to you.
You have a plan and the confidence to make more decisions with your dog beside you.
You enjoy living with them more of the time.
This is the ordinary, real-life change clients describe once the work starts to land.
MORE REAL LIFE PROGRESS
BEFORE
AFTER
pippa
GSP X SPANIEL
BEFORE
AFTER
rex
SPRINGER SPANIEL
BEFORE
AFTER
ollie
LABRADOR
BEFORE
AFTER
remy
SPROCKER
IS THIS FOR YOU?
is calm by nature right for you?
Calm by Nature works best for owners who are ready for a clear plan and willing to use it consistently in everyday life.
THIS IS FOR YOU
you're in the right place.
You have a spaniel, retriever, HPR, setter or pointer, and life with them currently feels like hard work.
Recall disappears, walks feel stressful, they struggle to settle, or you are always managing what happens next.
You have already tried trainers, YouTube, Facebook groups, classes, or bits of everything — and still do not have a clear direction.
You want a dog you can enjoy doing life with: off-lead walks, holidays, pub gardens, cafés, family days out, and a calmer house.
THIS IS NOT FOR YOU
this probably isn't the right fit.
You are hoping your dog will grow out of it without making any changes yourself.
You want a quick fix or a one-session solution.
You are not willing to put consistent work in over the 60 days.
You are looking for someone to tell you everything is fine, without helping you change what is happening.
SOUND LIKE YOU? LET'S TALK.
Fill out a short application — we’ll be in touch within 24 hours.
MORE CLIENT STORIES
Different breeds and starting points. The same wish for a dog they could trust and enjoy again.
toni
& REMY
"Life with him is finally enjoyable."
ros
& REX
"We have literally got a different dog."
babsi
& LIMA
"She walks off-lead and recalls from any distraction."
STRAIGHT FROM THE GROUP CHAT
real messages. real results.
Unfiltered updates from clients while the work is becoming part of everyday life.
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE PROGRAMME
we've been where you are.
Bear Basics is Nick and Yas, pet-gundog owners as well as trainers. We know how much a difficult walk, a dog who cannot settle, or another failed attempt at training can start to shape everyday life.
When I brought Seidon home, I had the same picture a lot of owners have: long walks, a proper partnership, and a dog who could come along for the ride. The reality was a reactive, wired dog and walks that felt stressful from the moment we stepped outside.
I tried gundog trainers, tools, gadgets, and weekly sessions. Some things looked better in the training environment, then disappeared as soon as we got back to real life. I also know how it feels to come away from advice questioning yourself, when what you really need is an explanation that fits the dog in front of you.
Once I started working with Seidon’s instincts, routine, and need for a useful outlet, things started to make more sense. That experience became the foundation for Calm by Nature: a structured programme that helps owners avoid years of piecing together conflicting advice.
I am direct and I will tell you what needs to change. I will explain why we are doing it, keep the work practical, and make sure you have support while you put it into real life. There will be straight answers and a laugh along the way. The 60 days should feel like something you can get on with, not another thing you dread.
nick
LEAD TRAINER & FOUNDER
Yas is the other half of Bear Basics, the person who keeps the experience around the training organised, human, and connected.
From the community and content to showing the everyday moments behind the results, she makes sure the people doing the work never feel like an afterthought.
She is also a gundog owner. She understands the practical impact a difficult dog can have on a household, the relationship, and the plans you make together. That perspective shapes how Bear Basics communicates, supports clients, and shows up day to day.
yas
CO-FOUNDER
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
the detail behind the change.
OUR PROMISE TO YOU
60-day money-back guarantee.
Calm by Nature asks for consistent work from both sides. If you follow your tailored plan, attend all three one-to-one sessions, attend two classroom calls per month, complete your weekly check-ins, and you do not see significant improvements within 60 days, we will refund your investment in full.You keep the digital resources as a thank you for taking the process seriously and giving it a proper go.
You can even keep all the digital assets as a thank you for giving us a try. That's how certain we are that this will work for you.
60
BEAR BASICS
DAY
MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE
Do the work. See the results. Or get your money back in full
STILL GOT QUESTIONS?
the honest answers.
01
i have tried other trainers and it did not work. why could this be different?
A lot of Calm by Nature clients had already tried classes, one-to-one sessions, generic advice, online support, or residential training. The issue was often the gap between a good session and the dog they lived with on an ordinary walk. Calm by Nature gives you a gundog-specific roadmap, real-world practice, and support while you apply it. You are not left to decide what to try next on your own.
02
i am not sure it will work for my dog
The programme is built for spaniels, retrievers, HPRs, setters, and pointers whose behaviour is rooted in everyday gundog drive and lifestyle pressure. We work with dogs who struggle with recall, pulling, settling, reactivity, chasing, and over-arousal. The application and discovery call help us check whether Calm by Nature is the right level and type of support for your dog.
03
will the online programme work for my dog?
Online support works because the feedback happens around the dog you actually live with. You send video from your usual walk, home, garden, or problem setting; we can see what is happening and help you adjust while the context is still clear. You also have direct WhatsApp access, group calls, one-to-one sessions, and the Hub throughout the 60 days.
04
how much time does this take? i am busy
You do not need hours of formal training every day. The work is designed around short, focused sessions built into the walks and routines you already have. Consistency matters more than finding a spare afternoon. Most owners set aside around 15 to 20 minutes a day, then apply the same principles through normal life.
05
do i need to be good with technology?
No. The Hub runs through a simple app on your phone. If you can use Facebook, you can use the Hub. We show you where everything is when you join, and you can ask for help whenever you need it.
06
what happens after the 60 days?
The 60 days are the focused part of the programme, when you get the roadmap, feedback, and support to change what is happening day to day. Afterwards, you can keep your Hub resources via our post-programme membership and stay in the Bear Basics community for life, so you still have a place to learn and stay connected.
06
what is your approach to tools and e-collars?
Every decision is made for the dog in front of us and explained clearly. Tools are never a replacement for teaching, fulfilment, communication, or consistent practice. Where an e-collar is appropriate, it is introduced carefully, conditioned properly, and used as one part of a wider plan. You will understand the purpose, process, and alternatives before you make a decision.
07
can my partner or family be involved?
Yes. Most clients want the whole household to understand the plan, especially where different people walk or live with the dog. Bring questions to the call, share the Hub resources, and involve the people who need to be consistent day to day. The plan works better when everyone understands the same direction.
08
what does the investment look like?
Calm By Nature is a tailored 60-day programme for pet gundog owners who want safe freedom outside and calm at home. We discuss the full investment on the discovery call, once we understand your dog and the support that is right for you. Flexible payment options are available through Klarna and Clearpay. We will explain what is included and talk through the options clearly before you decide.
09
is my dog too old or has this been going on too long?
Age does not stop a dog learning. A longer history may affect where we start and the pace of the work, which is why the individual roadmap matters. The application and discovery call help us work out the right starting point for your dog.
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS? LET'S TALK.
Fill out a short application. We will be in touch within 24 hours.
READY WHEN YOU ARE
ready for a clearer route forward?
You have read this far because part of this feels familiar. Tell us what is happening with your dog, what you have already tried, and what you want everyday life to feel like instead.
If Calm by Nature is the right fit, we will talk you through the next step properly.
GETTING STARTED
three simple steps.
A short application, a real conversation, and a clear start to the work.
1
application
Tell us your dog’s breed, age, the situations you are finding difficult, what you have already tried, and what you want life to look like instead. It takes around three minutes and lets us check the programme is a good fit before we speak.
2
chat with nick
We will be in touch within 24 hours to arrange a free discovery call. This is a straightforward conversation about your dog, your goals, and whether Calm by Nature is the right type of support.
3
start your programme
If we are a good fit, we onboard you, set your pre-programme work, and build your 60-day roadmap. From day one, you know what to work on and where to ask when you need support.
READY TO START?
Fill out a short application. We will be in touch within 24 hours.