Two handlers seated on a log with dogs gathered around them in the woods.
Professional development

Forrest School Professional Webinar Recording

The full professional webinar, recorded. How to build nature-based group programs for dogs using the three-pillar Forrest School system.

This is the recording of the live professional webinar. It runs about 90 minutes plus a Q&A, and it walks through how to actually put the Forrest School model to work, from scouting locations to running groups to folding it into a practice you already have. You buy it once and keep it.

$75, lifetime access.

Email Tara to purchase Back to Learn from Tara

Automated checkout is on the way. For now, email is the fastest path: Tara replies with payment details and the recording link.

What's inside

What the webinar covers

The foundation is the three-pillar model: natural environments (free movement in nature), stable social groups (a steady set of dog and human friends, not strangers), and support and skills (the training that makes both safe in the real world). The recording takes those pillars and gets practical.

Setting it up

  • Step-by-step protocols for establishing all three pillars
  • Scouting locations and thinking through safety
  • Handling insurance and liability
  • Screening and intake so you take on the right clients

Running the work

  • Reading and managing group dynamics
  • Introductions and transitions between dogs
  • Teaching recall in genuinely distracting environments
  • Facilitating healthy play and social learning

Building it into a practice

  • Pricing that actually holds up
  • Reaching the clients this is right for
  • Turning it into recurring work, not one-offs
  • Keeping families engaged after the first program

In the real world

  • Case studies of dogs who came through the model
  • Common snags and how to handle them
  • Adapting the approach to your own area
  • Fitting it alongside services you already offer
Who it's for

Who gets the most out of it

  • Trainers who want better results with reactive and anxious dogs
  • Daycare and boarding owners adding outdoor or group programs
  • Veterinary behavior staff looking for a complementary approach
  • Shelter and rescue staff building enrichment programs
  • Other pet professionals expanding what they offer
  • Anyone who wants to genuinely improve dogs’ day-to-day lives

You don’t need a specific certification. A background in training or behavior helps, but the material is built to be useful at a range of experience levels.

Format and access

What you get

  • About 90 minutes of webinar plus a recorded Q&A
  • Lifetime access to the recording
  • $75, one time
  • The examples come from Massachusetts, but the model adapts to anywhere with access to natural space

Taught by Tara Stillwell

The webinar is taught by Tara Stillwell, who built Forrest School and has shared the approach on Cog Dog Radio, The Canine Classroom, and at the LEGS in Motion conference.

Read more about Tara

Questions

A few common questions

Do I need a certification to use this?

No. There’s no certification required to attend or to put the ideas to work. A background in dog training or behavior helps, but it isn’t a prerequisite.

Does it apply outside Massachusetts?

Yes. The examples are local to us, but the Forrest School model works anywhere you can get to natural space. The webinar talks through adapting it to different environments.

Will there be live webinars again?

From time to time. The recording covers the same material and is the way to get it on your own schedule. Watch the site for any future live dates.

How do I actually get the recording?

Email Tara to purchase. She’ll send payment details and the recording link with lifetime access. (Automated checkout is coming, which will make this instant.)

Get the recording

$75, lifetime access. Email Tara and she’ll reply with payment details and the link.

Email Tara to purchase Back to Learn from Tara