Find a dog-friendly dog trainer in your area

Alabama

Sun Paws
Theodore, AL

Sun Paws Dog Training offers Puppy Socialization, Manners, Obedience, In-Home Consultation, Puppy Boarding, Adult Dog Boarding, Day Care and Pet Loss/Grief Counseling.

Dog training has come a long way since the days of "Traditional Methods" of teaching a dog what to do and what not to do. Nowadays, decades of empirical evidence and extensive studies by experts in the field of behaviorism have shown that there are no reasons whatsoever to use painful aversives in training. Collars such as choke (slip) chains and prong (pinch) collars are, at best, effective on a limited basis. At worst, these types of "training collars" are fatally abusive.

Arizona

Gary Wiles' Click and Treat
Phoenix, AZ

Gary Wilkes provides behavior modification and training services in the Greater Phoenix area, primarily by veterinary referral. Training services are customized to fit the individual client and are mainly conducted "in home" unless a dog's particular education requires other locations.

Paw Pals Pet Dog Training
Sierra Vista, AZ

Paw Pals Pet Dog Training provides training in Dog Obedience, New Pet Selection, Temperament Testing, Behavior Modification, and Assistance Dog Training. We offer Convenient In-Your-Home Consultations and Private Lessons

California

R Plus Pet Dog Training
Apple Valley, CA

R Plus Pet Dog Training, located in Apple Valley, California, focuses on pet dog training rather than competitive obedience training. Our classes teach you how to train your dog, using dog-friendly methods, to become a well mannered member of your family.

The Canine Connection
Chico CA

We specialize in positive reinforcement dog training and owner education. Our mission is simple: to help dogs and people discover the results and rewards of positive training. Positive training emphasizes rewards instead of punishment, thereby building trusting partnerships between dogs and people. Our humane methods include clicker training, an approach that is fast, fun, and motivating.

BADDogsInc Family Dog Training & Behavior
Corona, CA

BADDogsInc provides full-service family dog training and behavior consulting services. Our classes and training methods are positive, simple to learn and use, and integrate easily into the average family's life and schedule:

Educational opportunities include:
Group Classes
Private & Semi-private Lessons
Behavior problem counseling
Board & Train

Kelly Randall, CPDT*- DOGSNME Dog Training
Fairfield, CA - (707) 864-6421
I believe in training dogs using brains not brawn. While it is certainly possible to train a dog using traditional "jerk and praise" methods, there is another way.

Learn to apply the principles of operant conditioning and train your dog using positive reinforcement.

Whether you just want a dog with good manners or are interested in competitive obedience, see how clicker training can help you achieve your goals.

Train your dog the dog-friendly way!

Pawsitive Training for Better Dogs
Lake Arrowhead, CA

First, do no harm. We believe that it is never necessary to harm, intimidate, frighten, bully, or threaten your dog in order to obtain "obedience". We can provide you with valuable real-life tools to gently and effectively communicate with your dog without force, choke chains, or frustration.

Good Dog University
Orange County, CA

Good Dog University® are dog trainers offering customized in-home dog & puppy training, puppy selection counseling, puppy socialization group classes, dog obedience, dog behavior problem solving and CGC evaluations.

The foundation of Good Dog University’s puppy and dog training programs are grounded in rewarding favorable behavior (positive reinforcement) rather than punishing unwanted actions.

No two human families are alike; the same can also be said for your puppy or adult dog. Each dog or puppy training session or program will be specifically designed for your particular needs and taking into account your dog’s or puppy's age, sex, breed, temperament and of course, personality.

Good Dog University® is committed to being a strong support system to ensure that your dog or puppy becomes a well-mannered family companion.

Stacy's Wag'N'Train
San Jose, CA

We have SMALL class sizes and great, experienced instructors. Our group classes are designed to help you get the pet dog you and your family want and deserve! We have daytime, evening and weekend classes in a variety of locations in San Jose. We have special classes for young puppies (10-20 weeks) and for very small dogs (20 pounds and under), and of course for older and bigger dogs as well! Check out our classes in basic pet manners, agility, fun tricks, and common issues like pulling on the leash and not coming when called!

Illinois

Chicago Paws
Chicago, IL

At the center of my practice is positive reinforcement, which my experience has shown produces not just the best results in training but also secures and strengthens the bond between people and their dogs.

I am currently accepting cases in any of the following areas:
General behavior issues with puppies and older dogs including jumping, pulling on leash, come, reliability, and housetraining Advanced training such as placement, retrieve, heel, distraction work, reliability strategies, shaping, off-leash work, distance commands, behavior chains, target training, and heel Anxiety and aggression including, dog to dog aggression, dog to people aggression, barking, separation anxiety, and resource guarding.

Collins Canine
Chicago, IL

Lisa Collins is a Chicago-based dog training expert. If you are looking for obedience training or behavior modification, look no further!

Lisa can successfully fix these common dog behaviors: Jumping, Excessive barking, Aggression, Destruction, House training, Fearfulness, Marking, Fighting, Chewing, Biting, Separation anxiety, Submissive urination and more...

Positive Paws Dog Training
Chicago IL

Positive Paws Dog Training, Inc. empowers a team of knowledgeable, professional and energetic pet dog trainers who are empathetic to owners and humane to all animals. Each trainer users innovative, reward based training techniques developed through experience and continued education. Your Positive Paws' trainer will customize our training packages to meet your specific goals. Team with Positive Paws and discover the amazing benefits of "real life" training in and around your home!

Tailchasers Incorporated
Chicago, IL

Tailchasers Incorporated provides professional dog training in your home. Whether your dog needs basic obedience training or behavior problem solving, we will custom design a program to fit you and your dog. Our training is gentle and fun. We want you to enjoy your canine family members' company as much as they enjoy yours.

Paw Law
Roselle, IL

We work with owners to train their dogs to be good family companions. And, for those who want more, we offer advance classes in obedience, tricks, flyball and agility. For the busy pet owner, we now offer Doggie Daycare and Drop-off Training!

Paw Law’s group classes and private instruction teach you how to train your dog. Our positive methods utilize proven theories of learning to get your dog to perform various tasks reliably. Once you know how a dog "learns", training your dog is easy and fun.

Oregon

Pup-A-Razzi
Beaverton, OR

Tricks, Competitive Obedience, Conformation, Puppy Preschool, Puppy Manners, Agility and more....
Simply stated, our approach is to reward desirable behaviors and use management techniques and the withdrawal of attention to prevent or extinguish behaviors we don’t want. We will work to make owners aware of their unintentional reinforcement of undesirable behaviors and the need to reinforce preferred behaviors that the dog offers. Owners are encouraged to find ways to work on modifying these behaviors throughout the day, not just during formal training sessions.

The Well Mannered Dog
Lowell, OR

Our classes are geared towards the average pet owner and address behavior problems, obedience, agility for fun, tricks, off-leash control and changing emotions for dogs with social challenges. Our classes are fun, interactive and focus on positive reinforcement. We help owners build strong relationships with their pets through the use of humane, gentle training techniques.

Maryland

Four Positive Paws
Greenbelt, MD

Private, in-home, Pet Dog Training
Positive, motivational, dog friendly methods.
Puppy and adult dog basic manners and behavior modification.

Peaceable Paws LLC
Hagerstown, MD

Peaceable Paws’ mission is to foster harmony between the human and non-human animals of our world through dog training and animal behavior consultation services and seminars; consulting services for animal protection organizations; and writings that support and promote a philosophy of respect for life. Peaceable Paws’ training methods incorporate a strong commitment to positive reinforcement and reward in place of old-fashioned coercion and use of force.

Massachusetts

WiggleBums!
Dog-Friendly Training and Behavior Consulting Salem, MA

WiggleBums! is owned and operated by Jo Jacques. Jo is a professional member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (#064427) and the Association of Companion Animal Behavior Counselors (#7189), as well as an Associate Member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (#023), and holds diplomas in Dog Behavior and Learning Theory through Cynology College's School of Canine Behavioral Sciences. Jo adheres to the Codes of Ethics and Conduct of the above associations, and her dedication to dog-friendly, non-force methods of training and behavior modification stem from not only from her studies, but from personal experience as well.

Jo has helped many clients work through a myriad of behavior issues, including: fear aggression, resource guarding, territorial aggression, destructive behavior, house training issues, and multi-pet household problems.

New Jersey

Loni's Goodpups!!


Loni is a member of the APTD, the IAABC and is a Mentor Training Instructor for the Animal Behavior College, Inc. She is a certified Canine Good Citizen Evaluator and also has her Pet First Aid Certificate from the American Red Cross. Loni offers group Puppy Preschool, group Super Kindergarten as well as private lessons.

New York

A Purrfect Paw, LLC
Amherst, NY

Helping Humans and Pets Build Positive and Permanent Relationships

A Purrfect Paw, LLC offers Daycare, Obedience Training, Canine Good Citizen Testing, Private Behavior Evaluations, Playgroups, Pre-adoption Matching, Paws For Love Pet Therapy and are available for speaking engagements.

Jolanta Benal
New York, NY
718-499-1551
jbenal@earthlink.net

Manners training and behavioral help using dog-friendly, scientifically grounded methods. Remember the words of the great Yogi Berra: 'You can observe a lot just by watching.'

The Educated Puppy...and Dogs, Too
New York, NY

The Educated Puppy was founded in 1987 by Barbara Giella to provide new puppy owners with the most sophisticated and humane methods of puppy rearing available in New York City. Its programs address specifically the challenges of raising puppies and dogs in an urban environment. We prepare your canine companion for life as a city dog.

North Carolina

Paw In Hand Dog Training
Chapel Hill, NC

Private Obedience Lessons, Behavior Problem Solving, New Dog and Puppy Selection and Counseling and Lectures

Paw In Hand Dog Training is committed to humane training for the family companion dog. Reward-based training will help you develop a great relationship with your dog.

Texas

Hollys Den Dog Training
Houston, TX

Dog training (in private lessons or small group classes) available from Holly’s Den includes puppy headstart, basic obedience, and behavior counseling.

Wisconsin

Mad City Dog Training
Madison Wisconsin

Our Core Principle is to teach good canine behavior using positive reinforcement. Each desired behavior is introduced in a positive fashion. At the instant the behavior occurs, the action is reinforced with positive feedback to the dog.

We believe that the same training philosophy can apply to all types of dog training. Our training methods have been developed to be effective for "Every Day Good Manners", Agility, Flyball, Hunting, Conformation, and Competition Obedience. This is a homogeneous program, utilizing the same training principals for all dogs and all levels of training from beginner through intermediate and on to advanced. First time dogs can start in any of our Beginner classes such as: Puppy, Beginning Obedience, or Beginning Agility.

Find a dog trainer who uses gentle, dog-friendly methods in your area.

Dog trainers are not all created equal. Before you allow someone to work with your dog, be sure to find out exactly what methods they will be using. If you are in the middle of a training session and a trainer uses a method that you feel is causing your dog pain or fear, you would be well within your rights to end the training session and find another trainer.

Each of the trainers on this list have stated that they use gentle, humane methods when training dogs. Gentle methods DO NOT include the use of choke chains, prong or pinch collars, shock or Ecollars, hitting, yelling, leash jerking, throwing things at the dog or any other method that would produce pain, fear or intimidation.

The dog-friendly methods used by the dog trainers in this directory are highly effective for, but not limited to, the following:

Basic obedience - sit, stand, down, stay, wait, drop it, leave it, watch me, heel and loose leash walking.

Behavior problems: Digging,   destructive chewing, trash stealing, counter surfing, car chasing, bolting out open doors, separation anxiety, resource guarding, excessive barking, dog/dog aggression, dog/human aggression, dominance aggression and fear aggression.