Dog training is a completely unregulated industry – anyone can call themselves a dog trainer, no credentials or education required. This can make it really difficult to choose a dog trainer!

In addition, TV and social media often promote outdated and dangerous dog training methods, so new adopters understandably struggle to know what they should be looking for and what methods are supported by the latest scientific research.

We’re here to help! In this resource:

• Guide to Choosing a Dog Trainer
• Recommended Colorado trainers
• Virtual training options
• Free and low-cost self-directed resources

Guide to choosing a trainer

Questions to ask yourself:

What are your goals? 

Do you want to teach your dog to sit and stay? Hoping to build up to more advanced tricks? Look for a reward-based obedience class. These are often offered as group classes but trainers also offer one-on-one obedience training. 

Want to try out a dog sport such as agility, dock diving, treibball, or barn hunt? Look for trainers who specialize in those sports!

Or are you hoping to get help with your dog’s behavior? This is why a lot of adopters start their training journey. You may have read “obedience” above and thought those classes would be the best way to address undesired behaviors, but this is often not the case! 

Behavior consultants work with dogs and owners on behaviors such as fear, reactivity (barking/lunging at triggers, either on or off leash), guarding, separation anxiety, aggression, relationships between dogs and children, and a whole host of other tricky behavior questions. While many dog trainers are also behaviorists, this isn’t always the case, so if this is your goal, focus on finding someone with expertise in the behavior you want to address.

What setting works best for you and your dog?

Group classes or individual/private instruction? In-person vs. virtual? There are lots of options these days.

If your dog is uncomfortable on leash around other dogs or people, a group class setting might not be the best fit; consider individual or virtual coaching instead. Conversely, If you’re looking for a puppy class where they receive socialization in a positive, supportive environment, you’ll need to be in person for those classes.

If you are new to dog training, having an in-person option would likely be helpful while you’re learning the basics. But some people know they learn well through virtual instruction; if that’s you, it can open up a lot of additional options for your schedule and budget. And finally, some people love group classes because they look forward to meeting and getting support from fellow dog owners! 

Finally, some trainers also offer board-and-train services, a sort of “boot camp for dogs” where owners board their dogs with a trainer for a set period of time (often one or two weeks) for the purpose of reaching a specific training goal. This may seem like a very appealing option – a completely trained dog without doing the work yourself! And for some families this option makes sense, but these services do tend to be expensive and the training doesn’t always stick afterwards, so we urge caution before opting for this service. Read more about why here.

What’s your learning style and what is your budget?

Hiring a dog trainer or behavior consultant is kind of like working with a personal trainer at the gym. When it comes to training, some folks are perfectly happy doing the research independently, putting together their own workouts and keeping themselves motivated and on track. If this is you, there’s always the option to seek out reputable sources (we have some ideas below) and do some learning on your own, rather than hiring a trainer or joining a class right away. This can be helpful from a budget standpoint as well!

But many of us do benefit from working with an expert who can put together a training plan, troubleshoot our mechanics, and keep us on track. And that’s what professionals are for! So be realistic with yourself and do get help from professionals if/when your budget and learning style accommodate it. 

Questions to ask your trainer:

You can often find answers to these questions on their website. We also encourage you to poke around the website a bit; many trainers provide free resources such as blog posts, YouTube videos, or other materials that may give you a sense of whether you enjoy their teaching style.

What are your credentials?

While dog training is not regulated as an industry, trainers can receive credentials that indicate their commitment to ongoing education and may also tell you more about their particular area of focus. Be wary of trainers who claim their credentials are simply that they’ve “grown up with dogs” or have “been in this industry for decades.”

What’s your training philosophy? What equipment do you use in your classes?

Read more here about why PawsCo only recommends positive reinforcement-based training methods. Sometimes you have to read between the lines to determine whether a trainer uses harmful, outdated methods – they’re not going to come right out and say it! Here are some keywords to look for:

Do you have an area of focus?

Behavior consultants in particular often focus on a specific subset of behaviors, such as fear and reactivity, kids and dogs, or separation anxiety. Other trainers may focus on a particular dog sport, or trick training, for example. Larger companies with multiple trainers on staff will probably have more generalized services.

What services do you offer?

In addition to the classes and private instruction described above, some trainers offer other dog-related services such as boarding, doggie daycare, or hiking/walking/petsitting services, which could make you lean towards one choice over another!

Recommended Colorado trainers

PawsCo volunteers and partners

Colorado Canine Crew (Denver) – Offers 10% discount for PawsCo adopters

Barking Bear Petcare (Denver/Litteton/Golden/Evergreen and virtual) – Offers 15% your first package of services for PawsCo adopters

Noble Beast Dog Training (Denver)

GoodPup (Virtual/app-based) – PawsCo adopters who use the link above receive a free first session and 10% off all training

Underdog Behavior and Consulting (Fort Collins and virtual)

Cats

Billie Reynolds, Good Kitty Behavior and Consulting

Carole Galloway, Colorado CATS

Veterinary Behaviorists

For pets who need medication support in addition to training. Talk to your trainer and vet to see if this option makes sense for you. The board-certified veterinary behaviorists currently in Colorado are:

Dr. Ariel Fagan, Vet Behavior Center

Dr Natalie Estep, VCA Front Range animal hospital

Dr. E’lise Christensen Bell

Virtual training options

General training

Free and low-cost self-directed resources

General training and behavior