Best Dog Trainers in and Near Baltimore, MD

Always Faithful Dog Training is a national company that says it has more than 130 locations, and our records place this listing in Baltimore. Its Beginner level covers loose leash walking and basic commands, Intermediate adds off leash work, and Pro adds heavy distractions. A Behavior Modification program covers aggression, resource guarding and separation anxiety. Therapy dog, service dog and board and train programs are listed too. The site says trainers don't use treats, clickers or shock collars. The main site names no Baltimore trainer, so ask who will train your dog.

Chris Pellatiro runs the Bark Busters office for Central Maryland. The site lists 37 communities served, including Baltimore, Towson, Glen Burnie and Westminster. Training is private and happens in your home, which the site calls the place where most behavior problems occur. The site says trainers don't use electronic, prong or choke chain collars. This office offers the Life of Dog Support Guarantee, which the site says keeps your trainer a call away for help at no added cost. Bark Busters began in 1989.

Natalie Wexler trains for Bark Busters across Greater Annapolis and the Chesapeake Bay region. Her site lists 66 communities, from Annapolis and Crofton to Severna Park and Stevensville on Kent Island. Sessions happen in your home, which the site describes as the place where you and your dog are most comfortable. The company calls its methods natural and dog friendly. This office also offers the Bark Busters Life of Dog Support Guarantee, which the site says gives you ongoing help at no extra cost.

Marsha Engel runs this Bark Busters office from Annapolis Junction. Her site says she spent more than 20 years in a career in human behavior change before she trained dogs. She covers Howard and Montgomery counties, and the town list includes Columbia, Ellicott City, Catonsville, Elkridge and Laurel. Lessons start one on one in your home, then move out into your neighborhood so your dog practices around real distractions. The site says she doesn't rely on bribes or punishment. Ongoing help comes through the Bark Busters Life of Dog Support Guarantee.

Bmore Dog Training sends trainers to homes across the Baltimore area, with Catonsville, Columbia, Glen Burnie, Pasadena and Odenton among the towns listed. Private lessons are the core service, and the site says it doesn't run group classes or therapy dog training. Programs cover puppies from 7 weeks, aggressive dogs, separation anxiety and leash skills. The team also trains service dogs. The site calls its approach LIMA, least intrusive and minimally aversive, mixing positive reinforcement with balanced techniques. Head trainer Beth Aldrich and trainer Bethany Bennett both list training through Canine Trade Group.

Carmen and Nathan Lawless took full ownership of Sit Means Sit Towson in April 2025, and the training facility is in Cockeysville. Lead Trainer Elizabeth Benjamin works with reactive dogs and deaf dogs. Its Day Training and Private Lessons programs both include Saturday group classes. The Puppy Program starts after 10 weeks and is listed as an AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy program, and the site also mentions extended stay board and train. Service areas run from Towson up to Hunt Valley.

Cindy Knowlton trains as See Spot Grin from Glenwood in western Howard County. She holds the CPDT-KA and is a Pet Professional Guild member, and our records also list a CNWI nose work credential. Her site adds that she is a CARAT certified assessor and a Treat/Retreat certified trainer. She describes her training as pain, force and fear free, and she has studied under Suzanne Clothier for more than 20 years. She also offers temperament and relationship assessments. If your dog is wary of new people, ask about Treat/Retreat, which she uses to build confidence in socially shy dogs.

Cynthia Brandenburg founded Wolfwood Canine Connection in Millersville. She serves Anne Arundel County and nearby counties, with virtual sessions on Zoom for people farther away. Our records list her ABCDT and ABCCT credentials from Animal Behavior College for dogs and cats, and her site adds an Aggression in Dogs Master Course. She works privately, at your home or outdoors near Millersville. Packages run from puppy foundations up to advanced manners. Behavior consulting covers fearful or reactive dogs, plus guarding and barking. She calls her approach force free and trauma informed. Homes with a dog and a cat can book a joint consultation.

Daniel and Jessica Strong own the Sit Means Sit office in Kingsville. It covers Baltimore County north of the Beltway and Harford County, including Bel Air and Fallston. Private lessons happen at the facility or in your home, and the site also lists Day Training and board and train. AKC Puppy Preschool takes puppies 8 to 15 weeks old, and a 5 week Reactive Dog package is listed for dogs that struggle around triggers. Once your dog finishes Day Training or private lessons, group classes run Wednesday evening, Thursday morning and Saturday. The site calls the trainers tool agnostic, meaning they use the tools you're comfortable with.

Doghouse Girls is based in Canton. The site lists Fells Point, Patterson Park, Brewers Hill, Butchers Hill, Harbor East and Highlandtown as its nearby service area. It offers two paths: private behavior consultations for your dog, and group classes where you and your dog learn together. Our records list puppy preschool and polite pooch manners classes, plus an urban agility class aimed at building confidence. The site doesn't describe training methods or name its trainers, so ask about both when you reach out. It's the one trainer on this list based in Canton.

Dominic Kreiner is listed in Pasadena, in northern Anne Arundel County. Our records show the Certified Training Partner credential from Karen Pryor Academy, written as CTP-KPA, and membership in the Pet Professional Guild. His listing also includes animals beyond dogs, such as birds. We couldn't find a working website for him, so this card relies on directory records. When you call, ask which dog services he offers and whether he travels to your home. His profile is worth opening if you live near Pasadena or Glen Burnie and want a credentialed trainer close by.

Elice Shelton is listed in Annapolis and holds Certified Instructor status with NADOI, the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors, according to our records. We couldn't find a working website for her, so this card relies on directory records. That means we can't tell you from her own site whether she teaches group classes or private lessons, or where she works. Her AnimalTrainerPro profile is the place to start if you live in Annapolis and want an instructor with a national credential close to home.

Foley's Dog Training focuses on agility and calls itself beginner friendly. The trainer, E. Foley, holds the CPDT-KA according to the site's About page. Private lessons run 30 or 45 minutes at her home in Burtonsville, and reactive and fearful dogs are welcome in those sessions. Group classes meet indoors in Rockville and outdoors in Burtonsville, and dogs in class should be able to work with other dogs in sight. A beginner program and beginner group class are listed for newcomers.

The Humane Society of Harford County hosts public dog training classes at its shelter in Fallston. Mutt Magic Training Services runs the classes, with Aja Brown as head trainer, and the shelter's Dog Program Coordinator, Jill LaPorta, is an obedience instructor and CGC Evaluator. The site lists eight week courses. Basic/CGC Prep covers the basics and gets dogs ready for the AKC Canine Good Citizen test. The Confidence Course is built for shy or fearful dogs. The S.T.A.R. Puppy Course mixes obedience with puppy socialization. If you live near Bel Air or Fallston, this keeps class close to home.

Jody Broughton runs Social Tailwaggers Dog Training & Behavior Consultation in Laurel and is a Pet Professional Guild member, according to our records. The business name points to both training and behavior consultation, but we couldn't find a working website, so we can't describe her programs from her own pages. This card relies on directory records. When you call, ask whether she offers private lessons or classes and which towns she covers. Her profile is worth a look if you live around Laurel.

K9 Koncepts trains and boards dogs in Sparrows Point and says it was established in 1998, with more than 25 years there. The site lists puppy classes and obedience classes up to advanced obedience, along with reactive dog rehabilitation and protection work. The facility is an IACP member and has an AKC Evaluator on staff. The site says every training program comes with a lifetime guarantee. Boarding is also offered. Our records add board and train and Canine Good Citizen testing, so confirm those when you call.

Kathy Forthman runs Polite Pooches in Forest Hill. Our records list her as CPDT-KA, Fear Free Certified and a Family Dog Mediator, and she is a Pet Professional Guild member. The site calls Polite Pooches a fear free training company and says every trainer holds at least one national certification. It offers group classes and private training. Plan ahead: the site says puppy classes fill two to three weeks out and Basic Manners fills six to eight weeks out. The service area covers Harford County, northeastern Baltimore County and southern Pennsylvania.

Laurie Corak runs Adventure Dogs Academy in Hydes, in northern Baltimore County near Loch Raven. Our records list her as CPDT-KA, with FFCP and FPPE credentials, and as a Pet Professional Guild member. She offers private training and group training, and her listing names aggression and reactivity as specialties. We couldn't find a working website for her, so this card relies on directory records. If your dog barks or lunges on walks and you live near Towson or Perry Hall, her profile is a good one to open.

Off Leash K9 Training in Jessup teaches in private, one on one sessions with the goal of dogs that can go without a leash. Basic Obedience runs four lessons on loose leash walking, sit, down and off. The eight lesson Basic and Advanced package adds distance work, heel, watch and stand. A two week board and train covers everyday obedience and socialization, and an eight session program targets aggression or reactivity. The site also lists muzzle conditioning and a Canine Good Citizen prep course. The basic packages include an electronic collar and a 15 foot leash.

Olivia Bainter runs Olive Branch Dog Training in Owings Mills and is a Pet Professional Guild member, according to our records. Her site describes the training as positive and force free. In 1:1 Privates, a trainer comes to your home and works with you and your dog on manners, behavior change, enrichment or management, for puppies and adult dogs. Day Training has the trainer work your dog alone at home, with a final session on how to keep it going. Puppy Socializer outings take puppies out to build confidence. The site doesn't list group classes or a service area.

Oriole Dog Training Club is a nonprofit in Halethorpe, just south of Baltimore. It was founded in 1945, its instructors are all volunteers, and it is licensed with the American Kennel Club. Puppy Kindergarten takes puppies from 14 weeks to 6 months for socialization, crate and house training and basic commands. Foundations for Dog Sports, for dogs 6 months and older who finished Basic Obedience or qualify another way, is taught mainly with a clicker and uses tugging as a reward. The club also runs agility, flyball, nosework and tracking classes, plus rally run throughs.

Julius Farrow III and Lisa Farrow, a brother and sister team, own Sit Means Sit Baltimore. They cover the city plus Baltimore and Harford counties, with Dundalk, Perry Hall, Rosedale, Overlea and White Marsh on the list. Puppy Management is an in home course for puppies under 16 weeks. Private lessons can happen at your home, a park or a business. Immersion Programs are board and train stays of one to three weeks. The site says training pairs the Sit Means Sit remote electronic collar, described as a tap, with a high value reward such as a treat. Consultations are free.

Tanzi Leary owns Dog Crazy Lady in Owings Mills and serves the Baltimore County area. Her site lists the CDBC from the IAABC, Pat Miller Certified Trainer Level 1 and the CSAP-BC separation anxiety credential. She offers one on one training and behavior consultations for resource guarding, reactivity, fear and phobias, aggression and stranger issues, plus puppy basics and enrichment. Drop in Office Hours let you meet her first. She describes her methods as cooperative, with no pain or intimidation.

The Coventry School for Dogs is in Columbia, in Howard County, and its site says it has trained for more than 25 years. Group classes cover several ages and levels. Private lessons handle problems like jumping, leash pulling, nipping, poor recall, barking and house soiling, and behavior consultations are also listed. Prep School is a month long program for puppies and teen dogs that works on manners, confidence and socialization. The school also runs an enrichment day camp. The site describes its approach as science based positive reinforcement.