Best Dog Trainers in and Near Buffalo, NY

Off Leash K9 Training's Buffalo team belongs to a national franchise with more than 130 locations, and its programs build toward off leash obedience. Lessons are private and take place in or around your home, and the team also does behavior consultations. The Basic Obedience package is four lessons, and the Basic and Advanced package is eight. The site says a leash and an electronic collar come with the Basic Obedience package, so ask how the collar is used if you'd rather not use one.

Puppies under 5 months can start with a puppy consultation on potty training, crate training and socialization. Dogs with aggression or reactivity have their own 8 lesson Aggressive Dog Package. There's also a 14 day board and train for advanced off leash work and behavior changes. The site names service areas from Cheektowaga and Depew to Amherst and North Tonawanda. Prices sit on a separate pricing page linked from the main site.

Amanda Collins runs Compassionate Companion Training from Niagara Falls. She has been a licensed veterinary technician since 2012 and holds the CPDT-KA. She's also Fear Free certified and holds a certification in dog training and behavior from the Victoria Stilwell Academy. Her site adds that she's certified in Family Dog Mediation. Her site describes research based training that puts the dog's welfare and the family's needs first, and it notes she works at a local veterinary clinic three days a week. Her own dog, Clover, helps teach veterinary consent skills such as a chin rest.

Services include behavior consultations for dogs and cats, private six week programs for aggression and reactivity, and Comfort with Care, a program for calmer vet and grooming visits. Puppy lessons and parkour come as group or private options, and the group classes meet at a park in Tonawanda. Her service area runs from Youngstown to Hamburg and from Niagara Falls to Arcade. Prices are listed on her site, including $75 for a consultation and $250 for group puppy lessons.

Dana Manos runs Comfort Zone Critter Care, which pairs pet sitting with private dog training. She holds the CPDT-KA and Fear Free certification, and she's worked with animals since 1995. Her directory listing adds the CCBC and FDM credentials and a Pet Professional Guild membership. Her site says she uses positive training methods only and doesn't use shock collars. Prong and choke collars are ruled out too.

Training happens in private lessons at your home or another place you agree on, anywhere in the Western New York region. Her listing names separation anxiety plus aggression and reactivity as focus areas. New clients start with an initial behavior consultation, paid in advance to hold one of a limited number of slots. Her site says she's based in Lancaster, and her walks and pet sits mostly stay in Lancaster while training reaches farther. Prices for training aren't posted, so ask when you book.

Sue Pezzanite runs Canine Inspiration in Buffalo. She holds the CPDT-KA from the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, which asks for at least 300 hours of dog training in the past three years and a 200 question exam, with recertification every three years. She also lists the KPA CT credential from Karen Pryor Academy, whose certification is built on science based methods, and she's a member of the Pet Professional Guild. Her directory listing covers both dogs and cats.

We couldn't find a website for Canine Inspiration, so the services she offers now aren't something we could confirm. On a first call, ask whether she teaches private lessons or classes and what a first visit costs.

Noelle Nasca trains dogs in Hamburg, south of Buffalo, and she's the one trainer on this list based in the Southtowns. Her directory listing shows her as a Certified Instructor with NADOI. NADOI says it has set standards for professional dog trainers since 1965, calls itself the world's oldest organization dedicated to promoting excellence in dog training and instruction, and says its members are committed to humane, ethical training methods.

Her listing doesn't name a business or a website, so we couldn't confirm which services she offers today. Before you sign up, find out where her sessions take place and how many weeks a typical program runs. It's also worth asking what training methods she uses.

Do Over Dog Training runs a training facility in Alden, east of Buffalo, built around dog sports. K9 Nose Work is a main focus, and the site also lists scent work trials, dog parkour and a class track called Obedience, Rally and Games. Classes keep groups small and give each handler personal feedback. The site says the training draws on your dog's curiosity and problem solving to build confidence and trust between you.

The site displays CCPDT, NACSW Certified Nose Work Instructor and Family Dog Mediator logos, though it doesn't say which instructor holds each one. There's also virtual learning with SWU if you'd like to study scent work from home, plus workshops and events on a public calendar. Registration is online, and the home page doesn't list fees. Puppy classes and private lessons aren't mentioned, so ask if you need either.

Fetch N' Catch opened in 2012 and runs dog training from Bowmansville alongside its daycare and boarding business. Group classes include Puppy Preschool and Basic Obedience, and the site also lists Puppy Kindergarten. You can book private lesson packages or send your dog to a board and train camp. Tricks and specialty classes are on the schedule as well, along with AKC Canine Good Citizen testing, which makes this the one listing in this guide where your dog can take the CGC test.

Val Adolf manages day camp and training. Staff hold pet first aid and CPR training and PackPro certification. The site doesn't describe training methods or post prices, so ask about both when you call. If your dog already goes to daycare or boards here, adding training under the same roof may be easier to schedule.

Supernova Dogs is a Tonawanda training center that serves Buffalo and nearby suburbs including Kenmore and Amherst, plus Lockport and Niagara Falls. The site describes reward based training grounded in science and built on positive reinforcement, and it treats you and your dog as partners.

Puppy programs carry dogs from puppyhood into adulthood. Family dog obedience comes as group classes, private lessons or in home training. For dog sports, Supernova teaches agility and scent work, runs an Agility League and rents out its ring for practice. Supernova University is a day school for dogs, and the site lists seasonal group walks around Western New York. A January 2024 press release on the site marked its first anniversary. You register through an online scheduler, and fees aren't shown on the home page.