Best Dog Trainers in and Near Denver, CO

Grace Dog Training & Behavior is run by Ana Melara from a new training center in Wheat Ridge. She's listed with the CCPDT's CPDT-KA and advanced TAGteach training, and she's a Pet Professional Guild member. Gracie's Day Training is a daytime program at the center for dogs 2 years old and under with a fairly balanced temperament. Gracie's Puppy Socialization & Manners Class takes pups from 8 to 16 weeks. You can also book private sessions with Ana. The site says she focuses on structure and consistency instead of quick fixes.

Mako's Way Dog Training and Behavior is Anna Griffin's business in Golden. She studied through the Academy for Dog Trainers, is listed with its CTC certificate and belongs to the Pet Professional Guild. The site says she uses positive reinforcement and will never use shock collars or other painful tools. Her work covers puppy socialization and confidence building for newly adopted dogs. She also takes on fear, aggression and reactivity, and teaches trail manners along with body handling and cooperative care.

The Joyful Dog Co. is Gina DeStaffany's training business, based in Evergreen. Her site names her credentials: CDBC through the IAABC, CPDT-KA through the CCPDT, and Fear Free certification. Training is one on one with positive reinforcement. She works on puppy training and basic manners, and the site also names leash skills, reactivity and aggression. In person work covers central and west Denver, from Evergreen and Morrison to Golden, Lakewood and Highlands Ranch. She also trains by video anywhere. A free consultation is the first step.

Blitz Dog Training is run by Gwen Moyer, a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) originally from New York City. After a virtual consultation, she offers private training in person around Denver and nearby cities, or virtual training anywhere. The site says she uses only force free, fear free and science based methods. Her behavior list is long, from leash reactivity and barrier frustration to separation anxiety, resource guarding and noise fears. Puppy work covers potty training, bite inhibition and sleep schedules, with a focus on city living.

Wildflower Dog Training is Lauren Zimniski's in home training business in Denver. She earned her CTC from the Academy for Dog Trainers in 2022 with honors and is a Pet Professional Guild member. The site says she trains with positive reinforcement and that no dog needs pain, fear or punishment. The Wildflower Puppy Program mixes sessions where she trains your puppy while you're away with weekly lessons for you, and it's listed on their site as $1,800. Single sessions are listed at $135. Virtual Puppy Prep is a Zoom call for new or future puppy owners.

Bolder Dog is Libby Felts's training business in Boulder, and it also serves Louisville, Lafayette and Erie. She's listed with the L-FDM credential and Pet Professional Guild membership, and her site describes the Family Dog Mediation approach. That approach looks at a dog's learning history, environment, genetics and self, then adjusts the dog's setting along with training. She offers private one on one training and a Day Training program, which the site calls a gentle and affordable alternative to board and train. The site names high energy, distractible and impulsive dogs, plus fearful or reactive ones.

Ears Up Pup Dog Training is Patricia (Trish) Chen's business in Denver. She's listed with the CCPDT's CPDT-KA and Pet Professional Guild membership, and the site describes positive reinforcement training. She trains in person in Denver and virtually anywhere. A single private session of 45 to 60 minutes is listed on their site at $110, with a follow up email on management and enrichment. Packs of four or six sessions add weekly homework feedback and text support. Pupventures are hour long outings for your dog while you're busy, with photos and a recap.

Canine Dimensions Denver Metro is a franchise led by Brendan Cox, a Certified Dog Behavior Advisor (CDBA) and Certified Master Trainer (CMT). He is also an AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator and a professional member of the International Association of Canine Professionals. The team has four in home trainers who come to your house, and the site says they've worked in the Denver area for more than a decade. Services include a puppy program called Puppy GoodStart and in home obedience. For fearful and reactive dogs, they also use a separate facility. A free phone consultation is offered.

Pavlov Dog Training runs board and train camps in Denver. Level 1 is a two week on leash obedience program with three private follow up lessons. Level 2 adds off leash work with what the site calls humane electronic collar training, and its behavior programs, usually three weeks, require a remote electronic collar. Puppy Camp takes puppies 3 to 6 months old in the trainer's home, and dogs under 18 pounds can board there too. A typical two week program is listed on their site at $3,000. Graduates can join group classes and pack walks.

Noble Beast Dog Training is a Denver company, and its site says it is one of the city's Legacy Businesses. The class list is long. Group classes run from Delightful Dog and Divine Dog to an AKC Canine Good Citizen class, a recall class and Wonderful Walkers for leash skills. Camp B.A.R.K. is its day training program, and Playful Pup is for young dogs. Private in home training and separation anxiety training are offered, along with virtual sessions. The site says the team specializes in dog to dog socialization and group play dynamics and uses humane methods.

Perfect Pals Dog Training is run by Erin Gianella, a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA CTP). The site describes force free, science based positive reinforcement, built on teaching the behaviors you want to see before problems start. Private plans can cover routine and management along with behavior change. The site names reactivity, fear and resource guarding, plus puppy nipping and house training. In Home Schooling, Erin trains your dog at home two or three times a week and teaches you weekly, and Zoom sessions are offered. Group options include puppy socialization classes, Recall 101 and a Brewery Manners Class.

Proper Paws Dog Training teaches classes at its own studio in Arvada. In its Dog Life Skills program, dogs of any age spend four hours at the studio once a week with other dogs. Puppy Socialization gives puppies an hour with other puppies and people, and Beginning Obedience covers the basics for you and your dog. The program the site calls its specialty is Grumpy (or Growly) to Great, which builds confidence in dogs with behavior problems and is listed as its reactive dog program. The site says they never use or recommend prong, shock, choke or electronic collars, and they can design custom classes.

Cosmic Dog Training is Kathleen Valentine's business in Lafayette, serving Boulder County and north Denver, from Erie and Longmont to Westminster and Wheat Ridge. She's trained and certified through Absolute Dogs, has six years of experience and uses games based training rooted in positive reinforcement. Small group classes include puppy classes for dogs under six months. Private training happens at your home or out in the world, and behavior consults go deep on anxiety, reactivity and fear. Virtual training is available anywhere, and the first phone consult is free.

Training Wheels, LLC is a Broomfield business that says it specializes in changing the behavior of fearful and reactive dogs. It trains without force and names positive reinforcement as its method. Services include behavior consulting and private puppy and basic manners training. If you're still choosing a dog, it offers adoption counseling. In home lessons cover Boulder and Broomfield counties, and remote lessons work anywhere. The site shows logos from Karen Pryor, Fear Free and the Pet Professional Guild but doesn't name its trainers or their certifications.

Word of Mouth Dog Training is a family owned business in Golden that says it has served the area since 2014. The master trainer, Jose, has more than 10 years of training experience. Board In Training keeps your dog overnight for full training, and house calls bring Jose to your home. One on one sessions and group classes happen at their facility. There's also training for disabled dogs with specific needs. The site says it uses tone of voice, body language, timing and praise, with no treats or food. It serves Denver, Lakewood and nearby suburbs.

BlackPaw Dog Training calls itself a board and train and rehabilitation service for Denver and Boulder. Programs include Puppy Head Start, Perfect Pooch and Total Behavior Reboot. It also sells online courses and runs nosework group classes. The site lists its core values as balance, communication and partnership, and it says the team has more than 20 years of experience. The problems it names include anxiety and aggressive behavior, along with jumping and barking. Graduates can join weekly group walks. Ask which tools they use before you book.

American Canine Academy is a family owned training facility in Commerce City. The site says it was formally established in 2005 after starting in 1990 under another name, and Sean Miller leads it as training director. Its main program is a board and train immersion with on leash and off leash options. Some dogs go on optional field trips to parks and stores. Private lessons and group classes are offered too, along with puppy training and boarding for graduates. Named behavior work includes separation anxiety, resource guarding, reactivity and aggression. Graduates get refresher classes under its Lifetime Canine Guarantee.

Blue Sky Canine is a Parker trainer serving Parker, Denver and the wider metro, and its trainers travel to you between 8am and 8pm. Specialties on the site are basic and advanced obedience, scent detection and puppy development, plus behavior modification for reactivity. You can book private lessons, in home training or board and train. Off leash training is open only to select dogs who finish a full program first, and it uses an electronic collar. The site says the team holds several certifications from training schools but doesn't name them. Payment plans are available.

The Wineglass Ranch Canine Communication Center in Parker has raised and trained working Border Collies for about twenty years, and it's the only place on this list that teaches herding. Herding instinct testing runs all year by preregistered appointment. Your dog works on a long line with an instructor and a few sheep. Dogs that show instinct are invited to herding lessons. The ranch also lists obedience, puppy training and behavior training, and its profile adds nose work and board and train. It holds lifetime memberships in the American Border Collie Association and the United States Border Collie Handler's Association.

Front Range K9 Academy in Wheat Ridge was founded by Jennifer Hime, and the site says it has trained dogs since 1990. It's a professional member of the International Association of Canine Professionals. Snake avoidance is the service you won't find elsewhere on this list, and it's listed as covering scent, sight and sound, with refresher sessions. Regular services include manners and obedience, puppy training and nosework, plus AKC Canine Good Citizen training and testing. Aggression control and problem solving are offered in private sessions or small group classes. An online training program is offered too.

The Humane Society of Boulder Valley runs a Training and Behavior Center at its Boulder shelter. Dog Classes are for dogs over 5 months, and Puppy Classes are for younger puppies. One on one consultations are offered, plus court ordered and bite diversion consultations. The shelter also runs workshops and a reward based Puppy Club for socialization, and it offers group classes in Spanish. The site describes its training approach as reward based and force free. Its staff are described as a certified team of training and behavior consultants.

Foothills Animal Shelter in Golden hosts group dog training classes in its Community Room, taught by Calvert Dog Training. Classes cap at six dogs and run monthly in multi week packages using positive reinforcement. Puppy Class is for puppies 6 months or younger at the start. Beginner Class is for dogs that know sit and stay but still need a treat held in front of them. Intermediate Class is for dogs that know four or five cues in quiet settings. Pricing and sign up run through Calvert Dog Training.

All Dogs Unleashed Denver is one location of a training company with sites around the country, and it has its own facility in Denver. The main program is a structured two week board and train where trainers work with your dog every day. Private lessons happen at your home or at the facility, and the site's FAQ mentions introductory group classes. The site names puppies, leash pullers, reactive dogs and dogs that need off leash control, and it lists trail wildlife distraction training. Graduates get lifetime support, and financing through Affirm is available.

Dogwood Canine Academy is a Boulder trainer whose main program is a board and train of four weeks or more. Behavior modification covers dogs that growl, snap or bite, along with fear and reactivity, and the site says it can't guarantee a cure for aggression. The approach is called relationship focused and balanced, with positive reinforcement as the main tool and an electronic collar added gradually at low levels. Puppy training starts at 6 months once vaccines are done. Graduates get lifetime support by FaceTime, phone or email.

Zoom Room Littleton is an indoor dog training gym in Littleton and part of the national Zoom Room chain. Classes cover puppy training, obedience, agility and dog socialization, with tricks and scent work in the mix. The site says it uses positive reinforcement only. You can start with a free 30 minute orientation without your dog, which covers clicker basics, or a free evaluation with your dog. Private training passes are sold too. The gym is open seven days, until 9 pm on weekdays.