Best Dog Trainers in and Near Des Moines, IA

This All Dogs franchise location trains from its facility in Des Moines and serves Valley Junction in West Des Moines and other nearby neighborhoods. Its main program is a two week board and train, where your dog stays with the team and trains every day. You can also book private lessons at your home or at the facility, which the site describes as more structured and distraction controlled. Puppy training covers early socialization, house manners and basic obedience, and off leash control is listed as its own program. The site calls its approach humane and says it offers lifetime support for graduates. Prices aren't posted, so you'll need to call for a quote, and the site mentions Affirm financing.

The Animal Rescue League of Iowa teaches its dog classes at the Blumenthal Training Center at ARL Main in Des Moines. Puppies can start at 8 weeks in Puppy Kindergarten or the four week Puppy Life Skills class, which the site says uses positive reinforcement. Adolescent Life Skills picks up from 15 weeks. Adult dogs 6 months and older can take Good Manners, which meets once a week for four weeks. Specialty classes include a three week Loose Leash Bootcamp and Zen Dog for relaxation, plus Rowdy Rovers for dogs that jump, mouth and get overstimulated. Drop In Training sessions cap at four dogs and work on one or two skills. Private training is temporarily unavailable, and the ARL points owners to referral trainers through its Behavior Helpline. If a class is meant to meet a city requirement, the ARL asks you to email its training team before you register.

Bark Busters Greater Des Moines is run by owner and trainer Deb Boswell from Ackworth, and the site says the location has helped dogs for 18 years. Deb is listed as a certified Master Dog Behavior Therapist. All training happens in your home, and the site says plainly there are no group classes and no board and train. The first lesson usually runs two to three hours, with a one hour follow up about two weeks later and around 10 minutes of daily practice for you. Problems on the list include barking, aggression, leash pulling, separation anxiety, jumping and puppy issues like potty training and biting. The site describes communication based methods and says it avoids shock collars and harsh corrections. Its Gold Service option includes the Life of Dog Support Guarantee. The service area covers dozens of towns, including Ankeny, Ames, Urbandale and Norwalk.

Des Moines Obedience Training Club is a volunteer run AKC obedience club in Des Moines that teaches multiple levels of obedience to the public. Most classes meet Monday and Tuesday nights or Tuesday mornings, and the site lists most 6 week courses as $150. Pre registration is required. The class list starts with Puppy, including AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy, then moves through Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. There are Canine Good Citizen classes, including CGCA and CGCU, along with a Distraction class and Trick Dog. Sport options include Agility, Rally, Tracking and Conformation Handling. The club also hosts obedience, agility, rally and scent work trials, plus seminars and therapy dog testing.

Dogwoods Lodge in Grimes pairs lodging, daycamp and grooming with a wide training menu. Group classes cover the basics, and a second dog from the same family gets 50% off. Lodge n' Train is a 1 to 5 week in kennel program for anything from jumping and pulling to complex behavior problems. DaySchool runs two days a week, and private lessons take place at the lodge or your home and can cover simple tricks up to aggression. Puppies under 6 months can join Puppy Preschool, and Puppy DaySchool adds two to three days a week of training and socializing. Specialty training includes off leash work, scent work and diabetic alert dog training. Trainers Jessica Lohry Tapper and Page Bennett list 15+ and 10+ years of experience, and the site calls the owner a Certified Behavioral Specialist. A free training consult is offered.

KBP Dog Training works out of a facility in Prole, south of Des Moines, and its focus is nosework. Nosework lessons happen in a private setting and run from Intro to Odor through Trial Ready Nosework, so beginners and handlers aiming for trials both have a place to start. The trainer holds the CNWI certification with NACSW and lists five plus years of training and competing in NACSW and UKC events. The site says the facility is licensed with the State of Iowa. KBP also teaches puppy basics in a private setting, with an emphasis on Canine Good Citizen skills. If you're after general obedience for an adult dog, ask on the first call, since the site centers on nosework and puppy skills.

Knox Canine Training in northeast Des Moines says it uses modern, science based methods aimed at behavior and aggression problems in dogs of all ages and sizes. Small group classes meet once a week at its facility. Puppy Basics covers 2 to 9 months, and the Obedience Class takes dogs 9 months and older. Specialty classes include AKC Novice Trick, AKC Canine Good Citizen, Introduction to Scent Work, Obedience 2 and Barkers Anonymous. Private training is one on one in your home, at the facility or out in public around greater Des Moines, and it covers puppy needs, basic obedience, behavior modification and reactivity. If you live outside the area or have a tight schedule, Knox also sells self guided online courses and now offers phone sessions.

Off Leash K9 Training Des Moines is a local franchise of the national Off Leash K9 company, with trainer Katie shown on the site. It serves the Des Moines metro and central Iowa, including West Des Moines and Johnston. Basic Obedience is four private lessons on recall, sit, place, heel and down, plus stopping unwanted behavior, and Advanced adds four more lessons on harder commands or distractions. The 2 Week Board and Train is a 14 day Training Camp for advanced off leash obedience and behavior modification. A Starter Package pairs one private lesson with training equipment, and a Puppy Consultation covers potty training, crate training and socialization for dogs under 5 months. Eight lesson programs cover aggression and reactivity, and therapy dog preparation. Prices sit on a separate plans page, and the site mentions Affirm payment plans and discounts for service members and first responders.

The Puppy Jake Foundation in Des Moines pairs military veterans with service dogs, and our listing shows it as an ADI accredited member program. Every program here is for veterans. Its Owner Trained Service Dogs program lets a veteran bring their own pet dog between four months and three years old and train it through several phases. The first step is Dog Perfect, a 15 week course in basic obedience and pet dog skills. Phase 3 runs five months and works toward a Canine Good Citizen certificate. Phase 4 adds five months of public teamwork and early service skills, and Phase 5 finishes skills alongside other veteran teams. Dog Perfect is listed on their site as $595 and each later phase as $4,000, and the site says financial help is available for qualified veterans. The site also notes there's no guarantee a dog will become a service dog.

Pupstart Family Dog Training is Dana Fedman's practice in Des Moines. She is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant through the IAABC, was a Certified Professional Dog Trainer through the CCPDT for over 20 years, and lists over 27 years of pet dog training. Behavior consulting is the main service now. It takes on fear, shyness with visitors, sound sensitivity, trouble with handling and grooming, resource guarding and aggression toward family members or other pets, and bite cases need a vet referral. The site says it doesn't take leash reactivity or basic obedience, and it refers separation cases to specialists. New puppy visits are paused, with referrals to a trusted colleague. In person visits cover communities within a 40 mile radius of Des Moines, such as Ankeny and Winterset, and Zoom or phone consults are available nationwide. The site describes positive reinforcement and says no electronic or prong collars are used. It also shares free resources such as a potty training journal.

Sit Means Sit Des Moines is run by owner and head trainer Ryan Dey from a training center in Windsor Heights. The site says he worked with over 1,000 dogs and clients at the Sit Means Sit Orlando location before moving to Iowa. Trainer Emily has been with Sit Means Sit for over 7 years and focuses on service and therapy dog training. Programs include Board and Train, which pairs overnight boarding with obedience work before your private lessons, and Day Camp with full days of training. Private lessons and group classes are offered too, and group classes continue after one on one programs. Behavior work covers aggression, fear, reactivity, socialization and off leash control. The system uses the company's own remote electronic collar, which the site describes as a tap. Costs are quoted after a free evaluation, and the service area runs from Grimes and Johnston to Norwalk.

Zoom Room Ankeny is an indoor dog training gym in Ankeny, part of the Zoom Room franchise. It serves Ankeny plus Ames, Polk City, Altoona and Des Moines. The menu covers puppy training, obedience classes and agility, and the site also lists tricks and scent work. Socialization gets its own focus here through playgroups, parties and gym time. The site says it uses science backed methods and positive reinforcement only. You attend every class with your dog, and the site says there are no drop offs. There's no fixed 6 week commitment, so you book classes ahead as your schedule allows. New clients start with a free 30 minute orientation, which needs no dog, and an evaluation with your dog listed at $0. Private sessions are sold as passes, so ask about them when you call.

Zoom Room West Des Moines is in Clive and is the second Zoom Room in the metro. Like the Ankeny gym, it lists puppy training, obedience classes, agility and dog socialization, with tricks and scent work in the training mix. Training is positive reinforcement only, according to the site. Its free 30 minute orientation, held without your dog, covers clicker basics before you start. Owners work beside their dogs in every session, and drop offs are never offered. Classes are booked in advance like a gym, so you aren't locked into a 6 week course. A 30 minute evaluation with your dog shows as $0 when you book. The site also mentions a private gym and private training in its policies, and its shop sells treats and gear.