Best Dog Trainers in and Near Fargo, ND

Down Dog Studios runs a training studio in north Fargo and calls itself a positive reinforcement dog training center for the Fargo Moorhead area. Group classes follow a dog from puppyhood on. Start Right takes puppies 8 to 16 weeks old, Step Up Pup is a teen class for dogs 4 to 10 months old, and Foundation Basic Manners covers dogs from 6 months up to seniors. Graduates can move to a public skills class, a CGC prep class and an Advanced CGC class that meets twice at the studio and twice in a public setting. Over Reactive Rover is for dogs that struggle with reactivity toward people, dogs or their surroundings on walks, and each dog works at its own pace. Private lessons happen at the studio or in your home within about a 15 minute drive of Fargo Moorhead, with travel fees past that. A puppy or basic manners consult is listed on their site as $85 in the studio or $95 at your home, and sessions for anxiety or aggression cost more. The site names Kish and Jen on its team.

The Fargo Moorhead Kennel Club says it has been dedicated to dogs since 1953, and it trains in an air conditioned building in Fargo with padded mats in its training rings. Classes run in sessions, and every class requires registration. Puppy Connections and AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy take puppies 8 weeks to 5 months old, and the S.T.A.R. Puppy class ends with a test for the AKC certificate. Obedience runs from Beginners and Basic Skills up to Advanced Competition Obedience, and the Advanced Obedience class is one of the requirements for joining the club's agility program. The club also lists rally, scent work, flyball, conformation and CGC and therapy dog classes. Its S.T.A.R. Puppy page describes a positive reinforcement approach, and puppy classes ask you to bring soft treats. Sixteen instructors are listed. Prices aren't on the pages we opened, so check the schedule page or ask. If you want a dog sport to share with your dog, this club's class list covers eight areas, from agility to flyball.

Ivy League Dog Training and Boarding sits in the countryside near Walcott, south of Fargo, and serves Fargo, Moorhead and the surrounding towns. Training here is a stay. The site lists one, two and four week boot camps. The one week camp is for puppies 4 to 6 months old and covers leash walking, come, sit, stay, down and place. The four week camp adds wait, watch and off, can include off leash work, and helps prepare a dog for the AKC Canine Good Citizen test. A Training Tune Up of 7 to 10 days is open to graduates. A four day Remote Dog Training Clinic centers on electronic collar cues, and the site says electronic collars may be introduced in the one and two week camps. Add ons include a guided walk on the property. Trainer names and prices aren't listed, and booking runs through an online portal. Ask which tools your dog's program would use before you book.

Oak and Elm Tree is a small, locally owned dog training and grooming business in Fargo. Its training page describes science based methods and positive reinforcement, and group classes cap at five dogs. The class list includes AKC Star Puppy for dogs 8 weeks to 5 months, a class for adolescent dogs 6 to 18 months, Foundational Behaviors, Intermediate Behaviors and a CGC prep class with the test included at the end. A Confidence Building class is for dogs who struggle with everyday life, and an Accessibility and Sensory Friendly class is built for owners who need a different setting to succeed, such as people with sensory or physical needs. Private sessions happen at the facility or in your home. A half day Puppy Day Training program pairs your puppy one on one with a trainer. Group classes are listed on their site as $30 per session, and private sessions as $80 at the facility or $90 at your home. The site names Sonnet and Tatum as the owners.

Pack Legends Dog Training offers private, one on one training around Fargo, West Fargo and Moorhead, mostly in your own home and neighborhood, with Zoom sessions for people outside the area. The site names Anna Rozova as head trainer and lists AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator and membership in the International Association of Canine Professionals among its certifications. Our directory records the CGC Evaluator credential for her. It describes a balanced approach that mixes positive reinforcement with structure and clear communication, and it works with the whole family. Programs include a Reactive Dog Program of seven private sessions, a Puppy Basic Foundation package, CGC prep and testing, and a fireworks program for fearful dogs. Basic Obedience Foundation is listed on their site as $650 for six one hour sessions, the puppy package as $350 and the CGC test as $25. The site also lists a discount for dogs adopted from a rescue. Ask which program fits your dog's problem and what tools the plan uses.

Prairie Dog is a Fargo facility that offers daycare, boarding and grooming along with training. Its programs run as day training: you drop your dog off in the morning and pick it up in the afternoon, and each program includes private go home lessons. Every new client starts with an evaluation, listed on their site as $20. The Puppy Program is for dogs 3 to 6 months old and is listed at $500 for five days. The On Leash Program is listed at $1,300 for 13 days and covers sit, down, heel, place and come. Graduates can go on to an Off Leash Program that introduces the electronic collar, and the On Leash Program includes a pinch collar. Private lessons are listed at $90 an hour, and On Leash graduates can join a CGC class. Trainer Sydney calls herself a balanced trainer, holds an animal science degree from NDSU and belongs to the IACP. The site says these programs aren't for severe aggression or anxiety.

Red River North Dog Obedience Club is a nonprofit, AKC licensed club founded in 1999 that teaches classes for residents of the Fargo Moorhead communities at its training center in Fargo. It trains purebred and mixed breed dogs and describes its methods as positive, motivational training and reinforcement. Puppy Kindergarten follows the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy program and covers sit, wait, down, stay and come, plus housetraining tips for owners. An Advanced Puppy class follows. Obedience runs from Beginning Obedience through Advanced Beginners, Novice and Competitive Open and Utility classes for dogs working toward AKC titles. The club also teaches rally, agility and scent work and holds CGC tests from time to time. Classes run in seven to eight week sessions, and you reserve a spot by email or phone. Fees aren't on the pages we opened, so ask when you register. Bring proof of vaccinations for a puppy class.

Sheyenne River Kennels in West Fargo says it has trained and boarded dogs since 2004, and it describes itself as veteran and family owned. Free consultations are offered. Board and train keeps your dog Monday through Friday, with a private family lesson at the end of each week. The three week program is listed on their site at $2,250, the four week program adds recall at $3,000, and a five to eight week behavioral program for aggression or severe resource guarding is listed at $3,750 to $5,800. The kits include a prong collar, and the four week and behavioral programs add an electronic collar. Level 1 and Level 2 obedience classes and a scent work class are each listed at $300 for six weeks, and Level 2 prepares dogs for the AKC CGC test, which trainer Kati Thom gives. Private lessons happen at home or at the facility. The kennel also has water and land treadmills for fitness.

Smart K9 Training runs a training center in south Fargo, and its site says training ranges from basic puppy work to advanced off leash, competition style training. The site lists a long set of problems it works on, including leash reactivity, dog on dog aggression, separation anxiety, severe fear, toy guarding, fence fighting, counter surfing and mouthing. Our directory lists day training, board and train, private lessons and online training. The site itself doesn't list those formats as services, though one client story there mentions a two week board and train and boarding at the facility, so confirm which formats are open when you call. Emilee is the trainer named in the site's client stories. The facility is closed to the public for the safety of the dogs in rehabilitation there, so plan to set up an appointment before you visit. The site mentions a discount for heroes and shelter dogs but doesn't list prices or name the methods or tools used, so ask about both on your first call.