Best Dog Trainers in and Near Fort Collins, CO

Susan Miley runs S. Miley Dog Training and Rehabilitation out of Bellvue and works with dogs across Fort Collins and the Northern Colorado Front Range. Her main offer is the Front Range Staycation, an 8 week program held at your home. She also runs a separate puppy program. Her site describes her approach as balanced training for any dog and any breed, and our listing names rehabilitation and obedience among her specialties. Susan says she builds each program around the dog and owner instead of using one fixed plan, and that she keeps coaching owners for the life of the dog. She is a professional member of the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP). Sessions are booked by appointment.

Joanne Thompson runs The Balanced Dog, which our listing places in Bellvue and her site places in Fort Collins, serving Northern Colorado and nearby areas. Our listing shows her as a Certified Instructor with the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors (NADOI). Her board and train program keeps a dog in her home for two to three weeks to build good manners and a calmer attitude. Private lessons happen at your home, and each package level pairs one lesson in person with one to three follow up video calls. Her site says private lessons are offered case by case and are not meant for reactive dogs or dogs with behavior problems. Group obedience classes cover sit, down, stay, come, leave it and loose leash walking, and owners bring treats, a 6 foot leash, a mat and toys. Virtual lessons and vacation boarding also appear on her site.

Bark Busters Northern Colorado is the local office of the Bark Busters franchise, listed in Berthoud, with Holly Larson named as owner and Scott Marcotte as a second trainer. Lessons start at your home, and then the trainers take your dog outside to practice around real neighborhood distractions. The first lesson runs about two to three hours. Their page lists aggression, barking, separation anxiety, leash pulling, jumping and housebreaking among the problems they handle, along with puppy training. The company calls its method "Speaking Dog," built on how dogs communicate, and says it doesn't use shock collars, prong collars, clickers or treats. Clients get phone support for the life of the dog at no added cost. The page names Berthoud, Fort Collins, Laporte, Loveland, Timnath, Wellington and Windsor as service areas.

Sheri Gintner runs Good Dog Behavior Training in Fort Collins and serves Loveland as well. She is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer and a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC). She also holds an MS, and her site notes a background in psychology. Good Dog uses only positive techniques, with toys and food as rewards and no punishment. Private lessons take place at your home so the whole family can join, which her site suggests for dogs that act up mainly at home or for owners getting ready for a group class. Group puppy classes run in sessions, with dates posted through April 2027. Her Out on the Town sessions practice manners in public places around town. Lessons cover household manners and AKC Canine Good Citizen skills, and her site also mentions reliable responses on hikes.

The Dog Wizard Fort Collins is a local office of The Dog Wizard franchise, with Romario Romain listed as owner and head trainer and five more staff named on its page. Programs include day training, private lessons, group classes, board and train and puppy programs, along with AKC and Canine Good Citizen training. On the behavior side, the page lists resource guarding, dog aggression, separation anxiety, rescue dog training and socialization. The site describes its methods as balanced and says trainers pick tools for each dog and owner, from food rewards to remote collars. Every client starts with a free evaluation. Training programs are listed on their site as starting at $250. Visits are by appointment, and the page also names Johnstown, Loveland, Timnath and Windsor as service areas.

Canine Companion Consulting is a Fort Collins team run by Beth and Wayne, a married couple who have trained dogs since 2007. Beth is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant through the IAABC and a Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer (CSAT). She also holds Elite Fear Free certification and a graduate degree in behavior, and Wayne has a graduate degree in education. Group classes are capped at six dogs unless a class says otherwise. Private training happens at their training studio or at another spot that suits your dog. Separation anxiety support happens at your home, and remote sessions give live coaching to owners outside the area. Their site lists fear, handling problems, leash pulling and aggression among the issues they work on, plus leash reactivity help and a support group. They describe their methods as positive and research based.

The Canine Learning Center is a Fort Collins training school that opened in January 1993 and is now owned by Brad and Kathryn Ray. Classes are organized by discipline, and our listing shows puppy, obedience, rally, conformation, nose work, Canine Good Citizen and reactive dog classes. Each class meets on the same day and time every week for the number of weeks posted on the schedule. Sarah King, PhD, leads its odor detection curriculum. The school uses treats and toys as positive reinforcement in its classes and shows a NADOI seal on its site. Several trainers who teach there also run their own businesses, including Dr. King's Brenin Behavior for private behavior consulting.

Ashley, B.S., runs this Fort Collins behavior and training practice, which was formerly known as Complete K-9. She holds the Certified Behavior Consultant Canine credential (CBCC-KA), and her site says she has more than 30 years of professional experience. Her main service is individual behavior consulting, which starts with an initial consultation. She also runs the Unraveling Reactivity Hybrid Program for reactive dogs and a program called The Behavior Lab. In person consults cover Northern Colorado and southeast Wyoming, and virtual consults are open nationwide. Her site says her work rests on humane, evidence based practices and does not use punishment or aversive tools. Each case starts with finding the cause of the behavior, and her coaching continues after the plan is set.

K9 Shrink is the Fort Collins business of Dr. Gail Clark, who calls herself a K9 behavioral psychologist and dog trainer. Her site says she has trained dogs since 1978. She offers behavioral counseling for problem behavior and private lessons, and she also trains dogs at their homes. Group classes run from beginner to advanced, including off leash work, and practice classes let dogs work around other dogs and people. Show training covers rally and obedience, from Novice through Utility. Conformation coaching for breed champions is offered too. She describes her program as balanced, with no fear and no force, and her site stresses positive reward reinforcement. The site lists Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor, Wellington and Cheyenne, Wyoming as her service area.

Summit Dog Training teaches group classes and private lessons in Fort Collins, and its virtual lessons reach owners anywhere. The class ladder starts with puppy classes for ages 9 weeks to 6 months, then moves to Level 1 for dogs 6 months and older, Level 2 Colorado Life Skills and advanced Levels 3 and 4. Reactive dog classes and elective specialty classes are also on the schedule. Adventure Camp is daytime drop off training with the staff, open to puppies 9 weeks to 6 months and to dogs 5 months and older. The site describes its methods as positive and science backed, and it lists working with your vet and groomer among its values. New clients can book a free discovery call, or a virtual assessment with a trainer for urgent problems. Its guarantee asks clients who attended every class or lesson to email within 14 days of finishing if they're unhappy, and Summit then offers remedies, with a refund for that service if none works.

Mountain State K9 Academy in Greeley offers dog training alongside boarding and day camp, and its site names Greeley, Windsor, Severance and the rest of Northern Colorado as its area. Training programs on the site cover behavior modification, basic obedience, puppy training and the AKC Canine Good Citizen test. Every program starts with a free consultation to look at your dog's behavior and needs, and then the team builds a plan for that dog. Owners get regular progress updates during training and a handler session at graduation. The site says the goal is to train the dog and teach the owner. It does not describe specific tools or methods, so ask about them on your first call.

Jordan Flagg runs Bright Eyed Canine in Greeley and is listed as a Pet Professional Guild member. Jordan holds the Certificate in Training and Counseling (CTC) from the Academy for Dog Trainers, and the site notes more than 8 years of work with dogs. Private consultations follow a custom plan and take place at your home, at the trainer's home or at a spot you agree on. Training Quests work differently: the trainer picks up your dog, trains for 45 minutes at a suitable spot, brings your dog home and sends you video plus a report card. Virtual consults are open anywhere in the US, and current clients can text questions during set office hours. In person work stays around Greeley, with a travel fee past 10 miles. A free 15 minute intro call is the suggested first step.

Blythe Bouchard runs Delta Tails in Greeley and coaches handlers who train their own service dogs. Her site focuses on scent tasks such as medical alert and allergen detection. She works with clients one to one in Greeley or over Zoom. Her online programs cover service dog training from anywhere and scent detection from start to finish, with weekly video feedback. Our listing also shows behavior consulting, with separation anxiety, aggression and reactivity among her specialties. Her listed credentials include the PCBC-A, CDBC, CSAT and CNWI, and her site shows an IAABC logo. She uses only positive reinforcement and says she takes a pain first approach to any behavior change, looking at subtle shifts in gait and movement.

Beyond Elevation K9 is a Loveland dog sports and training center that serves Loveland and Fort Collins and teaches online students too. Group classes have four or more dogs working with their owners, and drop in classes and private lessons are also offered. Sports on its site include agility, flyball, treibball, nose work, rally and obedience, along with manners and behavior classes. The center hosts trials and fun matches, and it provides trial secretary services for events. Online students follow along through a homework portal. The site describes its training as reward based and play based, with a focus on the bond between dog and handler. It also says the trainers teach owners to understand and guide their own dogs.

Mandy Crist runs City of Tails in Loveland and is listed as a registered veterinary technician (RVT) and a Pet Professional Guild member. Our listing shows both private and group training. Puppy Academy gives young puppies a foundation, and the site points to the socialization window of roughly 3 to 15 weeks of age. The Patience and Play Teen Program is for adolescent dogs with teenage energy and trouble with distractions. Kids and Their Dogs puts children in the trainer's role for their own dog. Play sessions are kept small and watched, and staff step in when a dog gets overwhelmed. Her methods are positive and reward based, and classes can be booked online.

Sit Means Sit Fort Collins/Loveland is a local office of the Sit Means Sit franchise. Our listing places it in Windsor, and its site names Fort Collins, Loveland and nearby Northern Colorado towns as its area. Owner Conner Willyard started in dog training 13 years ago and later worked as a law enforcement canine handler, and Justin, also listed as an owner, competes in flyball. Programs include the Jumpstart Puppy Program and two day training packages, Well Mannered Dog and Super Dog, which mix day training sessions with private lessons. The Immersion Board and Train runs 5, 10 or 15 days, with boarding at K9 Corral. Packages include a remote electronic collar, which the company calls the Sit Means Sit Collar. A 15 foot leash and a place board come with them, along with monthly refresher lessons. The site lists obedience, off leash control, aggression and anxiety among its focus areas, and it offers a free consultation and evaluation.