Best Dog Trainers in and Near Irvine, CA

Bark Busters South Orange County trains dogs one to one in your home, then takes the work outside around real neighborhood distractions. Joshua Furchess is the trainer named on the site, which says he has worked with dogs since age 6. The territory covers South County, including Irvine, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Ladera Ranch and San Clemente. The site lists help with aggression, barking, jumping, leash pulling, separation anxiety and new baby preparation, plus puppy training. Bark Busters says its methods are natural and dog friendly, without bribes or punishment. Its Life of Dog Support Guarantee offers ongoing phone support for your dog's life at no added cost. No prices are posted.

Bark Busters East Orange County covers central and north county cities, including Irvine, Tustin, Santa Ana, Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach and Anaheim. Johnny Jumper is the trainer, and his bio says he is certified through Bark Busters with more than six years of professional experience. He trains in your home, in public spaces and virtually. His page covers aggression, housebreaking, leash reactivity, separation anxiety and new baby preparation, along with puppy training and the Stand Rite No Bite dog safety program. Training centers on body language and calm leadership, and the site says it uses only humane methods. The Life of Dog Support Guarantee adds ongoing support at no extra cost. No prices are listed.

PupHub Dog Training is run by Brandi Wade, who holds the CPDT-KA credential and is a Pet Professional Guild member, according to her profile. The website lists its base in Santa Ana and serves Orange County. You can choose owner coaching, where you take part in every session, or day training, where Brandi works your dog and then coaches you. Highly reactive dogs with a bite history start with virtual sessions and move to in person work when ready. The site lists help with aggression, reactivity toward other dogs on walks, anxiety and leash pulling, plus puppy training and basic obedience. It says it uses positive reinforcement and force free methods only. Training is sold in packages, and payment plans are available.

This Bark Busters territory is listed in Bellflower and reaches across southeast Los Angeles County, including Long Beach, Downey, Norwalk and Whittier, as well as Venice and Marina Del Rey. Carrie and Pascha Jordan are the trainers. Training happens in your home and around real distractions in your neighborhood, and covers obedience, puppy training and behavior problems such as aggression, biting, leash pulling and separation anxiety. The page states that it uses no shock collars, prong collars or aversive methods. A lifetime support guarantee comes with every training package, and a free phone consultation is offered. This is the farthest pick from Irvine, so it fits owners near the county line.

Dogs Etc. in Brea says it has worked with dogs since 1997. The class list is long: STAR Puppy, Urban K9, AKC Canine Good Citizen, Just 4 Fun Agility, Calm Walking Club, Reactivity Rehab Group Class and Therapy Dog Prep, plus the ZEN Dog Club and ZEN Puppy Academy programs. Private coaching and behavior consulting cover separation anxiety, leash reactivity, destructive behavior and fears. Cindy is the trainer featured on the site. Its training is described as positive, reward based and grounded in science, and the site says it avoids punishment and force. It also puts weight on helping you understand why your dog acts the way it does. You can book a free phone consultation. No prices are listed.

OC Canine Coaching is run by Bryndon Golya, who holds the IAABC Certified Dog Behavior Consultant credential and says he started the business in 2010. Private coaching is the most popular option, with weekly sessions at your home or another location. Day training sends the trainer to your dog two to five times a week. Virtual coaching works anywhere in the US and is the lowest cost option, the site says. The FAQ says Bryndon works with fearful and aggressive dogs, including dogs with a bite history. Training is reward based, and the site states that no program uses shock, choke or prong collars. In person coaching covers Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Santa Ana and Lake Forest.

Sit Means Sit Orange County is based in Huntington Beach and lists 31 cities it serves, including Costa Mesa and Newport Beach. Ashton and Bryan are the trainers profiled on the site, and both started with the company in June 2019. Programs include private lessons, puppy management, obedience and board and train, where your dog stays at the facility and trains daily. Group training is included for the first year after you enroll in a core program. The site lists behavior work for aggression, fear, reactivity and off leash control. Sit Means Sit uses its own remote electronic collar, which the company describes as an adjustable tap paired with a reward. Prices are quoted after a free evaluation.

Surf City Flyball is a dog sport team that teaches flyball to owners and their dogs. The club says it formed in December 2008 and describes flyball as a fast relay race between two teams of dogs that mixes obedience and agility skills. Classes meet Saturdays at 9am at Huntington Beach Central Park, where the team also practices most Saturday mornings. The team competes at tournaments in California and nearby states and hosted a TUG tournament in 2026. The home page doesn't say who can join classes or what they cost, so check the sign up page first. It suits a dog with basic manners that loves to run and fetch, if you want a weekly activity together.

Manners for Mutts is an Irvine trainer that describes its work as positive dog training with gentle, fun methods backed by science. Staci is the trainer named on the site, and the business says it has more than 20 years of experience. Its trainers are described as Certified Professional Dog Trainers who take continuing education each year. Services include private training, online training and group classes for dogs and puppies. The site speaks to owners with a new puppy, a newly adopted dog or a rowdy dog causing chaos at home. No prices are posted, so ask for current rates when you reach out.

Just Love For Dogs is run by Wynsie Chan in Irvine. Her profile lists private training and behavior consulting, with a focus on separation anxiety, aggression and reactivity. Her credentials are listed as CSAT, SAPRO, VSA-CDT and aD-PDT, and she is a Pet Professional Guild member. That focus on separation anxiety makes her a good first call if your dog can't settle when left alone. Her website didn't show its services when we checked, so this summary comes from her AnimalTrainerPro profile. Ask on the first call whether she works in person or online, and what you'll need to practice at home between sessions.

Zoom Room Lakewood is an indoor dog training gym where you train alongside your dog, with no drop off. Core programs are puppy training, obedience and agility, and the site also lists scent work, tricks, playgroups and gym time for socialization. Private training and private gym sessions are mentioned in its policies. The site says it uses positive reinforcement only, and orientation covers clicker basics. You don't have to commit to a rigid six week course. A free 30 minute orientation without your dog is offered, and a 30 minute evaluation with your dog is listed at no charge. Dogs that need extra help in group classes are evaluated first.

Sit Means Sit Long Beach is owned by Lisa-Marie Bruce, who opened the location in 2022 and brings a background as a vet tech and zoo keeper. It serves Long Beach, Lakewood, Signal Hill, Lomita, South Gate and Bellflower. The Day Train program has you drop your dog off in the morning, and a trainer walks you through the day's progress at pick up. Day Train graduates get an invitation to lifetime group classes. Private lessons are set at a time and place you choose. The system uses the company's remote electronic collar as a tap paired with rewards, and the first teaching phase runs six to twelve weeks or more. Each program is priced after a consultation, and the first demonstration is free.

Zoom Room Long Beach is an indoor training gym with the motto that it trains the people who love their dogs, so you stay with your dog for every class. Programs include puppy training, with socialization suggested from as early as 8 weeks, obedience and agility. Scent work and tricks are listed too, and playgroups and gym time give dogs practice around other dogs and people. The site says training is positive reinforcement only, and orientations introduce clicker basics. Classes are booked ahead with no fixed six week course, and the gym is open every day. You can start with a free orientation on your own, then book an evaluation with your dog that the booking page lists at $0.

Sit Means Sit South Orange County is owned by Whitney Laseter and Chris Laseter, the training director, with Luana Pochmann listed as head trainer. It serves Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, Lake Forest, Ladera Ranch, Laguna Hills and San Clemente, and trainers can come to your home. Private lessons happen at home, in parks, on trails or in pet stores. Day Train has your dog train during the day and go home at night. Board and train runs 10 to 20 days, followed by private follow up at home. Group classes meet in local parks after an individual program, and a therapy dog program offers testing through K-9 Caring Angels. Trainers use the company's remote electronic collar.

Advanced Canine Theory in Newport Beach starts with a behavior evaluation that leads to a training plan for your dog. From there you can book private lessons for behavior problems or advanced obedience, or join a group class where dogs and owners train together. Basic Group Obedience is listed on their site as $35 per session, and a package of 14 private lessons is listed on their site as $1,190. The site describes its approach as balanced dog training. Client stories on the page mention reactive dogs and dogs that pull on walks. Training is by appointment only. The home page doesn't list trainer credentials, so ask who will work with your dog and what tools they use.

Wags & Wiggles in Rancho Santa Margarita is one of two training and daycare centers the company runs in Orange County, which it says it has served since 1999. The site describes its school as a large positive reinforcement and clicker training program. Puppy classes start as young as 8 weeks. Small group classes are led by certified trainers, and private lessons are offered one to one. Day school is listed, and the Boot Camp board and train program works with puppies and adult dogs. The center also offers seminars and an apprenticeship for people who want to become trainers. Training prices sit on a separate page of the site.

Michelle Howard is a Rancho Santa Margarita trainer who holds both the CPDT-KA and CBCC-KA credentials, and she is a Pet Professional Guild member, according to her profile. Her listing covers private training, group training and behavior consulting. The CCPDT says the CBCC-KA is its advanced credential for trainers who offer behavior modification, and it asks for at least 300 hours of behavior consulting on problems such as fear and aggression. That makes her a good call if your dog's problem goes past basic manners. No website is listed for her, so this summary comes from her AnimalTrainerPro profile. Ask where her group classes meet and what her sessions cost.

OC Dog Sports trains in a 3,500 square foot indoor facility in San Juan Capistrano that hosts private lessons and specialty group classes. It opened in 2025 as a satellite location of OC Dog Ranch. Group classes cover obedience, agility, scent work, rally, tricks, conformation, service dog and therapy dog training, along with workshops. Private lessons include standard training, Feisty Dog lessons and private scent work. The site says it handles puppy basics as well as fear, aggression and anxiety. The home page doesn't name a training method or list trainer credentials, so ask about both. Prices and schedules are in its online booking system, and discount packages are offered.

Calmer Canines is led by Kate, who has worked with dogs and their owners since 2007 and has been a Certified Professional Dog Trainer since 2014. She is also a licensed Family Paws Parent Educator and a Certified Family Dog Mediator. Family training helps expectant parents and families with children get dogs and kids living well together. Services also cover puppy setup, basic manners and help for reactive and fearful dogs, where Kate draws on BAT, Play Way, Control Unleashed and the L.E.G.S. Model. In person training covers Irvine, Tustin, Santa Ana, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach and Orange, and travel fees may apply. Zoom training works anywhere in the contiguous US.

Wags & Wiggles Tustin is the company's second Orange County training and daycare center, a short drive from Irvine. It runs the same positive reinforcement, clicker based school as the Rancho Santa Margarita center, with puppy classes from 8 weeks, small group classes with certified trainers and one to one private lessons. Day school lessons are offered too. Boot Camp, the company's most intensive program, is board and train for both puppies and adult dogs. Daycare is offered too, with a free first day. Free quotes are given for board and train, and training prices are on a separate page of the site.