Best Dog Trainers in and Near Knoxville, TN

Bark Busters Knoxville is the local office of a national in home training company, and our database lists it in Alcoa. Lessons start in your own home, and trainer Connie Pinkerton later moves the work outside around real distractions. The site says Connie has more than 10 years of training experience and over 13 years of shelter volunteering. The method relies on voice, body language and timing, and the site states the team doesn't use shock collars. Its problem list covers leash pulling, jumping, nipping, barking, resource guarding, separation anxiety and reactivity, for puppies and older dogs alike. The service area named on the site runs from Clinton and Oak Ridge down to Maryville, Lenoir City and Walland. Bark Busters offers what it calls a Life of Dog Support guarantee, with ongoing help at no extra cost.

Alana Stevenson runs Animal Behavior Services, and her site offers dog behavior consults both in person and by video. She works with fear aggression and leash reactivity, plus separation anxiety, and the site says she uses only humane methods. Her listed background includes a Master of Science in Biology Education, Low Stress Handling certification and Elite Fear Free certification, along with more than 20 years of experience. The site also lists private dog training and dog training classes, though it doesn't give details on either one. Video consults can be booked across time zones, which helps if you want a first session without a drive. Her site doesn't name a home base, so ask where in person sessions happen.

Appalachian K9 Training Center has trained dogs in Knoxville since the early 2000s; its site gives both 2000 and 2001 as the start. Founder Sandy Pope began competing in dog sports in 1995, and trainer Corrie Nicoll trains under her. The site lists a Tuesday evening group class open to all breeds, ages and skill levels, listed on their site as $20 per class. Private lessons cover potty training, biting, jumping and obedience and are listed at $125 an hour. The two week board and train is listed at $1,800 with boarding included, and shorter stays are priced by the day. Daycare and boarding are also offered.

Balanced Paws K9 Training works from West Knoxville near Farragut. Founder and owner Lincoln DeSouza lists the credential CCTBS on the site. Group classes meet on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings, and private training is set up on call. The service menu also names boot camp, electronic collar training, AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluations, pet sitting and rescue dog rehabilitation. The site describes a calm but assertive style that looks at the whole dog and its needs, beyond the problem behavior alone. It also says the team will come to your home if phone support doesn't solve an issue. Prices aren't posted on the site.

Calibrated K9 has trained dogs around Knoxville since 2016, and the trainer named on the site is Ben. Adult dogs go through board and train programs that cover manners, practical obedience and impulse control, with both on leash and off leash work. Owners get take home lessons at the end of each week. The Puppy Imprinting program takes puppies at about 4 months, once their shots are done, and the site also talks about the teenage stretch around 10 months. Beyond pet obedience, Calibrated K9 lists service dog training, protection work, scent detection and search and rescue. The site offers a free evaluation and was booking into fall 2026 when we checked.

Sit Means Sit Knoxville is run by owner and head trainer Jessica Henderson, with trainers Ami Insley and Patrick Mugridge on the team. The program is built on the company's own remote training collar, which the site says is meant to be phased out over time in stages. Options include a 5 to 20 day board and train, a day stay program where your dog goes home each night, private lessons, group lessons and puppy classes. The team covers a wide area, including Knox, Blount, Loudon, Anderson and Sevier counties. Pricing is set after a free demonstration, which the site says comes with no cost or obligation.

Knoxville K9 Academy opened in 2024, and owner Tommy Blackburn is the head trainer. All training is private and one on one. The Bachelor of Obedience and Master of Obedience programs meet for an hour once a week, and the K thru 9 Puppy School meets for 30 minutes a week. Once a month the academy holds boot camp weekends for reactive or aggressive dogs. The site describes a balanced approach that mixes positive reinforcement with corrections and puts weight on teaching the owner. A free consultation comes first. Prices aren't listed.

Off Leash K9 Training of Knoxville is part of a national company, and the site names Nick White as founder along with local trainers Morgan, Sandra and Kinzie. The two week board and train is listed on their site as $2,900, and owners get photo and video updates during the stay plus a hand off lesson at pickup. Private obedience is listed at $650 for four weekly sessions. There's also puppy training for pups 8 weeks and up, an aggression program, and service and therapy dog work. Obedience programs include an electronic collar, which the site says is used at the lowest effective level. Some prices on the site don't match, so confirm yours. The site gives both a 20 mile in home radius and a 50 mile service area, so ask about your address.

The Bark Knoxville is an indoor and outdoor dog park with daycare, boarding, grooming and a beer garden, and it offers training on site and in your home. The class calendar showed a Saturday morning Puppy Socialization group class through November. Our database also notes a six week basic obedience group class. Monthly and annual members get 10% off training and free dog education seminars. The site doesn't name trainers or post training prices, so ask who teaches before you sign up.

The Dog Stop Knoxville is mainly a boarding, daycare and grooming location, and training appears in the company's service menu. The Knoxville page introduces two trainers. Gianna holds the CPDT-KA credential and says she focuses on science based, positive reinforcement training for dogs of all ages and backgrounds. Rob spent nearly three decades raising guide dog puppies for The Seeing Eye and completed a training certification through Animal Behavior College. He also uses positive reinforcement to help owners with behavior problems. The local page doesn't spell out which classes or private sessions run at this location, so call and ask what's on the schedule.

The Dog Wizard Knoxville is a franchise location led by owner and head trainer Jen Belle. Head trainer Jamie Dukovac focuses on aggression and hard cases, and trainer Jaiden Matuszewski works with reactive and anxious dogs, including high energy ones. Programs include day training, private lessons, group classes, board and train, puppy programs, AKC training and therapy dog prep, with in home or mobile options. The site describes balanced training where you choose the tools you're comfortable with, such as food rewards, regular collars or remote collars. Training programs are listed on their site as starting at $250 after a free evaluation, and graduates get ongoing group training sessions. The team names Farragut, Fountain City, Maryville, Oak Ridge and Lenoir City among its areas.

Wendy's Canine Training calls itself Knoxville's longest standing dog trainer, and the site says its team has over 40 years of experience. Classes run at its own building in West Knoxville. Puppy class takes pups from about 10 weeks to 6 months, and beginner obedience takes dogs 6 months and up. Both run six weeks and are listed on their site at $245. There's also an AKC Canine Good Citizen class, a four week trick class, and private lessons in your home sold in a bundle of three. Therapy dog training is taught by Cheryl Massey, who has two certified therapy dogs, and the Alliance of Therapy Dogs lists her and her dog Cosmo as a team. The site shows two different CGC prices, so confirm before you enroll.

Zoom Room Knoxville is an indoor dog training gym in Hardin Valley, and the site says it serves owners from Farragut to Powell. Classes cover puppy training, obedience, agility, socialization, tricks and scent work. The site says it uses positive reinforcement only, and orientation includes clicker basics. You stay with your dog in every class, since there are no drop offs. You can start with a free 30 minute orientation without your dog or a 30 minute one on one evaluation with your dog. Playgroups and open gym time are also on offer.

MLK9 is based in Maryville and has offered professional dog training since 2011, according to its site. Board and train stays focus on obedience and manners, and day training has your dog work with a trainer during scheduled sessions. The site also lists puppy programs, group classes and behavior modification for aggression, reactivity, fear and serious control problems. Boarding is supervised by trainers. MLK9 now has teams in several other states, and the Maryville location serves the Knoxville area. The site doesn't name its trainers or methods, and prices vary by location, so ask which trainer and tools you'll get.

Paws & Applause in Maryville is led by head trainer David Van Fleet, a NePoPo graduate, AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator, AKC Temperament Test evaluator and IACP professional member. The site describes NePoPo as a balanced method that pairs corrections with rewards. Board and train runs 2 to 6 weeks and is listed on their site as starting at $1,800, with weekly photo and video updates, a hand off session and ongoing support. Aggressive and reactive dogs start with a paid one hour evaluation. The team also includes trainers Davis Mullins and Lizzy plus an apprentice, and David's listed specialties include tracking and personal protection. Boarding and daycare are offered as well.

Oak Ridge Kennel Club is a club with volunteer instructors and a long class list in Oak Ridge. Puppy One takes pups from three months to 20 weeks, and an AKC STAR Puppy class follows for older pups. Beginner Obedience covers sit, down, stay, come and leash walking for dogs 6 months and up. From there you can move into rally, competition obedience, agility, scent work, tracking or conformation handling. The club's fee page lists a member rate and a non member rate for each session, so you don't have to join to enroll. Because instructors are volunteers, the club can't take dogs with a bite history or behavior problems, and dogs in heat must stay home.

The Canine Clubhaus in Powell is run by Manuela, a certified trainer who has worked with dogs in Germany, California, North Carolina, Mexico and East Tennessee. Training is positive reinforcement only, with no shock collars or punishment, and it uses clicker work and verbal cues. Sessions run 60 minutes at the Powell facility, in your home, at a Knoxville park or online. Packages are listed on their site from $199 for two facility sessions up to $899 for the puppy package, which mixes sessions in several settings and ends with the AKC STAR Puppy test. The AKC Canine Good Citizen package is listed at $650 for dogs 6 months and older.

Rocky Top K9 Dog Training is in Sevierville and says it has served local families for over 9 years, with over 30 years of dog training experience. The team on the site includes Sandra Sudduth, Scottie Greene, Emma Gyebison and Karrie Green. Services include private lessons, board and train, day camp and AKC programs. The site says no single method fits every dog, and the trainers coach owners so the work continues at home. It also links to a remote collar maker among its partners. Free evaluations are offered, and dog baths are listed on their site from $35 to $60. It's the only Sevierville trainer in this guide, which helps if you live near Pigeon Forge.

Marilyn Mele in Seymour works with owners of sensitive and anxious dogs, and her site calls her a mentor and coach for caregivers of traumatized dogs. Her main offer is a self paced online workshop, Awaken Your Dog's Courageous Heart, which runs seven days and is listed on her site at $77. Her R.O.O.T. System stands for Rest, Organic Movement, Orderly Patterns and Trust, and the site describes it as a trauma informed approach that moves gradually. Our database lists her as a Pet Professional Guild member with the FDM credential and notes group training and behavior consulting for aggression and reactivity, though the site focuses on the online program. Ask what local options she offers.