Best Dog Trainers in and Near Lowell, MA

Auntie Dog Training Studio is a studio on Route 38 in Tewksbury with shock absorbing floors, and it's close to routes 495 and 93. Puppies can start in the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy program, and older dogs move into group obedience classes. Rally runs as drop in classes. Private lessons and behavior modification are offered for more focused help, and the studio lists a Training Camp and a Day Academy. It also holds therapy dog workshops. You can ask for a free evaluation and demonstration before signing up.

Candace Dryden runs Creature Connections Behavior Alliance in Billerica, and her service area names Lowell and Chelmsford. Our records and her site list her as a CPDT-KA and IAABC-ADT, and she describes a force free, fear free approach backed by science. Private lessons cover resource guarding and leash or fear reactivity. Group classes include manners, reactive dog work, nose work and rally. Puppies under 16 weeks can join socialization sessions, Train & Play is her day training option, and she teaches online lessons too.

Naked Dog Training in Methuen is owned by John Whittaker, and its site says aggression and reactivity are the main focus. The plan starts by controlling the reactive behavior, then works on how the dog feels about its triggers. Board & Train serves owners across Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and Day School takes local dogs from towns like Dracut and Andover. Obedience programs include an off leash course and PupStart for puppies. The site calls its method balanced training and offers a free in person evaluation.

BlueDog trains dogs from Andover and North Andover at its academy in Lawrence. Kimberly and Chris Palermo founded it in 2008. Group students can take unlimited classes and move up a level each time their dog graduates, ending with the AKC Canine Good Citizen title. Private sessions can cover behavior problems or a new puppy, and puppies can join supervised socialization sessions. Advanced classes follow the Control Unleashed program. BlueDog calls its training positive and science based, and its trainers don't use corrective training aids.

UnCommon Canine Academy is a home based training business in Haverhill that serves the Merrimack Valley. Founder Bobbi-Jo trains dogs in a house with a fenced yard and a resident dog pack. Stay & Learn combines boarding with daily training in structure and manners. Private lessons work on leash manners and reactivity while you learn alongside your dog, and Day Camp covers your workday. Every program starts with a meet and greet. The site quotes each job by service, number of dogs and length of stay.

This Methuen pet resort has operated since 1952 and runs a training program alongside its boarding and daycare. Obedience classes come in beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. Private lessons and bootcamp day programs are offered too. Board and train has a foundational track, an off leash obedience track and a behavior modification track. The site describes a balanced, personalized approach for all breeds. One case on the site describes long line work for distance recall. A free evaluation is the first step.

Dog Talk is a training and coaching business in Pelham, New Hampshire. Its site says it follows the APDT approach called LIMA, short for least invasive, minimally aversive, and uses gentle training with life rewards. You can book private training or behavior coaching, and Zoom coaching works if you'd rather stay home. Level 1 covers manners and socialization for puppies and adult dogs, and Level 3 adds off leash work and non competitive dog sports. Dog Talk also holds Pet Partners therapy team evaluations in Pelham.

Gemini Dogs in Littleton was established in 1991 and is owned by Mich Allen. Group classes cover puppies, obedience and dog sports, and private training is offered too. Gemini Dogs University is the day training program, pitched as an option instead of board and train because your dog sleeps at home on nights and weekends. The site says its training methods are based on proven scientific theory. Gemini also runs daycare and boarding, and it hosts flyball tournaments and dog sport trials.

Riverside Canine Center is in Nashua and lists Hudson, Pelham and northern Massachusetts among the areas it serves. Pet obedience classes are pitched as obedience for real life, and the site asks if you'd like your dog to become a canine good citizen. Agility classes run here, and the center holds agility trials and seminars through the year. A reactive dog group class is listed too. Joan is the instructor named on the site. The center also offers daycare five days a week and rents out its ring.

Hudson K-9 Training Center has two Nashua locations and trains dogs of all breeds and ages in obedience and behavior modification. It runs a Basic Obedience Class, and Boot Camp is a day program of one on one training, exercise and play. Boot Camp needs your dog to have taken or be enrolled in the basic class. Board and train runs three to four weeks, and the center offers Canine Good Citizen certification. It's open Monday to Friday and closed on weekends.

Granite State Dog Training Center in Amherst caps group classes at eleven dog and handler teams. Puppy Development runs five weeks and takes puppies from 12 weeks with their third set of shots. Basic Obedience runs six weeks from 5 months, followed by Intermediate and an eight week Advanced class. A CGC class ends with the AKC test. Training director Jim does behavior evaluations, and the in kennel board and train program has a one week minimum. The center describes relationship based training and teaches pack theory.

Wolf Pack Canine is in Salem, New Hampshire, and runs dog training next to its daycare, boarding, dog walking and cat care. Its site links a two week board and train program. The site says its training uses the principles of operant conditioning and lays out all four quadrants, including positive punishment, so ask on your first call which ones your dog's plan would use. A free consultation is the starting point. Hours run Monday through Saturday, which helps if you can only get to Salem on a weekend.

K9's Training and Doggy Daycare in Plaistow, New Hampshire, has worked with dogs since 2015. Training covers basic and advanced obedience, puppy socialization and behavior modification for aggression and reactivity. Specialty work includes off leash and e-collar training, service dog and sport training, and programs for high drive working dogs. The site lists board and train, K9 Day Camp and classes. It also helps animal control and police departments and writes court evaluations for dogs labeled dangerous. New clients start with a free evaluation.

Francine Coughlin runs Bark n' Roll in North Reading, and her site says she teaches with rewards, not punishment. AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy is for dogs under a year, and band practices run from beginner up to advanced and CGC levels. Other classes include AKC Novice Tricks, Rock Your Walk leash courses and Rockin' Reliable Recall. Teeny Boppers puppy play groups let young dogs meet others. Credentials listed include CPDT-KA and IAABC certification. Bark n' Roll also offers daycare and boarding, with a discount for veterans.

Tara Altgilbers runs Sit, Stay & Obey Dog Training in Rowley, and her service area reaches inland to Haverhill, North Andover and Methuen. Her site says she has more than 20 years of experience, a degree in animal science and long experience as a veterinary technician. She lists certification through the CCPDT and APDT membership. Private sessions in your home work on problems like leash pulling and crate training, plus CGC prep. Group classes cover puppies, adult dogs and specialty topics, using positive plans with clear steps.

Fit-N-Trim Dog Training in Rowley runs a long class menu built around having fun with your dog. Manners classes start with Puppy Kindergarten and Basic Manners and move up to Rally Obedience. The agility track runs from beginner classes up to competition agility. Reactive dogs get their own group class, plus agility and scent work classes made for reactive dogs. Specialty classes cover Canine Good Citizen, recall and leash walking, Control Unleashed and tricks. The school also holds seminars and scent work trials.

Runchkin Hill Farm and Kennel in West Newbury is led by head trainer Robin Desmond, and the site cites more than 40 years of experience. Board and train stays run two to four weeks and end with a private session before your dog goes home. Day school is a drop off program, and group classes focus on off leash control. Private sessions can be at the farm or your location. The kennel also trains protection, police, scent detection and service dogs. Group classes are listed on their site as $60 per class.

The Happy K-9 in Danvers offers training and rehabilitation for puppies and for dogs with behavior problems. Its site points out that many dogs can sit and down on cue and still react to other dogs or people, and it treats that as a mindset and arousal issue rather than an obedience gap. Training centers on the bond between you and your dog. The site lists board and train, a Shadow Program and daycare, with few details on each. Logos on the site include the IACP and an e-collar credential.

Dog Coach is a small team of trainers serving the North Shore, and the site says it has more than 14 years of experience. Programs include Puppy Training, Foundation Training, Remote Collar Training and Advanced Training, and the site mentions a virtual option. The approach is leadership based and centers on the whole household, with trainers coaching you step by step. Balanced tools may be used when appropriate, and each one is explained before it's introduced. Dog Coach is an IACP member, and every client starts with an assessment and consultation.

Bark Busters Boston North is the local branch of an in home training franchise founded in 1989, and Kayla Corey is the trainer named on its page. She comes to your home for one on one sessions, then works with you in your neighborhood around real distractions. Problems listed include leash pulling, separation anxiety, biting and reactivity, plus puppy and potty training. The page says the method doesn't use shock collars or punishment. Andover and Methuen are among the towns in its service area.

New England Canine in Middleton offers training by appointment only, alongside daycare and grooming. Its site says the training covers all aspects of K9 work, from obedience to protection, and it links to an AKC Canine Good Citizen program. The company says its trainers teach both owners and their dogs, so expect to be part of the lessons. Our records list puppy, obedience and behavior modification programs too. The site doesn't describe its methods or tools, so make that your first question.

New England Dog Training Club holds its classes at Cambridge Friends School. Puppies start in Puppy Kindergarten, and new adult students begin in the Beginner Steps Program, which runs from Step 1 to Step 4. From there, dogs can move into indoor obedience and sports and then into Intro to Competition. Skills taught include carrying a dumbbell over a jump. Our records list the club as a host of rally, obedience and scent work trials. Cambridge sits at the far edge of this area.

One Mission Dog Training is based in Boston and lists Lowell and Chelmsford in its service area. Its main program, Obedience 360, pairs nine in home visits with 16 group sessions and an app where you can watch video lessons and upload clips for a trainer to answer. The plan asks for about 20 minutes of practice a day. Service dog training includes psychiatric and autism support dogs, and therapy dog training prepares dogs for hospital and school visits. A free assessment comes first.

Zoya Pride runs Pawesome Tails in Harvard and works with dogs in Harvard and the towns around it. Our records list her services as private training and behavior consulting, with a focus on separation anxiety, aggression and reactivity. Her site points to positive reinforcement training and shows APDT and IAABC member logos. She pairs dog training with coaching for the owner. Pawesome Tails also offers adventure hikes and pet taxi rides. The site doesn't list prices or a session format, so ask about both.

Bridget Desroches is a private dog trainer in Groton. She doesn't have a website in our records, so this profile comes from her listing. Our records list her credentials as KPA and CPDT-KA. KPA refers to the Karen Pryor Academy, a program the AVSAB names as a source of humane trainer education. The CPDT-KA comes from the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. Her listing shows private training as her service, so ask on a first call where sessions happen and what her rates are.