Best Dog Trainers in Montana

Blue Creek Canine is Camilla McCullough's training business in Billings. She moved here from Denmark in 2007 and became a certified dog trainer in 2009. You can book private sessions or have her come to your home, and group classes meet at Bark Park on Monad Road. Puppy classes and play groups help new owners start well, and an online membership adds support between visits. Her methods are positive and built on learning through play. She is also a registered Family Paws presenter for homes with dogs and young children.

Billings K9 Coaching is a dog sports center on South 56th Street West run by trainer Pam Horner. Agility is the main draw, with classes for new teams and seasoned ones. A heated indoor swim spa lets dogs build water confidence in any season. Body awareness classes and an intro to dog sports class give new teams a place to start. The center also lists board and train and a day school. The site doesn't describe its training methods, so ask about them when you call.

Heart Mountain K9 has trained dogs in Billings since 2016. Its programs cover obedience and puppy training, and it also teaches protection work, from early bite development through sport, along with odor detection. Behavior modification is offered for reactivity and aggression. You can pick private lessons or monthly group classes. Board 'N' Train keeps your dog at the facility for daily work, and day training is a drop off option. The site describes its approach as modern reinforcement science paired with a balanced approach.

Elite K9 Life is Michael Rodriguez's training business in Billings. He has more than five years of experience and holds a State of Montana certification in kennel management and K9 training. He uses an electronic collar for off leash control, along with long lines. His site lists a two week board and train at $2,000 with three follow up sessions, and four owner sessions at $500. Training happens in your home or at his facility, and he also takes dogs out in public. He offers in home boarding too.

Sit Means Sit Bozeman is the Montana branch of the Sit Means Sit franchise, owned by Darin Shepherd in Bozeman. The same business runs a second location in Billings and lists service areas such as Helena and Livingston. Programs include private lessons and an immersion board and train, plus puppy management. Behavior modification covers aggressive and reactive dogs, and fearful dogs too. Programs take dogs of any age or temperament. The program pages don't describe training tools, so ask which ones the trainers use. Every new client starts with a free evaluation.

The Canny Canine has trained Bozeman dogs for more than a decade, and its lead trainer is a certified instructor who also competes. K9 nose work is the specialty, with classes and a calendar of trials and events. Obedience and canine etiquette classes cover everyday manners, and Canine Good Citizen classes help you prepare for that AKC test. Private lessons are available for dogs with behavior problems, and the business also lists working dog training. If your dog loves to sniff, ask how new teams join the nose work classes.

Zelda's Dog Academy trains on Gilkerson Drive in Bozeman with lead trainer Sara. The site calls its trainers certified positive reinforcement dog trainers and describes fear free, reward based methods. Group classes run from Puppy Foundations and AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy up to Basic Obedience 2 and Agility Foundations. Reactive Rover is a four week class for reactive dogs taught by Lindsey Burns, listed on their site as $235. You can also book private training or board and train. The academy offers boarding and daycare as well.

Fallon Dog Training is run by Brooke in Bozeman, and lessons happen in your home. She works with puppies and off leash reliability, and she takes harder cases such as reactivity and aggression. She describes her approach as balanced and relationship based, and she offers electronic collar training for off leash work. She also makes paracord slip leashes. When you travel, your dog can board in her own home instead of a kennel. The site doesn't list certifications, so ask about her background when you call.

Big Sky K9 trains from a facility on North Kennedy Street in Belgrade. Owners Sam and Sara Ernst have more than 15 years of combined experience. Board and train dogs live in a trainer's home and practice in parks and stores, while private lessons start at the Belgrade facility. Puppy training takes dogs from 10 weeks to 5 months old. Behavior modification covers aggression and reactivity. The team also prepares dogs for the Canine Good Citizen test and therapy dog work. They use an electronic collar as a communication tool.

Good Dog Training is Josh Sponsler's business in Belgrade, founded in 2004. He works with owners around Belgrade and Bozeman and over to Three Forks. His services cover puppy training and basic obedience, along with behavioral rehabilitation for dogs with problem behavior. His site says every dog is different, so he evaluates each dog closely before he builds a plan. He then teaches owners to keep training at home. Our records also list boarding. Consultations are free, so you can talk through your dog's needs before you sign up.

Montana Dog Company sits on Business Park Road in Livingston, and Kylie is the contact for training. Training covers obedience and agility, plus behavior modification for dogs with problems at home or in public. The company also lists board and train and online classes, which help if you live outside town. The building doubles as a daycare, and a 24 hour self dog wash is listed on their site as $25 per dog. Its stated approach stresses patience and understanding. Ask about class schedules when you reach out.

Blue Sky Behavior in Missoula is run by Mariah Scheskie, an IAABC Certified Dog Behavior Consultant who also holds the CPDT. She says she is one of two IAABC certified dog behavior consultants in Montana. Her work centers on serious cases, such as aggression toward strangers or other dogs and conflict between dogs in one home. She also helps fearful dogs and dogs recovering from neglect. Cases start with a consultation and a safety plan, then move to coaching packages. She uses reward based training and also does muzzle fittings.

Sit Happens Dog Training Center is a locally owned facility in Missoula, and the site says every instructor is certified by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. Training uses positive reinforcement and socialization for dogs of any age or breed. Puppy Kindergarten and supervised Puppy Playtime help young dogs meet others safely, and Companion Manners covers everyday obedience. Advanced classes include agility and nosework, and class sizes stay small. The center also offers private lessons and help for reactive dogs, and its indoor space keeps classes going in winter.

Think Pawsitively is Dr. Rhonda Hamerslough's training and behavior business on Macie Way in Missoula. She holds the CPDT-KA and is a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner. She is also a Fear Free Certified Professional and a Family Dog Mediator. Her focus areas are puppy raising and fearful or reactive dogs, plus basic and advanced manners. She also lists board and train and custom consultations for dogs outside her packages. Her site describes building trust with low stress handling and cooperative care.

Firewind Training Kennels sits west of Missoula, where trainer Glenn Martyn has boarded and trained dogs for more than 40 years. Board and train pairs boarding with training, and private lessons happen in your home and around town. Small group classes cover puppies and basic obedience. Firewind also trains retrievers and gun dogs in the field and trains private service dogs. It also runs a course for future trainers. The site describes a Social Reward System and says Glenn draws on several methods to fit each dog.

Karosel Kennels is a family owned business on Touchette Lane in Frenchtown that has operated since 1990, and it serves Missoula as well. Its site lists obedience classes for dogs of all ages and levels, plus agility classes. Service dog training is offered too. Our records add puppy classes and private lessons, along with herding and trick training. The site doesn't name trainers or describe methods, so ask who will teach your class and how they handle a dog that struggles. It's a long running option for west Missoula owners.

Wind River Canine Partners trains dogs on a ranch in the Bitterroot Valley, about 12 miles south of Missoula. Training starts with foundation work and off leash reliability, along with behavior modification and puppy programs, through private lessons or board and train. Specialty skills include nose work and pulling sports, plus therapy dog training. A service dog program helps people with disabilities train their own dogs for tasks such as mobility help or seizure response, with an application on the site. The ranch also offers kennel free boarding and daycare.

Dog Training Solution is a Great Falls business that takes dogs of any breed and any behavior problem. Private lessons happen in your home, which helps when the trouble shows up at your own front door. It also runs board and train programs and group lessons, with a class calendar posted on its site. Our records list puppy classes and boarding too. The site doesn't name its trainers or describe its methods. Use the free consultation to ask who will work with your dog and which tools they use.

The Great Falls Dog Training Club is an AKC accredited all breed obedience and tracking club organized in the early 1970s, serving North Central Montana. Classes start with Puppy Kindergarten and move through three obedience levels, from beginning obedience to advanced Open work. The club also teaches rally and agility and runs a Canine Good Citizen program. It hosts trials and tracking tests, and mixed breed dogs are welcome. Members meet monthly at the Ursuline Center on Central Avenue, and membership is open by application.

North Mountain K9 & Kennels in Great Falls trains pet dogs for basic manners and for harder behavior problems. Its site says training teaches owners how to communicate with their dog, beyond giving commands, and that it avoids fear and intimidation. The business also breeds Dutch Shepherds from working bloodlines. The site doesn't name its trainers or list certifications. When you call, ask who will train your dog and which tools they use, so you can compare it with the other Great Falls trainers here.

Bark Laugh Learn is Bree Caldwell's positive reinforcement training business in Helena, and she holds the CPDT-KA credential. She also serves owners from Clancy and Montana City out to Townsend and Three Forks. Group classes help dogs learn new skills or try a new activity. Private lessons run 30 to 60 minutes and center on dog sports such as agility and nosework. Puppy play groups help young dogs get started. Training uses rewards and toys to keep stress low for you and your dog.

Heads Up K9 trains dogs on a 25 acre property near Helena with climate controlled indoor space and outdoor training areas. Classes cover obedience, from basic manners to competition prep, and Canine Good Citizen. AKC Scent Work and Rally classes are on the schedule. UKC Elite Shed Dog classes teach dogs to find antler sheds. Private lessons are available, and the business also hosts seminars and clinics, and camping is listed on the site. The site says its goal is building confidence and a stronger bond between dog and handler.

Happy Trails Dog Services offers reward based training in Helena. In one on one sessions, you and your dog work together through demonstration and repetition, and you leave with tools to keep practicing at home. Day training has the trainer work with your dog at your home while you're at work, then show you how to keep the new behavior going. Happy Trails also teaches gun dogs with positive reinforcement, starting with obedience and a retrieve. The trainer's motto is to create the behavior, then reinforce it.

McKinney K9 trains pet dogs and working dogs from Helena and serves owners as far as Butte. Pet owners can book private lessons or ask about group obedience classes, and a free phone consultation comes first. On the working side, McKinney K9 trains detection dogs and runs a Montana police K9 program that places dogs with agencies. It also teaches seminars for search and rescue teams and law enforcement. If you have a high drive dog, ask how the pet program differs from the working dog program.

Life with Paws Dog Training is Madelyn Showalter's business in East Helena, serving Helena and nearby towns. She holds the CPDT-KA credential and degrees in anthrozoology and psychology from Carroll College. Training is reward based in a calm home setting. You can book private sessions or day training, and her board and train takes dogs from across Montana. Topics run from obedience and scent work to tricks and behavior modification, and she has worked with puppies and reactive dogs. Daycare runs Monday through Thursday, and boarding is open every day.

Montana Training and Kennels is a training and boarding facility in East Helena. Its programs focus on gun dogs and obedience, with force fetch work and western shed dog training. The site shows pointing breeds like the Vizsla and German Shorthaired Pointer and talks about building dogs that stay reliable whether or not the handler is in sight. Trainers Emmet and Weldon Gardner each have a page on the site. Boarding covers dogs and cats. Office hours are mornings and evenings, so plan your call around them.

Anything's Pawsable Dog Training in Kalispell offers private lessons and small group classes for dogs from puppies to seniors. Classes run indoors or outside as needed, and live online classes are offered too. The site says its trainer is a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner, and it shows a Certified Mentor Trainer badge. If you have competition goals, you can prepare for AKC obedience and Rally, with help for conformation and agility too. The approach is relationship based and mixes manners with tricks and games.

Three Dog Ranch is a family owned business with two Flathead Valley sites. Training happens at The Retreat in Kalispell, where its programs use positive reinforcement to improve behavior and teach new skills. Board and train combines daily training with boarding. Daycare runs at The Ranch in Whitefish with supervised play, and both locations offer boarding. Getting started means requesting a training consultation through the site. Trainer names aren't listed, so ask who will work with your dog and how they'll update you during a board and train stay.

Wild Trail Dog Training offers positive, reward based training in Kalispell and around the Flathead Valley. Private lessons last 60 minutes and take place wherever your dog is most comfortable. Hike & Train is an hour outdoors that works on leash manners and basic obedience while you hike. Stay & Train is a program for puppies, built to support healthy growth into adulthood. Daycare and boarding include socialization and backyard play. The site shows badges for Pet Professional Guild membership and Canine Good Citizen evaluator status.