Best Dog Trainers in and Near Oklahoma City, OK

All Dogs Unleashed Oklahoma City offers obedience and off leash training, plus behavior work, for dogs of all ages and breeds. Its board and train is a structured two week program at the facility, and private lessons can happen at your home or at the facility. The site also mentions introductory group classes. It says it works with puppies and leash pullers. Reactive dogs are on its list too, along with dogs whose owners want reliable off leash control. Training is described as positive reinforcement. The facility has outdoor turf and play areas, and it also offers boarding and grooming. Areas served include Edmond, Norman, Nichols Hills, Midtown and Heritage Hills. Prices are listed on their site as $140 for introductory group classes and $90 to $175 an hour for private home sessions. Residential training is listed at up to $2,300, with payment plans through Affirm. The site doesn't name its trainers or list their certifications, so ask who will work with your dog.

American Dog Obedience Center is a boarding school run by Kris and Dennis Butler on ten acres inside Norman city limits. The site says it has served the Oklahoma City metro for more than 30 years. The basic program runs 15 to 18 days for dogs at least five months old, and it ends with a two to three hour family session on the last day. Dogs learn leash manners, sit, stay and an off leash come around distractions, plus house manners such as no jumping on people. They also learn a "magic carpet" place command on a rug that goes home with the family. The site describes a reward based approach that avoids physical force and loud voices. Dogs stay in indoor kennels with outdoor training areas, and the business holds a City of Norman kennel license. After boarding school, private lessons are available for sports, fitness and therapy dog work. Visits are by appointment.

Big Friendly Dog Training is led by owner and head trainer JP Carter, with Ginger Reece and Hailie Parton on the team. It offers training at your home and board and train for busy owners or intensive cases, plus a hybrid of the two. Puppy work covers potty and crate training plus biting and socialization. Obedience goes up to place and off leash control. Behavior work covers aggression, reactivity, fear, resource guarding and separation problems. Every program starts with a two hour behavior consultation. The site describes a cynopraxic approach built on clear communication and structure. Big Friendly also trains psychiatric and mobility service dogs, though not medical alert dogs, and says eligible veterans and military families may get funding help through Semper Fi and America's Fund. It serves a wide area that includes Edmond, Norman, Moore, Yukon, Midwest City and Shawnee, with weekday, evening and weekend sessions by appointment. No group classes or prices are listed.

Brenda Spink is a dog trainer based in Norman and an Associate Member of NADOI, the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors. NADOI says its associate level is open to people interested in dog training and behavior who agree to its code of ethics, and it doesn't require an exam. Our listing has no business name, website or specialty for Brenda, so we can't tell you whether she teaches group classes, private lessons or both. Open her profile and ask on the first call what she teaches and where lessons take place. Since NADOI promotes humane training methods, it's fair to ask how she applies that in a lesson.

Buddy's Dog School in Harrah teaches behavior first and saves obedience for later, once core manners are in place. The site says it teaches owners the psychology of dogs and the reason behind each exercise. Verbal language is the foundation, with the aim of an off leash dog starting from the first class. Buddy's says it doesn't use food rewards, which it describes as often misused as bribes and less useful for dogs who aren't food motivated. If your dog lives for treats, ask how that fits their method. Classes can be booked online, and Stacey is the trainer named on the site. Buddy's also offers overnight boarding and nutrition counseling. It also runs a shop that sells raw and freeze dried foods. The site lists no prices or credentials.

Greatest American Dog Den, called The Den on its site, is owned by Travis Brorsen. He won CBS's The Greatest American Dog competition in 2008 and has hosted Animal Planet's My Big Fat Pet Makeover. The Edmond facility offers board and train, day training, group classes, day camp, boarding and grooming. Day camp uses a Montessori inspired setup with outdoor obstacle courses and rotating play yards. Dogs are grouped in packs of 2 to 12, with one staff member for every 10 dogs or fewer. The site says all hands on staff are Fear Free certified and a certified trainer is on site every day. It also lists in home or virtual options without details, so ask if you want lessons at your house. The Den doesn't accept dogs that are aggressive toward people. Training prices aren't posted.

Honoring America's Warriors is an Oklahoma City nonprofit, established in 2014, that serves only Oklahoma. It provides service dogs and training at no cost to disabled veterans who live with anxiety or depression, and its site ties the program to preventing veteran suicide. Our records list it as a candidate program working toward Assistance Dogs International accreditation. This is not a place to book pet obedience lessons. If you're a veteran, or you're helping one, contact the organization to ask about eligibility and how dogs are matched with handlers. The site doesn't say how long training takes, so ask that too.

K9 University trains dogs on two acres in Yukon with a 5,000 square foot climate controlled building near the Kilpatrick Turnpike. Founder Angel Soriano calls the method "Perfect Balance," a behavioral science approach planned around each dog's drive and the owner's goals. The menu is wide. Puppies can start in puppy training or the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy class. Older dogs can take obedience and group classes, private lessons, Canine Good Citizen prep and trick training. K9 University also lists behavior work, day camp and a boarding school, plus an Avoid Dog Bites class for service workers who enter yards with dogs. The site says its trainers are certified through K9 University's own program and take monthly continuing education, so ask what that training covers. It serves Edmond, Moore, Mustang, Norman and Midwest City. The free first evaluation is listed on their site as a $100 value.

Maddy Thomas is listed in Luther as a Certified Instructor with NADOI, the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors. NADOI says its certified level goes to trainers its peers judge highly qualified. Candidates need at least five years of training experience and five years as a full charge instructor. They also need at least 100 dog and handler teams and a passed certification exam. That makes Maddy one of two NADOI members on this list and the one at the certified level. Our listing doesn't include a business name or a list of services, so ask on the first call whether she teaches group classes or private lessons and where she works with dogs.

Make Your Dog Epic OKC is led by JT Lawson, who wrote the book Make Your Dog Epic. The company's main site says trainers come to your home or meet you at a local park for one on one lessons, and the OKC page lists boarding school training for dogs who stay with them. Puppy and potty training are listed, as is help with aggression and anxiety. Every package includes free monthly group classes for the life of the dog. Lifetime support by phone or video is included too. The OKC page says it uses no alpha dominance tactics or negative training, and the main site recommends positive reinforcement with food or toys. It uses results based pricing instead of charging per session. The first lesson or consultation is listed on their site as $0.50, and the company offers a price match. Sessions in Oklahoma City are by appointment only. The site doesn't list trainer certifications.

Off Leash K9 Training Oklahoma City is part of a franchise with over 130 locations. Its local trainers include Maegan Clare, who has trained there since November 2017, and Amanda Prasuhn, who has more than 14 years in the dog industry. Board and train runs from one week up to 21 days, and the two week Training Camp covers advanced off leash obedience and behavior work. Private lessons come in a four lesson basic package and an eight lesson package that adds work on aggression and reactivity. A New Puppy Consultation for dogs under five months covers house training, crate training and socialization. Therapy Dog Development is a two week program that prepares dogs for therapy work. The company is an AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator and lists AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy certification. Its page doesn't describe training tools, so ask what equipment your dog will wear. Private lessons happen at your home. The page says pricing depends on the program and your dog, and it offers free phone consultations.

Oklahoma City Obedience Training Club is a not for profit club that says it has trained people and their dogs for more than 60 years. You don't need to be a member to take a class. Puppy and beginner classes start with an orientation week where dogs stay home, and obedience classes follow. The club holds AKC obedience trials and says it was the first AKC club in Oklahoma approved to host AKC Scent Work Trials. Its beginner scent work course runs five weeks for adults 18 and older with a dog at least six months old that isn't reactive. Classes meet on weeknight evenings at the club's training facility. The site says its therapy dog program is paused until Therapy Dogs International allows testing again. Parts of the site look out of date, so call or email to confirm the current class schedule.

Sit Means Sit Central Oklahoma is run by owner and head trainer Sarah Kanegae and is part of a franchise with 157 locations in the US and Canada. Lessons are private, with the trainer coming to your home. There's also a day train option where you drop your dog off in the morning and pick them up later that day. The Jumpstart Puppy Program focuses on a puppy's first 16 weeks, and group sessions are used as follow up after one on one programs. Behavior work covers aggression, fear, reactivity, socialization and off leash control. The company calls its method attention based training and uses a remote electronic collar it calls the Sit Means Sit Collar. It says use of the collar is reduced over time. If you're weighing methods, read our section on choosing a trainer. Sit Means Sit serves Edmond, Mustang, Yukon, Tuttle and Oklahoma City, and offers a free evaluation. No prices are posted.