Best Dog Trainers in Ontario

When Hounds Fly has run dog training classes in Toronto since 2010, with locations in Dundas West, Riverdale, Yonge and Eglinton, and South Etobicoke. Puppy Start Right takes puppies under 16 weeks, and sport classes include agility, scent detection, rally obedience and tricks. For worried dogs, the school runs reactive dog group classes and a Canine Stress Solution class. Private lessons cover separation anxiety. The school teaches with clicker training, and staff include CPDT-KA trainers and Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partners.

Follow The Leader Dog Training works from a studio on St. Clair Avenue West. Group classes include Puppy Pupils for puppies under 18 weeks, Doggie Basics for older puppies and rescues, and Next Steps for obedience around distractions. Rally obedience classes run at three levels. If you'd rather train at home, private sessions come to you, and a Walk and Train program works on skills during walks in your neighbourhood. Online consultations are offered too. The site describes positive, reward based training led by Jon Fowles.

North York Obedience Club is a volunteer run, not for profit club founded in 1961 and accredited by the Canadian Kennel Club. Classes meet on weekday evenings near Fairview Mall. Options include Puppy Kindergarten, a First Steps class for dogs over six months, family manners, rally and obedience. The club uses positive, reward based methods in small groups and focuses on early socialization for puppies and newly adopted dogs. The training room is in a basement, so ask about access if you need it.

City Dogs Behaviour and Consulting is run by Andrea Dinan in Toronto. In home consulting starts with a first visit of about 90 minutes, followed by a written plan and a support level you choose together. The Reactive City Dogs Club pairs three weekly seminars with real world practice for dogs who bark or lunge on walks. The Rescue Plan helps new adopters. The site lists CCPDT and Fear Free certification, and it covers resource guarding and poor recall outdoors as well.

Dacapo Dog Club is run by Vivian Maganas, a certified Training Without Conflict trainer, and describes itself as a play based trainer serving the Ottawa area. Its board and train program houses dogs in the home of a certified trainer. The site lists help with puppies and obedience, plus reactivity and aggression, including dogs that lunge at bikes or joggers. Recall and leash pulling are covered too, and boarding is open to dogs that finished a Dacapo program. The board and train waitlist was closed when we checked.

Landmark Behaviour is the practice of Dr. Janet Cutler, who holds a PhD in animal welfare from the University of Guelph. Her listed designations include CAAB, CDBC, CCBC and CPDT-KA. Consultations happen by video call and last up to 90 minutes, and you get a written behavior plan within five business days. She works with dogs and cats on fear, aggression, resource guarding and separation problems. Medical questions go to your vet. The first consult is listed on their site as $350 CAD.

Best Friends Dog Training has served Ottawa since 1994, according to its site. Puppy classes and beginner obedience lead into higher obedience levels and competitive obedience. Scent work is a strong area, with tracking classes and workshops, a search and rescue camp and nose work. Specialty classes cover rally, tricks, flyball, disc dog and a therapy dog school, and private instruction is available. The school uses motivational, reward based techniques and enrolls owners as well as dogs. Its site lists 13 instructors.

Classic K9 Academy is based in Mississauga and serves the Greater Toronto Area. Puppy socialization starts at 8 weeks, and obedience programs start as young as 6 months. The academy promotes electronic collar training for on and off leash work, so raise that on your first call if you prefer other methods. Group classes and private sessions are both offered. Behavior rehabilitation is listed too, along with a board and train program and protection work. The site covers leash walking and recall, plus biting, reactivity, aggression and separation anxiety.

Beyond the Leash K9 Training is run by Eric Straetmans, who has owned dog training schools since 1994 and has been in Mississauga since 2009. Classes happen in a 5,000 square foot climate controlled facility, with six to eight new groups starting each month at novice through advanced levels. Eric also sets up private programs. The site describes a balanced method and says it doesn't bribe dogs with constant treats. Problems listed include pulling, jumping, barking, bolting through doors and poor recall.

Dog Mindful is the business of Dominika Kasia Przykorska in Mississauga. She is a Certified Ethical Dog Trainer through the Nordic Education Centre for Ethical Dog Training and a calming signals specialist mentored by Turid Rugaas. Her work centers on body language and easing the pressure behind a behavior. Services include one on one coaching, decompression walks, social walks and online support. Common reasons to call are rescue dog decompression and fear based reactivity. She covers Mississauga, Etobicoke, Oakville and Humber Bay.

Invictus Canine is a Hamilton trainer run by Guillaume Beaurent, who grew up in Belgium and started in dog sport at 14. His site says he has been a licensed helper in protection work since 2008. The business offers pet obedience for all breeds, plus Schutzhund and IGP training and programs for German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois. Workshops are listed too. Invictus serves Hamilton and the Greater Toronto Area. Ask about methods and tools on your first call, since the site doesn't describe them.

Hamilton Dog Obedience Club is a volunteer group that says it has helped people train their dogs for more than 70 years. Classes meet on Wednesday nights at the Ancaster Fairgrounds and focus on positive reinforcement. Puppy classes start at 3 months, and the program runs up to advanced obedience. The club also hosts Canadian Kennel Club obedience and agility trials. The full program is listed on their site as $235 including HST for the session that starts December 2, 2026.

In Dogs We Trust is a London school founded by Melissa Millett, who directs its training. Her site says she trains animals for film and TV and holds three Guinness World Records in animal training. Puppy and basic classes lead on to self control training or advanced obedience. Trick dog and movie dog classes are offered too, along with private training for behavior issues. The school uses positive motivational methods, and all classes are indoors with heat and air conditioning.

Ask The Dog Guy is John Wade, a London trainer whose site says he has more than 35 years of experience. He trains in your home with three programs: a puppy program called Right Paw Forward, one for adolescent and adult dogs, and one for behavior problems. His site lists help with anxiety and aggression. For puppies it covers mouthing and house training. Owners outside London can book remote consults by phone or Zoom. He describes his approach as using science and common sense.

Trizane Dog Services is run by Reanna Ali in Brampton. Her site lists CPDT-KA and Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner credentials, plus a Certified Fearful Dog Professional title. She trains with markers, also called clicker training, and says she will never use pain or fear. Private sessions happen at your home or in your neighbourhood across Brampton, Caledon, Mississauga and Etobicoke. KinderPuppy is for puppies from 8 weeks to 5 months, and Junior Pup is for older puppies, each with five private sessions.

Living Better Dog Training has a studio in Kitchener and also serves Cambridge and Guelph. The site describes force free, positive reinforcement training set to each dog's breed and energy level. You can choose puppy classes, group classes, private training or specialty workshops. The trainers work with rescues and dogs with behavior issues, and aggression therapy is listed. A free 15 to 20 minute assessment comes before you commit, and sessions come with more than 100 topic files and training manuals.

Impressive Canines is a Kitchener training business run by Jessica Croezen. The site says it specializes in just for fun agility and fear rehabilitation. Group classes cover agility, scent detection, obedience and rally obedience for dogs of all ages. A stage productions class is also on the menu, which is unusual for a dog school. Private training or behavior programs can happen at your home or at the company's facility. The site stresses confidence and trust but doesn't spell out specific methods.

The Wiser Canine trains dogs in your home in Windsor, Essex, LaSalle and Tecumseh, with nearby towns like Amherstburg covered for a travel fee. Virtual training is open to owners anywhere in Canada. Proactive Puppy Training is for puppies about 8 to 20 weeks old, and Foundational Skills is for dogs 4 months and up. A third program helps shy, scared or reactive dogs. The trainer is a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner, uses clicker training and says training involves no fear or pain.

Nordik K9 runs a training and care facility in Barrie and serves Simcoe County. Founder Elise holds the CPDT-KA. Her site says she served more than 13 years in the Canadian Armed Forces, mainly as a medical technician, and is a human remains detection K9 handler with the Search and Rescue Dogs of Ontario Association. Training covers obedience and puppy classes, plus behavior modification, canine sport work and medical training. The site also lists daycare and boarding, and it has a page for virtual training.

Real Life Canines is a Barrie trainer that also serves Innisfil and Orillia. You can book a consult and evaluation or private lessons. Group classes, board and train and virtual coaching are offered as well, and canine conditioning is listed too. The site says it looks for the root cause of a problem and coaches owners on what they need to change, building trust and engagement through play. Puppies and obedience are covered, along with reactivity and aggression, and the site says no dog is turned away.

Shaggy Dog Training is run by Victoria Blondin in Kingston. She holds a Master of Science in Animal Welfare and Behaviour from the University of Guelph and a separation anxiety certification, and her site lists more than 20 years of experience with dogs and cats. She uses force free, science based methods. She helps with everyday manners and with fear and reactivity, and she offers separation anxiety support. A QuickStart program gives you an assessment and plan without ongoing sessions. She works online with owners across Canada.

Fearless Tails is owned by lead trainer Tasha Shaw-Verbic, a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner and Certified Separation Anxiety Behaviour Consultant with more than 18 years of experience. The team offers separation anxiety training and the Roaring to Relaxed program for reactive dogs. Cooperative care for vet and groomer visits is offered as well, along with puppy training and trick and rally classes. The site says it never uses intimidation or pain. It lists service areas in Prince Edward County and Toronto, plus virtual sessions.

One Leg Up Canine Company trains dogs in a 2,700 square foot indoor and outdoor space in Guelph and serves Milton, Halton Hills, Puslinch and Wellington County too. Group classes include Life Skills and Beyond the Basics, plus rally obedience, scent detection, freestyle and a Canine Circus School for tricks. Puppies get a socialization class and weekly puppy socials. Private training helps with behavior concerns. The company describes its training as 100 percent force free and lists CPDT-KA certification and IAABC accreditation.

Scholars In Collars runs in person group classes in Burlington and online training for owners elsewhere. Classes hold up to six dogs with two or three trainers. Owner and head instructor Diane McWhinnie has more than 30 years as a professional trainer, and fellow head instructor Joan Weston lists teaching animal behavior at Durham College. Puppy socialization and Small Dog Play sessions are offered. The school uses reward based, Fear Free training and says plainly that it uses no choke collars and no prong collars.

The Dog Classroom is a positive reinforcement training facility in Thunder Bay with a fenced training yard and walking trails. Owner Anne Marie Mayes is a CPDT-KA and a registered veterinary technician. Group classes start with Puppy Playschool from 8 weeks and go on to basics, small dog classes, agility, tricks, dog parkour and scent games, plus a reactive dog class. The school also offers private lessons and behavior consultations. Stay and train programs and service dog training are listed too.

Peterborough and District Obedience Club is a non profit club that has been active for more than 50 years and affiliated with the Canadian Kennel Club since 1979. It uses positive training methods only and teaches owners to train their own dogs. Classes run from family pet obedience up to competition obedience, plus rally at all levels. Puppies start in the puppy FUNdamentals class. Courses run four to six weeks, and private lessons are available by referral. The club hosts yearly CKC obedience and rally trials.

Put In The Time K9 is a Greater Sudbury trainer led by Casandra Bellwick, its cofounder and head trainer. The site lists 15 years of experience. Its signature program is the Dream Dog Bootcamp, and puppy training is offered too. Programs include one on one coaching and group classes, plus video lessons and a personal coach who keeps you on track with daily challenges. The site lists help with recall and leash pulling, as well as reactivity and aggression. A free 15 minute phone call comes first.

K905 Dog Training is based in Milton and serves Halton Region and nearby areas. Its board and train program runs two to six weeks with the dog living in a home, not a kennel, and pick up and drop off are free within Halton. In home private lessons last 50 minutes, with homework after each one. Other programs cover reactivity and puppies under 6 months, and online lessons are offered. The site says every trainer has at least five years of hands on experience.

Dogs On Campus is an Oshawa training school with a heated, turfed indoor space. Group classes cover obedience and companion dog skills for everyday life, and the sport side includes agility and hoopers at two levels each. The school says it uses positive, reward based methods that keep training fun for dog and handler. A six week course of one hour classes is listed on their site as $180. The school isn't taking new behavior dogs for private sessions right now.