Best Dog Trainers in Pennsylvania

H-D Interactions is a family owned training company in Pittsburgh. Its signature offer is the Behavior Immersion Program, a board and train stay with the trainers. Dogs who stay home can take private programs built around one goal, such as loose leash walking, off leash recall or advanced obedience. Reactive and fearful dogs have their own programs, as do high energy dogs, and puppy training is offered too. The site describes "modern day training techniques" aimed at clear communication. A phone or video consultation is a way to start.

Underdog Universe is run by Zack Cossick, who trains by appointment in Pittsburgh. The site describes "science based training" with a plan for each dog. Puppy lessons cover pups up to 5 months old, and older dogs start with a training package. Board and train is listed as well. In home lessons include the first 10 miles from his base, with a mileage fee past that. Underdog Universe is an official tester for AKC STAR Puppy and Canine Good Citizen. It is also a licensed evaluator and instructor for Therapy Dogs United.

Debbie Thomas holds the CPDT and IAABC ADT credentials, and our database lists SA Pro training for separation anxiety. She has worked with shelter dogs for more than 17 years and calls her methods "Force and Fear Free." Polite Puppies covers biting and manners, and Good Dog Manners is for teenage and newly adopted dogs. Separation Anxiety and Fearful and Shy Dogs are separate programs, and the separation work starts with a free consultation. She travels within about 20 miles of Cranberry Township, with a fee past that, and also trains online.

Moon Walkers Pet Services serves Moon Township, Sewickley and nearby Pittsburgh suburbs. Training includes group classes, private sessions, home services and scentwork. The main draw is the Momentum Program, a structured day school where dogs practice leash skills, nosework and puppy agility under a CPDT-KA certified trainer. Play groups are matched on purpose, and the site says "we do not allow free-for-all play." Training uses positive reinforcement to help dogs "make good choices independently." Staff are certified in pet first aid and CPR, and the company also offers dog walking.

Happy Feet Dog Training is the private practice of Alexa Sharp-Wiley, CPDT-KA, in Beaver. Training is private and one on one, and the first visit is a 90 minute consultation that counts as your first session. She works on leash pulling, jumping and reactivity, and on confidence and socialization in puppies. The site calls her approach force free and science based, and she teaches you to train your own dog. She covers Beaver County and much of the Pittsburgh area, with a travel fee beyond an hour from Beaver.

Xcel Canine Training Center in Bethel Park says it has served local families for more than 20 years. Nine instructors are named on the site, and the center says all of them have shown their own dogs in AKC events. Group classes cover obedience and rally, along with agility, scent work and conformation in our database. Weekend drop in classes let you skip a full course, though you sign up ahead with an instructor. Sign ups for conformation and competition classes go through named instructors. You book classes online.

Great Companions is led by Ali Brown, M.Ed., CPDT, CDBC, author of the book Scaredy Dog on fearful and reactive dogs. Classes meet at the training site in Whitehall. The group schedule runs from Puppy Manners for pups 9 to 16 weeks through Foundations obedience, rally, agility, nose work and clicker training. Reactive and fearful dogs have their own group lessons and a seminar. Private lessons cover house training, separation anxiety, barking and some aggression cases. Great Companions serves Lehigh and Northampton counties plus Phillipsburg, NJ.

The Allentown Dog Training Club was founded in 1953 and trains at Macungie Park. It is a licensed AKC obedience and rally club and a member of the Pennsylvania Federation of Dog Clubs. Classes include puppy kindergarten, obedience, rally and scent work, for purebred and mixed breed dogs. All dogs are welcome in classes, and members get priority registration at a discounted rate. Indoor training runs from mid September into spring, and summer classes move outdoors. The club's motto is "We Train With Patience, Praise and Practice."

Leader of the Pack Canine Institute was founded in 2009 by Lisa McDonald, CPDT-KA. The Allentown location runs group obedience at every level, and puppy classes. Private behavior modification is taught by certified trainers and covers aggression toward dogs and people. The business also offers daycare, boarding and grooming under one roof. The site lists AKC STAR Puppy and Canine Good Citizen programs. A second facility, a 28,000 square foot building in Forks Township near Easton, opened in November 2024, and both serve the Lehigh Valley.

The Beauty of Dogs in Bethlehem is led by Rebecca Gamez, who calls herself a dog behaviorist and somatic practitioner. The site describes "trauma-informed dog training" that pairs reward based training with nervous system work for both dog and owner. Her view is that a dog has to feel safe before other behavior work can stick. Programs include puppy and human teams, dog and human teams, socialization, and play and train sessions. She serves Bethlehem plus parts of the Lehigh Valley, Bucks County and New Jersey.

Raspberry Ridge Sheep Farm in Bangor pairs a positive reinforcement training center with 65 acres and more than 100 sheep. Herding is the draw. Dogs can take a herding instinct test, then move from beginner herding and tending clinics to advanced herding. The owners train Border Collies and German Shepherds. The farm also runs group classes for puppies, obedience and aggression, plus private lessons. Weekend clinics and multi day camps appear on the schedule through December 2026, and a bed and breakfast on the farm welcomes dogs.

Dauphin Dog Training Club was founded in 1956 and is a not for profit club affiliated with the AKC. It trains on 5 fenced acres in an air conditioned building near Harrisburg. Classes run six or seven weeks and include puppy and family dog, agility, competition obedience, rally, scent work and conformation handling. Seminars bring in national trainers, and 18 instructors are listed. The club uses "proven positive training methods" to train owners to train their dogs. Members register first, and nonmembers can sign up a week later.

Good Dog Rising in Carlisle teaches obedience, manners, K9 sports and behavior consultation. Group classes start with Puppy for dogs under 4 months and Basic Manners for older dogs, then move up to rally, scentwork, trick dog and agility for fun. Puppy and Basic use rolling enrollment, so you pick your start week. Private sessions and Puppy Day Camp are available. The site lists CPDT-KA, IAABC Associate and APDT and stresses positive reinforcement. You can watch a class first if you email ahead.

Good Dog Paws in Greencastle is run by Helen Carlson and a team of trainers. The site cites more than 24 years of experience and over 2,100 dogs trained. Services include puppy training, group classes, private lessons and a Day and Train program where your dog spends the day with a trainer. Service dog training is offered too. New puppy owners can use HomeStart, an at home puppy course. The site's line is "Start bonding, not battling," and you begin with a free training consult.

Bonnie Hess runs Faithful Companion Dog Training in Lancaster. She is an ABC Certified Dog Trainer through Animal Behavior College and a professional member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. Her site describes "gentle and positive methods" and coaching owners to communicate with their dogs. Private lessons are set around your home and schedule, and group classes add socialization. She works on leash pulling, crate training, housebreaking, separation issues and aggression. Her service area covers most of Lancaster County, including Lititz, Ephrata and Mount Joy.

Carolyn Kocman, Pet Behavior Specialist, is a behavior consulting practice in York rather than a class based school. Our database lists her ACDBC credential. She offers in home and virtual consultations for dogs, cats and other pets. Her services include functional assessments, a review of the pet's home setting and behavior modification plans. The site calls the work owner training that addresses root issues. The site says she uses Applied Behavior Analysis and works with your vet and trainer when needed. She lists anxiety, aggression, home alone trouble and compulsive behaviors among the problems she handles.

Stateline Canine in Hanover was founded by Janet Dooley Edwards, who lists Certified Master Trainer (2001) and SARTECH 3 among her credentials. The site cites more than 25 years of search and rescue and K9 experience. Pet dog programs include board and train for 2, 4 or 6 weeks, day training, a hybrid stay with weekends at home, and private lessons. The site describes "motivational, low-stress methods" and promises lifetime follow up lessons. It also trains police K9 teams and personal protection dogs.

Phoenix Assistance Dogs of Central PA is a nonprofit in Lititz that helps people with disabilities train their own assistance dogs. It works with hearing, seizure response, medical alert and mobility dogs. You start with a General Needs Assessment to see if owner training fits. Members then get monthly coaching and a monthly group session on public access skills. The group also raises puppies for owner trainers who need a dog, and all training is reward based. Volunteers can join the puppy raiser program with no experience.

Dunmore Barks runs a training studio in Dunmore for dog owners across Northeastern Pennsylvania. Puppy classes are a five week course for pups 10 weeks to 6 months old. Private lessons come in packages and are held at the studio. Day School runs Monday through Thursday in one, two or three week programs, which the site describes as board and train style without the overnights. Every Day School dog is screened first. Structured nature walks and field trips to coffee shops and parks include pickup from your home.

Mary's Hand That Feeds School for Dogs is run by Mary Perrego in Shavertown, near Wilkes-Barre. Our database lists her CPDT-KA and CBCC-KA certifications, plus SDC and CGC Evaluator credentials. Her site offers a six week AKC STAR Puppy class that covers basic obedience, housebreaking and loose leash walking. Other classes include Basic and Manners, Trick Dog, and Fun and Games. Our records add behavior consulting with a focus on aggression and reactivity. She describes her training as "humane and effective."

Sit, Stay 'n Play in Stroudsburg has served its Poconos community for more than a decade as a training center and dog supply store. Owner Lisa built the school around "ONLY positive reinforcement" methods, and the site says it uses no aversive tools. Classes run from intro to intermediate, with drop in options. Topics include obedience, puppy, potty training, K9 Nose Work, agility, rally and rodeo dog. The center gives the AKC STAR Puppy test and hosts agility trials. It is open seven days a week.

Rose Reese runs Reese's Training from the Heart in Jim Thorpe. She graduated from Animal Behavior College as a Certified Dog Trainer and has worked in K-9 training since 2008. Her site calls the program "100% Positive Dog Training" and pairs clicker training with Tellington TTouch, a touch and ground work method used to lower fear. She belongs to the Pet Professional Guild. Problems she works on include barking, leash pulling, aggression, fear, grooming resistance and car sickness. Clients come from Lehighton and Palmerton too.

Lead Your K9 in Orwigsburg is led by owner and training director Tony Stokes, and the site cites more than 15 years in dog training and pet care. Puppy Preschool is a three week group class covering crate training, potty training, nipping and jumping. Obedience classes and private lessons are offered, along with board and train. The Canine Enrichment Camp runs three days a week with hunt games and pack walks. Overnight boarding runs all year, and Tony Stokes teaches a two day seminar on reactivity.

Admiral Perry Obedience Training Club in Erie was organized in 1945 and calls itself the oldest dog training club of its kind in Northwestern Pennsylvania. The club teaches obedience and puppy classes and gives Canine Good Citizen tests. Its instructors are members who have earned obedience titles on their own dogs. One of them, a puppy raiser for Canine Companions, helps teach a class on getting your dog ready for a new baby. Members also train for AKC agility and rally.

Meraki Canine trains dogs from a storefront in downtown Cochranton, in Crawford County. Its training covers puppies and basic manners, advanced skills, behavior support, dog sports and specialty work. The site says programs are built around "the individual dog and the people who live with them," with a focus on practical skills and clear communication. Upcoming classes are posted on the site, and you book online. Current and former clients can use the boarding and playcare, which is closed to the general public. A pet market is listed as coming soon.

Off Leash K9 Training Erie is the local branch of a national franchise, and it trains mostly through private lessons. Basic obedience is a four lesson package, and advanced obedience adds four more. A two week board and train is also offered, and puppies under 5 months start with a puppy consultation. The Erie office lists an eight lesson package for aggressive dogs, a therapy dog program and in home training. It covers a wide area, including Edinboro, Meadville, Corry and Grove City. You start with a free phone consultation.

Clarion Canine Obedience Club was formed in 1992 and has offered reasonably priced classes to the public since then. It is a nonprofit, AKC licensed obedience, agility and rally club serving Clarion and nearby counties. Public classes cover puppy, beginner obedience and Canine Good Citizen. The club also teaches and evaluates therapy dogs. Members bring their dogs to a Reading to Dogs program with students during finals week. You are welcome to watch the members' Monday evening sessions first, though observers leave their dogs at home.

Mt Nittany Dog Training Club is an AKC affiliated nonprofit that serves the State College area from its base in Boalsburg. Classes run from basic family manners up to competition dog sports. The site lists obedience, rally, agility, scent work and tracking, plus flyball, which no other trainer in this guide lists. The club posts a calendar of events and trials. If you want a calm house dog, start with the manners classes. The site doesn't say which classes are open to nonmembers, so ask before you sign up.

Paw and Hand Obedience in Muncy is run by training director Lana Kline, IACP-CDT, and every trainer there is an AKC CGC evaluator. Services include private lessons, small group classes and Zoom video consults. Obedience runs from puppy and basic up to competition work in AKC, UKC and CDSP. CGC and CGCA classes prepare teams for therapy dog testing. Training is mainly reward based, and "No Tight Leashes" is a stated priority. The school does not take aggression cases. The next session starts the week of November 10, 2026.

Walk By Faith Dog Training is run by Kelly Corl in Cresson and serves Altoona, Ebensburg, Johnstown and nearby towns. She is listed as a Certified Dog Trainer and AKC CGC Evaluator, with AKC STAR Puppy instructor and Trick Dog evaluator badges. Her main offering is the AKC STAR Puppy class, six weeks of 50 minute sessions for puppies under 8 months, or under a year for pups under 35 pounds. She uses positive reinforcement and the Train Test Train method from DogNostics. Pack walks are listed too, and you sign up by email.