Best Dog Trainers in and Near Seattle, WA

Ahimsa Dog Training has run a positive, force free school in Seattle since 2003, per its site, and teaches from two campuses in the city. Classes are sorted by age from puppies through adults, and young pups can also join a puppy training camp. For dogs who growl or react, Ahimsa offers growly dog classes, a reactivity evaluation and agility built for reactive dogs. Sports include nosework and rally, and the school runs Canine Good Citizen prep and testing. Private training is available with several named trainers.

Bark Busters North Seattle, Everett and Lynnwood is a Bothell based office of the Bark Busters franchise. Training happens at your house, with some practice in your neighborhood, so there's no class to drive to. The site names trainer Connie DuBois, who has trained with Bark Busters since 2006 and is an APDT member. Services include puppy training, behavior training and a dog safety program called Stand Rite No Bite. The site says it uses humane methods without bribes or punishment, and it serves Seattle and Kirkland north through Lynnwood and Everett.

Diana Simonsen Dog Training works out of Carnation in the Snoqualmie Valley and offers private training, group classes and online classes. Her site sums up her approach as training with patience and kindness, with joy as the goal. Our listing data shows a long list of credentials, including IAABC-ADT, CPDT-KA, Fear Free Certified Professional, Family Dog Mediator and AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator, plus Pet Professional Guild membership. Behavior consulting, aggression and reactivity are listed among her specialties. The online classes let you work with her from farther away.

Family Dog Training Center in Kent runs a full schedule of group classes for south King County. Puppy Manners is for pups under five months, and Home Obedience comes in Beginning, Advanced and Continued Advanced levels. For sport, the center offers agility, rally obedience and nosework, along with competition obedience practice and trick dog training. It also runs Canine Good Citizen and Therapy Dog preparation. Private lessons are available one on one. The site keeps a current class calendar with a wait list, but it doesn't describe a training method, so ask about that when you call.

Flying Ace Dog Training lists Woodinville and Snohomish as its locations and teaches from a philosophy of kind, clear communication between you and your dog. Group classes run from Puppy Kindergarten through Basic Obedience, Intermediate and Advanced, and private lessons are available. Its Out and About field trip classes practice manners and socialization in real places. The school also offers Therapy Prep classes, a Reading with Rover program and K9 Nose Work. If you hope to do therapy work with your dog, Flying Ace has a set of classes built for that path.

Our listing data places Judith Anderson-Wright with Great Dog Canine Education Center in Seattle. She holds an MA in Education, the CPDT-KA certification and AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator status. Her listed specialties are private training, group training and behavior consulting, with a focus on separation anxiety, aggression and reactivity. Great Dog's site describes humane, force free training and says the business began in 2001. It offers puppy, adult and specialty group classes, private lessons and online training content, plus daycare and boarding in the same building. Ask for Judith by name when you call.

Sharp Dogs Seattle works by appointment from the Northgate neighborhood and describes its approach as science based, positive reinforcement training. Julie Sharp's credentials in our listing data include CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, KPA-CTP and Fear Free Certified Professional. Services cover private training, group classes and behavior services for dogs of every age, including help before an adoption. Sharp Dogs also runs dog playgroups, small dog boarding and a small dog board and train, useful if you have a little dog who needs extra care. The site's copyright notice dates back to 2008.

Kendra Rose leads Venus's Rose Dog Training in Seattle, which her site describes as fear free, force free, positive dog training. Our listing data shows a Certificate of Canine Studies from NW Canine Studies, Fear Free certification and Level 2 study with the Nordic Education Center for Ethical Dog Training. Her site also lists an M. Ed., and she is a Pet Professional Guild member. The home page doesn't itemize services, so use your first call to ask whether she works in your home or online. Her fear free focus suits a nervous dog.

The Paid Pup is Michelle Reindal's Seattle business, and its site calls the work welfare based dog training and behavior consulting. The site describes evidence based, humane methods that respect a dog's choices, and it says the approach doesn't involve obedience. Michelle has more than ten years of hands on experience, per the site. Our listing data shows her CPDT-KA and Family Dog Mediator credentials. Her listed services are private training, group training and behavior consulting, with aggression and reactivity as named specialties. She fits owners who care more about comfort than formal commands.

Ready, Pup, Go is Michelle Thomas's force free training business in Monroe, and her site says it uses no prongs, shocks or intimidation. Group classes include Puppy Socialization for pups 8 to 16 weeks and a Tricks and Clicks class in Lynnwood. Private sessions usually happen in your home in Monroe, Bothell, Woodinville or Duvall and are listed on her site at $75 an hour. Topics include potty training, biting, leash reactivity and separation anxiety. She also teaches cooperative care for vet visits and nail trims. The site lists her as a Fear Free Certified Professional and IAABC member.

Nitro K-9 in Bothell is led by owner and senior trainer Steve Walter, and its site lists the business as established in 1993. Training runs from basic obedience through off leash work. Nitro also trains psychiatric and mobility service dogs, protection dogs and IGP sport dogs. Board and train programs last one to six weeks, and a program called Aggression Stopper is aimed at aggressive, reactive or anxious dogs. Virtual training over live video is available, and clients can join free group socialization classes. The site describes its approach as relationship based, built on communication and structure.

RockStar Dogs is a Bellevue training business that works by appointment Monday through Saturday and starts with a free consultation. Its service list covers obedience on and off leash, good manners, boundary training and puppy training that can begin before your puppy comes home. Behavior work includes fear, anxiety, reactivity and aggression. The site lists service in Bellevue, Issaquah, Mercer Island, Kirkland, Redmond, Renton and Newcastle. It doesn't describe training methods or tools, so ask about both before you book. RockStar covers manners and behavior problems for Eastside owners.

Run Wild Dog Sports and Training Center in Auburn uses reward based training with what its site calls positive, practical methods, and it serves Seattle and south King County. Manners classes include puppy classes and basic manners, and the Reactive Rover program is for dogs who react on leash. The sports menu is wide: agility, nose work, barn hunt, disc dog and rally, plus a Sports Sampler if you want to try a few first. Private training and online classes are also offered. If your dog has energy to burn, this is a deep sport program.

Seattle Humane runs a Dog Training Center on its Bellevue campus with science based, positive reinforcement classes. New students start with the Dog Training Basics Seminar, offered online or in person. Puppy options include Puppy Head Start for pups 8 to 14 weeks and two levels of Puppy Manners. Teen Dog Manners and Shy Dog Manners serve younger and nervous dogs. Other classes cover tricks and nose work, plus workshops on loose leash walking and recall. Reactive Rover is a three level program. Six week classes are listed on the site at $300 to $320.

Seattle K9 Command is based in Lynnwood and lists board and train, private lessons and puppy training among its services, along with dog boarding. Its puppy program is for pups 12 to 20 weeks old. The site lists service in Seattle, Shoreline, Lynnwood, Edmonds and Bellevue, and says the team will train any breed. It doesn't state how long a board and train lasts or what methods and tools the trainers use, so raise those on your first call, along with how many handoff lessons you get when your dog comes home.

Sensitive Dog is a Seattle business owned by Julie Forbes and Darcie Boltz that offers in person private training and behavior sessions. Its focus areas lean toward hard cases, including reactivity, aggression, anxiety, phobias and compulsive behaviors, along with everyday work on leash skills and barking. The site says it fits its methods to each dog and owner, looking at nutrition, stress, health and family dynamics, and not at reward and punishment alone. For new puppy owners, Sensitive Dog sells Puppyhood, an online video course with eight sections on topics like house training and socialization.

Shivani Seastone runs Paw Potential Dog Behavior and Training in Gig Harbor, using humane, science based methods built on positive reinforcement. Her credentials include CCPDT certified behavior consultant, Certified Separation Anxiety Behavior Consultant, Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner and Fear Free Certified Professional. Her Life Skills work covers new dogs, kids and dogs, loose leash walking and recall. Behavior Challenges covers fearful and reactive dogs, resource guarding and trouble being home alone. She works in person from Fox Island to Port Orchard and North Tacoma, and online anywhere in the US, so Seattle owners can book a virtual session.

Tracy Weber trains under the name Peaceful Pups and works across the greater Seattle area. Her site describes science based, force free training that rewards the behaviors you want instead of punishing the ones you don't. Private training happens in your home or at another place you agree on. Services include behavior consultation, basic training for families, help with challenging behavior, and puppy preparation for families about to bring a puppy home. Our listing data shows an MSc in Clinical Animal Behavior and lists aggression and reactivity among her specialties.

West Seattle Wonder Dogs runs classes and day camp from its West Seattle storefront and serves nearby neighborhoods like Gatewood and High Point. The site says the team only uses positive reinforcement based on animal learning theory and calls its trainers certified professional dog trainers. Options include puppy socialization, teen play and adult manners classes. Leash Walking runs in levels you can drop into, and Tricks runs as a beginner and an advanced series. Private training happens in your home. Day camp runs on set weekdays, and a Proactive About Reactivity session helps owners of reactive dogs.

Sit Means Sit Seattle is a Woodinville office of the Sit Means Sit franchise, with Bobby Woodman and Brian Uyeno named as head trainers. Programs include Immersion Day Train, where you drop your dog off in the morning for one on one work, and lessons that can run on evenings and weekends. Dogs who finish private lessons can join group practice classes. Puppy programs cover potty training, crate training and biting. The site says it uses its own remote electronic collar, which it describes as giving an adjustable tap. Raise this on the first call if you want training without a collar.

Off Leash K9 Training Seattle is a local office of the Off Leash K9 franchise. Private programs include obedience packages of eight lessons, an Aggressive Dog Package and a Therapy Dog Development package. Board and train options run one week, two weeks or 21 days. Puppy consultations are for dogs under five months. Lessons can happen in your home, and the site lists cities served across the area, including Bellevue and Burien. The site doesn't describe the tools its trainers use, so find out which collars they use and whether they use corrections.

Atlas Assistance Dogs is based in Bellevue and helps people with disabilities train their own service dogs, instead of placing a dog it raised. Its site shows Assistance Dogs International accredited member status, which matches our listing data, and our listing names hearing dogs and service dogs as its focus. The Train Your Own Service Dog program gives personal support as you build a working team with your dog. Atlas also runs Atlas Academy courses for trainers and keeps a directory of service dog trainers. Check eligibility with Atlas directly, since the home page doesn't list it.

Sparks K9 is John Sparks's training business in Monroe, established in 2006 per its site. John is the founder and lead trainer, and the site lists his certification through the IACP and NADOI. Services include private training, board and train for obedience and behavior change, and a day school for busy owners. Group classes include Puppy Socialization, Beginner Novice and Novice Obedience. The site has pages on reactivity and on dogs with a bite history, and says it helps owners build calm, reliable relationships with their dogs through structure and real world experience. Sessions are by appointment.

Three Hounds Dog Training is Lee Harper's business in Poulsbo, offering positive reinforcement training for dogs and puppies on the Kitsap Peninsula. Services include private dog training, private puppy training and group classes. The site puts weight on empathy and trust, along with patience and consistency at home. Our listing data shows Lee as a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner and lists assistance animal training among Lee's specialties, though the site doesn't mention it. If you live across the water from Seattle and want a reward based trainer close to home, start here.

Best Friend Forever K9 Training in Gig Harbor offers board and train, one on one lessons, puppy classes, daycare and boarding. Board and train is listed on its site at $2,750 for two weeks with the electronic collar only, and at $3,750 to $5,000 for three or four weeks with or without it. Group classes follow AKC programs, including S.T.A.R. Puppy and Canine Good Citizen. Credentials on the site include Certified E-Collar Trainer, Method K9 Certified Level 1 and AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator. If you prefer reward only training, ask for a program without the collar.