Best Dog Trainers in Wisconsin

Elissa Chasen runs Paws Together, a Madison business serving the area since 2025. Her site describes training built on positive reinforcement, with private programs for leash pulling, reactivity, barking, anxiety and aggression. She also teaches a reactive dog group class and seminar. First consults happen in your home or online, and virtual sessions work anywhere. Our database lists her as a CPDT-KA and PCT-A and a Pet Professional Guild member. A free 15 minute intro call comes first, and she serves towns from Waunakee down to Oregon.

The Dog Den has trained Madison dogs for more than 20 years and runs two locations, one in Fitchburg and one on Madison's east side, plus a separate Puppy Den. Puppy Play and Learn is a coached socialization class led by CPDT certified trainers. Our database lists a long class menu that includes foundations, outdoor skills, CGC, shy dog, tricks, treibball, rally, nose work and fitness. Private lessons and behavior consults can happen at the facility or in your home. The Dog Den also runs daycare.

Dog's Best Friend Training was founded in Madison in 1988 by Patricia McConnell, Ph.D. Training uses positive reinforcement based techniques, according to the school's own site. Group classes cover basic obedience, puppy, agility, tricks, nose games and workshops. Private sessions can meet at your home, in your neighborhood or at a local park, and separate behavior sessions handle problem behavior. Online classes run through a separate school site, and phone and online behavior consults help if you live outside the Madison area.

Tyrese Evans owns and leads A Howling Good Time Dog Training, which lists Madison in its header and Cottage Grove on its site. Services include private lessons and day training, and dogs can also stay for board and train or plain boarding. His site describes a five pillar system that starts with reward and obedience and ends with behavior modification and management. Client stories mention reactive puppies and dogs that jump up. The site does not list his credentials, so ask about his background and tools on your first call.

Sarah Miller runs Teacher's Pet Training Academy from Middleton, with group classes in Cross Plains, Madison, Sun Prairie and Waunakee. Classes cap at six dogs and move from Puppy Kindergarten up through Doggy High School. The site says every trainer is certified through the CCPDT, and our database lists Sarah as a CPDT-KA and CBCC-KA. Methods are reward based and described as humane. Private training happens in your home around Madison, and extras include anti predation training and a canine chaperone service for weddings.

Canine Clarity works from Belleville, south of Madison, and focuses on dogs with behavior problems. Behavior consultations can happen in your home. Its programs run from day training up to a VIP board and train, and a rescue rehabilitation program works with dogs coming out of rescue. Problems the site names include aggression and separation anxiety, plus puppy raising. Boarding and daycare are offered too. Training methods and credentials are not on the site, which makes them good first questions.

Todd Regan, known as Coach Wags, trains from a home based location in Edgerton and does most private work in your home in Edgerton, Madison, Janesville and nearby towns. Private programs include Puppy Head Start and Rescue Foundations. Behavior consulting covers reactivity and fear, along with resource guarding and barking. Day Camp gives your dog one on one structure that mixes training with downtime. His methods are positive reinforcement and relationship based, and our database lists him as a Pet Professional Guild member.

The Thinking K9 in Janesville, led by a trainer the site calls Barb, treats training as behavior modification grounded in how the nervous system works. Its Cornerstone classes come in three steps, starting with puppies up to seven months and ending with adults ready to add distance and distraction. A one on one consultation places your dog in the right step. The site names fear and reactivity among the problems it works on, and its service area runs from Beloit south to Rockford, Illinois. No trainer credentials are listed.

The Janesville-Beloit Kennel Club is a nonprofit founded in the 1960s with its own clubhouse and training facility in Janesville. Members and nonmembers are both welcome in classes. The schedule runs from new puppy and STAR Puppy classes up to competition obedience and rally, and several classes are drop in, including scent work. Other offerings include a reactive dog class and CGC prep, plus Hoopers, tricks and Barn Hunt. Because the club teaches competition levels too, you can move into AKC sports later.

The Kenosha Kennel Club has been around for more than 50 years and runs eight week courses that open with an owner orientation. The puppy course takes puppies from 10 weeks to six months, and Basic Obedience starts at six months. Advanced Obedience adds off leash work. Scent work takes dogs nine months and older, with drop in sessions on Fridays and Sundays. The next puppy and basic courses start in January 2027. The site does not say whether you need to join the club first.

N.E.W K9 Scent Work teaches nose work in Green Bay at every level, from dogs doing it for fun to teams training for trials. Instructors are NACSW certified. The site says its approach suits dogs with environmental sensitivities, and it does not accept dogs that are aggressive toward people. The site says there will be no Introduction to Nose Work class in 2026 or early 2027, so new students who trained elsewhere should talk with the instructors first about where they fit.

Maggie Hansen's Practical Obedience works from Suamico and serves Green Bay, De Pere and nearby towns. Puppy DaySchool and Teenage DaySchool are drop off programs. Group classes run six weeks across three levels, and finishing all three makes your dog eligible for CGC certification. Certified behavior consultants lead programs for fear and aggression, and a cooperative care option helps dogs that struggle with nail trims or vet handling. Our database lists Maggie with the CBCC-KA and a CTC, and her team trains the Green Bay Rockers bat dogs.

The Becket School of Canine Training and Rehabilitation is in De Pere, and Stephanie Hintz is the contact named on its site. The school says it works on behavior problems and reliable obedience while teaching owners alongside their dogs. Problems it lists include leash pulling and ignored commands, along with reactivity and aggression. Training is described as immersive and set in real world places. The homepage does not say which formats it offers or list credentials, so ask how sessions run and which tools are used.

Kristina Knight runs Sniff. Treat. Repeat., which our database places in Appleton. The site describes a science based approach built on positive reinforcement and enrichment, with help for puppies and fear based concerns. Its training page offers one on one virtual coaching, plus memberships for ongoing advice between sessions. Our database lists behavior consulting for aggression and reactivity, assistance animal training, and credentials such as BAT Foundations and FFCP. Neither the credentials nor a service area appear on the site itself.

Marissa Kososki trains dogs in the Menasha area, per our database. Her site says she graduated from The Academy of Dog Trainers. Services include in home day training while you are away and private coaching, plus group obedience classes and puppy socialization outings. She uses food and toys as rewards and says she does not use choke chains, prong or shock collars, or alpha techniques. She does use head halters and clickers, and after a day training session you get a progress report with a photo or video.

Winnegamie Dog Club is a Menasha club with more than 60 years behind it and a large fenced yard for training. Its site says all dogs are welcome. Family Dog classes start with Basic Manners for puppies and dogs of any age. Sport classes cover obedience and rally, agility, conformation, nose work and tracking, and recent schedules added Fit Dog and a confidence building class. Membership rules for classes are not spelled out on the homepage, so read the registration page.

Lynsie Bernier runs Ideal DOG from a training center in Oshkosh. Group classes include puppy, manners, K9 Life Skills, nose work and agility, plus a therapy skills and Canine Good Citizen class that ends with testing. Private sessions happen at the center or in your home, and you can book online. The site focuses on teaching you to train your own dog through practice and repetition. Our database lists Lynsie as a CPDT-KA and a Pet Professional Guild member. Prices are not posted.

Heather Mishefske has run her Eau Claire training business since 2005. Group classes run under the name Date Night with Your Dog, and the Prepared Puppy Day is a day long, science based program led by a certified trainer. She also offers a separation anxiety service and behavior consulting that looks at your dog's emotional state along with the problem behavior. Our database lists Heather as a CPDT-KA and CBCC-KA, and the site shows CCPDT and APDT badges. Training prices are not posted.

Barks and Recreation is an Eau Claire business that offers dog training alongside daycare and boarding, so your dog can train and play in one place. Its homepage lists training as a main service and mentions a discount for military and law enforcement families. The training page did not load when we checked, so we can't tell you its class types or trainer credentials. On your first call, ask what formats and tools they use, and whether you need to be a daycare client to sign up.

Carol Lofquist runs TLC Dog Training for families in the Wisconsin Northwoods and has more than 25 years of experience, per her site. Group classes meet in Tomahawk and Lake Tomahawk, with more in Rhinelander and on Saturdays in Sayner. Private lessons follow a plan built for your dog, and you book them online. Carol also teaches agility at a range of levels. Her methods use treats and toys as rewards, with a stated focus away from punishment, and the site posts fall 2026 class news.

The Marshfield Area Kennel Club was founded in 1987, and its classes are open to all dogs with no membership required. That includes mixed breeds. The club teaches agility, obedience, rally, conformation and scent work, plus a therapy dog education class that gets you and your dog ready for a therapy dog evaluation. The site does not list a puppy class or prices, and it does not say where each class meets, so check the schedule when you sign up.

Mary Kalista Jackson runs K-9 Perfection in Manitowoc, and the site also mentions Door County. Group courses run six weeks with the same trainer for every class, from puppy level to advanced, with evening and weekend options. Private sessions run six weeks too and suit reactive dogs or owners who want a personal plan. CGC classes are listed, including the advanced and urban versions. Her methods are game based positive reinforcement, and our database lists the ABCDT credential. The site also names IACP and APDT memberships.

Pam Wittkopp runs Pam's Pawsitive Training in Sheboygan Falls, and her site names Plymouth as well. She holds the CPDT-KA and CBCC-KA from the CCPDT and a CCDT from CATCH Canine Trainers Academy, and she is a certified dog bite prevention educator. Services include classes and individual sessions, behavior consulting, agility and scent sessions, and seminars. Her methods are positive reinforcement and behavior modification, with the goal of building a stronger bond between you and your dog. You apply for training through her site, which also spells out cancellation rules.

Upward Hound Dog Training sits in New Richmond and serves families across the St. Croix River Valley. The site says it uses only positive reinforcement with force free and fear free methods. Private training is behavior consulting focused on dogs with fear or aggression, and a separate service handles separation anxiety. Group classes and a Super Puppy day school are offered too. Our database lists Casey McGee as a Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer and a certified behavior consultant, though the site only says its staff is credentialed.

Red Star Kennel in Hudson has been in business since 1996 and serves the Twin Cities area from the Wisconsin side of the river. Owners drop dogs off for full day boot camps, and the site lists obedience and sport programs plus behavior work. Problems it names include leash pulling and door barking, along with aggression. Training aims to build a shared language so your dog responds from understanding rather than fear. A boarding kennel is on site. The site lists no credentials or tools, so bring up methods before your dog's first camp day.

Connie Maedke runs Red River K9 II, which her site places near Luxemburg in Kewaunee County. She has been a certified veterinary technician since 1992 and earned her CPDT-KA in 2018. Every client starts with a consultation online, by phone or in person, listed on her site as $65. Options run from Guided Coaching sessions and Head Start day training to Lodge and Learn, where your dog trains while boarding. Puppy work covers house training and biting, behavior sessions handle reactivity, and she uses clicker training.

Emily Blythe runs Homeward Bound Animal Behavior and Training, which our database places in Pardeeville, and she works with cats and birds as well as dogs. Each case starts with a history intake, then a management plan and a behavior modification plan. Her methods are force free and based on positive reinforcement. The site names reactive and anxious behavior along with aggression, and a client story describes separation anxiety work. Our database lists ACDBC and CSAT among her credentials. The site does not say whether visits happen in your home or by video.

The Fond du Lac County Kennel Club formed in January 1975 when two local clubs merged, and the AKC recognized it that September. The site says its conformation and scent work classes are open to the public. The club also holds agility and FastCAT run thrus, which let you try a course or a timed sprint outside a full trial. The site does not say whether obedience classes are open to the public, and fees belong on the club's class schedule page.

Kim Waugus runs All Fur Paws in Plainfield and serves central Wisconsin with more than 25 years of experience. Private lessons meet at your home or on outings such as walks. Virtual lessons run over Zoom or Teams. Behavior Improvement Plans mix training with management, and Stay, Train and Play boards and trains dogs under a year old. She also helps owners prepare for therapy dog certification. Her methods are force free and science based, and she is an AKC STAR Puppy and CGC evaluator.

The Wisconsin Rapids Kennel Club has served the area for more than 50 years from its building in Port Edwards. Classes are open to members and nonmembers and usually meet once a week for eight weeks. The list includes AKC STAR Puppy, obedience, agility, flyball, conformation, and therapy dog and CGC prep. Members get a class discount and building access for practice. Every dog must be current on vaccines. Schedules shift through the year, so check the club's Facebook page.