The Best Dog Training in Santa Rosa, CA

Sonoma County is home to many nice places to live but Santa Rosa is among the best options. It’s home to a few hundred thousand people and has plenty of activities to participate in ranging from tips to the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center to public parks.

Santa Rosa is also a great place to settle down if you have a dog. With the right training, you can enjoy everything the city has to offer without worrying about bad behavior.

Santa Rosa is a great place to live with a dog but we can’t emphasize the importance of proper training. In a smaller city, there aren’t many rules about taking your dog out in public, so it’s important to find trainers who focus on socialization.

Having your dog socialized at a young age will reduce the chances of barking, aggression, and pulling you around to chase other dogs or people. Once your dog is trained, you can enjoy your time with them in cafes, breweries, and other venues that Santa Rosa has to offer.

That said, you need to work with the right trainers. Working with the wrong trainers will lead to wasted time, money, and patience. Only look for trainers who are based in Santa Rosa and understand the area to help you maximize your experience.

Also, make sure trainers fit your unique needs. For example, if you have an adult dog, make sure the trainer offers adult dog training classes.

Below we take you through a summary of the best trainers in Santa Rosa, California.

Online vs. In-Person Training

One of the biggest things to consider when you’re selecting a dog trainer in Santa Rosa is how you want the training to be done. The options are in-person, online, or sometimes a combination of both.

Online and in-person training are both viable options depending on what you need to be done. In some cases, in-person or online may be a better fit, so we’ll cover the use cases in detail below.

Starting with in-person training; In-person dog training is a tried and true method for training your furry little friend. It’s been around since dogs have been domesticated from wolves and the methods remain similar to this day.

In-person trainers offer training through physical interactions and positive reinforcement with your dog. It’s ideal for leash training, teaching dogs to swim, and service dog applications.

What’s more, in-person dog trainers usually offer unique benefits like grooming, doggy daycare, and board & train programs. Therefore, your dog can be taken care of by the same person or people throughout the whole process.

On the other hand, you have online dog training, which is a newer training method. It’s made viable by video calls on platforms like Google Meets, Skype, and in-house training platforms.

Online dog training works because it’s inexpensive, effective, and flexible. You can train your dog at your own pace or even enroll in an education course to train your dog on your own. Many online dog trainers also host group sessions, so you don’t have to worry about socialization.

As you can see, both dog training methods are viable options but what you choose depends on your circumstances. We recommend a consultation with both types of trainers to evaluate your decision.

Perks of Online and In-Person Training in Santa Rosa

Below we take you through the perks of in-person and online dog training to help you differentiate the services.

The Best Dog Training in Santa Rosa

Santa Rosa is home to dozens of dog trainers. It’s important to note that some trainers are better than others, especially if you have niche needs, like training a dog for athletics or tracking. Therefore, we’ve selected the five best dog trainers in Santa Rosa to help you narrow down your options.

Dog Academy

• Online or In-Person: Both
• Types of Training Courses: Obedience Classes, Behavioral Issues, Puppy Training, Psychiatric Service Dog Training, Emotional Support Animal Training, Specialty Classes (e.g. Canine Confidence, Separation Anxiety)
• Price Range: $49.99-$349.99
• Link to Website: Dog Academy Basic Obedience Training Program
• Phone Number: 605-223-1971

Dog Academy is the best option when it comes to dog training in Santa Rosa. You can’t go wrong with a network of more than 1,000 professional dog trainers.

The network consists of trained trainers who have what Dog Academy calls an “alphabet soup” of certifications. Some examples include certifications for service dogs, American Kennel Club credentials, and much more.

Dog Academy makes every program easy to afford in packages, but private training is also an option. It’s a priority for Dog Academy to provide flexibility, so online trainers help you train your dog at your own pace. Depending on your location and availability there may be in-person training options in Santa Rosa, California.

Four Paws Pet Ranch

• Online or In-Person: In-Person
• Types of Training Courses: Pet Boarding, Dog Daycare, Dog Grooming, Board & Train, Manners Training
• Price Range: Consultation-Based
• Link to Website: https://www.fourpawspetranch.com/
• Address: 3410 Guerneville Rd, Santa Rosa, CA 95401
• Phone Number: 707-843-3971

Four Paws Pet Ranch has one simple goal and it’s to treat every dog they train like family. In fact, when you board your dog with this trainer you get the first night for free.

That said, there are also great training options for dogs no matter where they are in their training journey. All dogs at Four Paws Pet Ranch get trained by experienced trainers who help with positive reinforcement and bonding.

There are training options available for dogs of all ages and behaviors, so you don’t have to worry about not having availability for puppies or older dogs. Another unique aspect of this trainer is that a portion of all the proceeds goes to Countryside Rescue, which is a non-profit that rescues dogs of all ages.

K9 Activity Club

• Online or In-Person: In-Person
• Types of Training Courses: Board & Train, Boarding, Dog Daycare, Socialization (Playing), Behavior Modification, Puppy Socialization, Obedience
• Price Range: $1,350-$4,500
• Link to Website: http://k9activityclub.com/
• Address: 4340 Occidental Rd, Santa Rosa, CA 95401
• Phone Number: 707-569-1394

K9 Activity Club is exactly as it sounds, a club for dogs to have some fun and get some exercise. What makes this trainer unique is that most training programs are designed around fun, sports, learning, and positive reinforcement.

You’ll never have to worry about your dog being yelled at for not getting the attention they deserve. Plus, your dog will get plenty of exercise along the way. There are programs for boarding, playing, daycare, and serious training. Depending on your needs, K9 Activity Club has it all for a reasonable cost.

Additionally, your dog can be boarded with them and stay with someone they trust when you go on vacation. This makes it one of the best options for all-inclusive dog care from puppies to adults. Most training programs are done through boarding school, so you don’t have to worry about setting time aside in your schedule.

All About Canines

• Online or In-Person: Both
• Types of Training Courses: Puppy Training & Support, Adolescent Dog Training & Support, Adult Dog Training & Enrichment, Rescue Dog Support
• Price Range: $150/hour
• Link to Website: http://www.allabout-canines.com/
• Address: 3295 Linwood Ave, Santa Rosa, CA 95404
• Phone Number: 415-798-0223

All About Canines uses dog psychology to help train your dog through comfort, environment, and positive reinforcement. The trainer has more than two decades of experience with dog behavior and understands dog training for puppies and adult dogs.

Primarily, the training program focuses on reading a dog’s body language to make sure they’re comfortable. This approach to training helps you and the trainer identify the proper methods to help your dog build trust and learn commands. All About Canines is suitable for just about any training method, whether it’s behavior changes or leash training.

Olivet Kennel & Dog Training

• Online or In-Person: In-Person
• Types of Training Courses: Training, Boarding, Daycare
• Price Range: $200
• Link to Website: http://www.olivetkennel.com/
• Address: 2404 Olivet Rd, Santa Rosa, CA 95401
• Phone Number: 707-542-2066

Olivet Kennel & Dog Training has been around since 1990 and founded by dog enthusiasts Sapir and Jane Weiss. The kennel has an award-winning history of training dogs for all applications, including advanced training techniques for hunting and tracking.

Today, the kennel has changed ownership to new dog enthusiasts Wendy and Drew Wellings, who follow the Kennel’s original legacy. The kennel can help you modify your dog’s behavior, teach your dog to walk on a leash, and even provide boarding options.

Olivet Kennel & Dog Training also has a professional team of dog trainers, so availability is rarely an issue for daycare, training, grooming, or boarding.

Find the Right Dog Training for You in Santa Rosa

When you’re looking for a dog trainer in Santa Rosa, we have you covered. Any of the options we provided can help you with your dog training needs. Each option has been vetted for quality, experience, and success rate. Our top choice is Dog Academy, but we always recommend consulting with a few dog trainers to find the best fit.

Ultimately, make sure you choose based on your needs and what you intend to do with your dog. If you just want to change their behavior and improve their leash-walking skills, simple courses are a great choice. For more intensive training it’s best to enter long-term training programs or work with trainers who provide board & train services.