So you got a dog and your living room was destroyed. Here are some of the best training packages in town.
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I’m lucky that Lucy is calm, well-behaved and quiet (the loudest she gets is when she growls at a man walking toward me in the dark), but I don’t think some extra emphasis on good behavior — or a strengthening in our relationship — could hurt, especially after I came home to a torn apart living room.
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I started digging and realized just how many training options there are in the city and how overwhelming they can be. To save you some of the hassle, I put together a few of the best options.
Bark Busters Home Dog Training – 11237 Dickie Ross Road – According to Australia-based Bark Busters, happy dogs don’t bark. If yours does, they want to help you build a stronger relationship through training and the understanding of how dogs communicate. Each training course is individualized for the dog, but you can get help with everything from leash pulling to puppy training to destruction in and outside the house. Call for pricing.
Camp Bow Wow – 4900 Chastain Avenue – This boarding facility also doubles as a training school. Group lessons range from $100-$130, in-camp training costs $30 and private varies between $80 and $90. You can also sign up for things like puppy socialization ($15) and a one-hour seminar ($15).
Carolinas Critter Sitter Doggie Resort – 4717 Sweden Road – The boarding facility also offers private training (one to six sessions for $79-$439), In Home Puppy Day Training (10 or 12 sessions for $1,000-$1,200), Board and Train (six two-hour sessions for one or two weeks for $789-$1,478) and Day Training, which is done while your dog boards for the day (six sessions for $329).
Happy Tail Wags – Quail Hollow – While they mainly offer boarding and spa services, Happy Tail also has a basic training program. Each program is created for each individual dog, and half-hour sessions will run you $40 while hour-long sessions cost $70. If you want something more than that, sign up for the Basics Package, where your dog will learn things like sit, come, leave it and polite leash walking for $150.
Humane Society of Charlotte SuperDog Training – 2700 Toomey Avenue – For five consecutive weeks, you and your dog will focus on learning things like sit, heel and drop it and how to incorporate the skills into everyday life. Visit the site for more information on pricing.
K9-BootCamp – 7810 Trotter Road – Doris does in-home training (the Well-Mannered Dog and Perfect Paws programs) along with 10- to 15-day bootcamps (the Dream Dog and Amazing Dog programs). As training is individualized, prices vary.
Midwood Barkery – 3100 Monroe Road – Along with Puppy Preschool and Good Start Puppy Class, the people at Midwood Barkery also host Obedience, Separation Anxiety and Aggression classes.
National K9 Training Academy – 11931 Harris Ridge – National K9 specializes in the training of larger dogs (think Pitbulls, Rottweilers and German Shepherds). Grab this Groupon for a month of training for only $46.
Petco – 3401 Pineville Matthews Road, 6416 Rea Road, 1824 East Arbors Drive – Like PetSmart, Petco offers what they call Positive Dog Training that has programs for puppies and adult dogs alike. Classes for both ages are done in 6-week spans in a group setting (levels one and two are both $109). Essential and Complete packages that encompass the entire training regimen are also offered at $199 and $299, respectively, for both ages.
PetSmart – 206 South Sharon Amity Road, 5401 South Boulevard – Classes range from Puppy to Advanced Training, and each lasts for six weeks and costs $119. Stores also offer private sessions ($49-219), personal camps (30-minute sessions, $35-200) and Trick Training ($119).
Sidekick Dog Club – 1116 East 4th Street – The trainers at Sidekick understand that each dog is different and therefore takes an individualized approach to each dog’s training. They offer private, group and immersion training. Since each plan is different, prices vary.
The Dog Knowledge – 1110 Pro Am Drive – The Dog Knowledge’s training is all individual, and they offer training packages billed in 15-minute intervals ($15-$125) and more in-depth training programs. The in-depth programs span over days (from five days to 8 weeks) and range in price from $78 per day to $3,795 as a whole.
The Dog Wizard – 216 Foster Avenue – Choose from the Freedom Program (Group or Private), the Home Front (leave your dog for two weeks for immersion training), Aggression/Leash Reactivity Rehabilitation or Extreme Anxiety/Separation Anxiety Rehabilitation The Dog Wizard offers 15 different types of specialized training including Puppy Preschool, Obedience, Aggression Rehab, Rescue Rehab, Baby Prep and Group Classes.
Tip to Tail Dog Training and Walking – Charlotte and the surrounding area – If you’re not sure what, exactly, your dog needs, Tip to Tail has you covered with an in-home assessment ($125) that will you help you figure it out before you make a training plan. Training classes offered are the Puppy Package, Basic Manners (both include orientation and 3 private sessions for $375) and a Walk and Train Package ($35-$825). If you’d rather have your dog around others, they do offer 5-week training courses at the Pet Supermarket in Dilworth.
Uber Dog Training – 1420 South Mint Street – Train in hour-long private, weekly one-on-one sessions for four weeks in your home or at an UberDog location before moving to a high-distraction public space. They train dogs of any age with any behavioral issue and are confident in getting rid of habits like barking, biting, pulling, chewing and aggression. Private sessions are $1,250 and you’re guaranteed unlimited group classes for the life of your dog. Before you cut the check, you can request a free demo.
Understanding Our Dogs – 6135 Park South Drive – Lena has worked with dogs for over 15 years and received a formal education from the Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training and Behavior. Along with Nosework classes, she offers in-home training and behavior modification to help your dog through its anxiety, aggression and fear issues. She charges $490 for 5 training sessions and lets you create the schedule.
Zoom Room Dog Training – 12239 North Community House Road – Zoom Room offers both Puppy Classes and Obedience Training along with Agility, Enrichment and Therapy Dog training. Private training ranges from $65 to $400 while class packages range from $120 to $450.
