Dog Training in Richmond VA

Breakfast with a few Best Friend’s Dogs (and owners). Notice the untouched eggs, bacon, and french toast on plates in front of the dogs.

"If You Need a Leash, Your Dog's Not Trained!"

Offering Reliable On and Off Leash Dog Training since 1999.

Best Friend’s Dog Training has been training dogs since 1999. Through the years we’ve trained thousands of pet dogs to be obedient both on and off leash. We do this from the smallest Yorkies and Chihuahua’s to Great Danes and everything in between. We train Happy dogs, shy dogs and aggressive dogs. All are welcome.

If your goal is a competition heads up heel or you are just looking to get your pup to “follow me” for a walk in the park, we can help. Besides training family pets, we regularly train and compete in protection dog sports. We’ve had several K9 police officers from many departments come to us to further their training with their Police Service Dogs.

We’ve helped people have more control for the dogs they hunt over for retriever training and Hunt Tests. If you have questions about our programs or about what we can do to help you and your dog out, please give us a call. From Puppy Kindergarten, to Basic Obedience or Advanced Obedience, and Protection Dogs, we can help.

Puppy Kindergarten - a great start!

Private Puppy Kindergarten lays the foundation for great training and a lifetime of effective communication with your pup . Puppies have different needs and expectations then older dogs. The impressions we make on a pup will affect the pup for life, as such, we will teach puppies using positive only reinforcement and if you choose, verbal markers or clickers.

We spend the time with you teaching what to do and what not to do. We will actively teach topics in a 5 private sessions such as housebreaking, crate training, socialization, teaching basic commands, including Sit, Come, Heel (forward and backwards), Down, Place, and Front. 

We also show how to handle environmental distractions and obstacles like going up and down stairs. $450

Board and Train (followed by private lessons in your home)

The two-week Boarding and Training ( some call it a Train and Stay) program that is followed up with private lessons in your home. Over the years, this program has exploded in popularity and is our most popular obedience training program in Virginia. It’s also the most referred program from existing clients to their friends and family. Many people who choose our Board and Train Obedience program want to know the foundation to their dog’s obedience training program is done correctly. 

Others either have little time to train their dog, are going away on vacation, are pregnant, or their dog is physically stronger then they are, and they need their dog trained. We train them to know the commands Sit, Stay, Come, Heel, Down, Off, Leave it, and Place. 

We not only do this in a training environment, but we do it in our home, in public places, and with plenty of distractions. When your dog returns home, private lessons are included with the family in your home to teach you how to apply and maintain the training long term. Although the owners still need to maintain training, this program requires dramatically less initial effort than the “In Home” program.

In Home Dog Training

“In Home” Basic Obedience is our original program, and if you have the time, works great. In “One on One” Basic Obedience, a trainer will work with you One on One and teach you how to train your dog. At the end of this phase your dog will know Sit, Stay, Come, Heel, Down, Off, Leave it, and Place, both on leash and off leash. Your dog will follow all these commands during distractions and without food bribes. When in heel (walk next to me) your dog will happily pay attention to which directions you choose to walk and stay with you. During Basic Obedience you will never hit or yell at your dog. All attention getting techniques are done at very low levels and copious amounts of praise and love will be used to reinforce wanted behavior. We’ve found that most people need to practice about 25 minutes a day, every day to get the off-leash result both in and out of your home.

We get calls all the time from people who said their dog had “failed” obedience school or were “asked to leave”. The problem usually is not the dog but what the other school failed to successfully teach the owner. This is a shame and a waste of money. Best Friend’s Dog Training® understands that telling someone to “do this” is not good enough. 

You need to understand why you are doing something. We know it takes some people longer then others to understand what is being taught.