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10 Best Online Dog Training Courses

Written by Khalil
Khalil is passionate about all sorts of domesticated pets. They have written dozens of articles across the web.
Published on
Thursday 7 May 2020
Last updated on
Tuesday 11 August 2020
best online dog training courses
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Few things are as annoying as a dog when they start acting up. Stealing your food, pooping inside, and incessant barking are just some of the behaviors that annoy us the most. Online dog training courses might be the solution for such behavior. Now, some of you may ask, “But isn’t it better to hire a personal trainer?”

One on one training with a certified trainer is always the best way to approach such problems. But in addition to some inherent disadvantages to an in-person training session, these sessions are straight-up expensive as well. Online training courses for dogs cost way less than hiring a certified, personal behaviorist or trainer. As well as allowing you to train your dog personally and help strengthen your bond.

Owing to the presence of hundreds of dog training courses all over the internet, it can be next to impossible to know where to look. To ease your pain, the following are the 10 best dog training courses we have found.

1. Dr. Dunbar’s Dog Academy

Few online course portals are as well regarded as Dr. Dunbar’s Dog Academy. Ian Dunbar, or Dr. Dunbar, is an advocate of positive reinforcement training. Positive reinforcement is a method in which, upon showing the desired behavior, a dog is given a treat.

Dr. Dunbar’s online portal contains all his dog training videos and dog training books. There are various subscription methods available and you can choose from a pool of free resources, subscribe to a course, or can buy his videos and books. When it comes to quality, his work is exceptional. People all over the internet have tried his stuff and are pretty happy with the results they have gotten out of it. The problems Dr. Dunbar’s work addresses include:

  • Teaching your dog to obey simple commands such as stay or sit
  • Reigning in aggressive dogs using positive reinforcement methods
  • Using scientifically proven techniques to teach your dog manners

All in all, Dr. Dunbar’s Dog Training Academy is an exceptional resource and one worth considering.

online dog training courses
Online dog courses are more affordable than hiring a dog trainer.

2. Dog Training by Kikopup

So, you are looking to train your dog but don’t have money to spend? Well, Dog Training by Kikopup is just what you need! If you haven’t already heard, Kikopup is a popular YouTube channel owned and operated by renowned trainer, Emily Larlham. She also runs a dog training business in San Diego. Putting aside her business for a moment, the channel is what we are interested in.

Kikopup has a wide range of dog training videos. Emily produces videos on topics such as behavior modification, changing unwanted behavioral patterns such as aggression and over-arousal. And we must say these videos are surprisingly helpful.

Not only are these videos awesome, but the fact that these are free also makes them even more appealing. In short, if you have a pup and are looking for a super helpful free resource, give Emily and Kikopup a shot. We are sure you won’t be disappointed.

3. Susan Garrett

Another great resource, Susan Garett’s YouTube channel, it’s a treasure trove of fun puppy training videos that teach you some essential techniques for handling dogs.

Susan has got everything on her channel. For instance, we all have struggled to teach our pups to fetch. Countless hours just to get them to sit properly. Well, you will be amazed to find out that Susan Garret taught a pup to fetch in less than 5 minutes!

Moreover, there are videos on almost every behavioral problem your dog might have. So, head there and take a look around. We are sure you’ll be surprised that all these videos are free and accessible to everyone.

4. 30-Day Perfect Pup by Zak George

The 30-day Perfect Pup by Zak George is a 30-day training regiment for your pup. Zak, if you don’t know about him, is a well-known dog trainer. In fact, he operates the most subscribed dog training channel on YouTube.

The course under discussion has been designed keeping the needs of untrained pup parents and shelter workers in mind. In spite of it being free, the 30-day course is surprisingly useful thorough. It contains advice and training on topics such as leash manners, potty training, basic crate games, and many more.

In addition to its resource-rich nature, the course has a community revolving around it, with a private Facebook group where one can ask questions and interact with fellow trainees. All in all, if we couple this free course with the already amazing YouTube channel that Zak operates, it easily becomes one of the best free dog training resources out there.

training videos for dog behavioral problems
These videos are free and accessible to everyone!

5. Simple Solutions for Common Dog Behavior and Problems

The name of the course essentially describes what the course achieves. It presents world-famous dog trainer Dr. Ian Dunbar‘s positive reinforcement techniques aimed at solving common dog behavior problems.

One of the things that we like most about this course is that it is for newbies. You don’t need any former training or experience to be able to learn from this course. What’s more is the fact that once you have completed this course, you get 6 continuing education credits by the CCPDT, IAABC, and NADOI.

So, if your dog is showing troubling behavior such as chewing, biting, nipping, or excessive barking, this course can prove to be just the thing you need.

6. Science-Based Dog Training

There is no better time to train a pup than in the very initial stages of its life. If you incorporate scientifically proven methods in the upbringing of your pup, the results can be pretty amazing.

This Udemy course aims to do just that. It includes techniques and tools to teach your pup all the basics of being a good dog. From proven methods of training your dog for off-leash walking to using food-free positive reinforcement training methods, this course is a well-rounded guide for every dog owner.

At 6-hours long, it might come off as a little short, but considering the quality of the content, it is a pretty good investment.

7. Online Dog Training by Penn Foster

If you are after a more professional or, let me put it this way, an institutionalized form of online dog training, then the Penn Foster College is for you. The Penn Foster College is a nationally accredited online dog training College offering courses and degrees in veterinary and animal sciences.

Pen Foster’s online dog training courses are exceptional. Why? Because throughout the lifecycle of the course, not only do you get training and advice that works, you also get a team of certified instructors and student support staff to help you.

Their course on dog obedience training has a pretty good reputation online and it is easy to see why. This course covers a pretty broad spectrum of important topics such as obedience training and behavioral modification. One thing that we should mention here is that, in comparison to other online courses, their courses are a bit expensive. If you can cope with that, then it is a great place to learn.

8. Become a Certified Dog Trainer from Karen Pryor Academy

For folks who are looking to get a certification in dog obedience training, Karon Pryor Academy is a great place to learn.

Karen Pryor is a world-renowned dog trainer and an advocate of the Positive Reinforcement Training technique. As a result, her academy uses this training technique in all of its courses. Their courses include things like obedience training, crate games, reinforcement training through the use of clickers, and similar industry staples.

Moving on to the courses themselves and we see they offer a bunch. From foundation training such as leash manners to essential sports training, they cover almost everything. And the quality of these courses is second to none. No wonder professionals all over the world trust them. Unfortunately, for most people, this form of dog training that is geared more towards the professionals maybe a little too expensive. Nevertheless, Karen Pryor Academy is a great place to learn.

online dog courses taught by professional trainers
Some online dog courses are created by professional trainers!

9. Smart Dog University

They are plenty of great online dog training courses out there. But sometimes, you don’t need a full-blown course on a specific topic rather a pointer in the right direction. This is where Smart Dog University makes its case.

Laurie Luck runs Smart Dog University. She is a trainer over at Karen Pryor Academy. When she is not training online, she is usually writing for her blog. And this blog is the thing you need to check out.

Smart Dog University‘s blogging section is full of helpful tricks and techniques that actually work. Just like we said, these blog posts act as reminders or pointers in the right direction. Posts such as Teaching a puppy to listen in public is exactly the reason we are featuring Smart Dog University on this list. In short, it is quite a good free resource of helpful dog training tips.

10. Dog Training Depot

The last entry on this list is the Dog Training Depot and its Canine Coach video series. First up, let us say this: Canine Coach is not Dog Training 101.

What we mean by this statement is that it doesn’t claim to make you a dog trainer by any means. It is a resource that aims to solve commonly occurring problems such as potty training, leash pulling, biting, and nipping. So, if you are looking for a professional certification, look elsewhere.

But if you only want to solve these problems and have fun on the way, then Dog training Depot is a great resource. Their videos are helpful and intuitive. Furthermore, they offer a free 14-day trial so you can see for yourself if this course is any good.

Before we finish up, let us say this once again: if you can afford it, an in-person training session with a certified instructor is always the best option. But if you can’t afford one and you want to bond with your pup while teaching him, online courses are the way to go.

There is no shortage of amazing online dog training courses. These courses cover a wide range of topics and many of them are taught by professional trainers. So, if you were thinking about giving an online dog training course a shot, we’d say go for it.

One comment on “10 Best Online Dog Training Courses”

  1. Sabrina

    This is an amazing list. Thanks so much for sharing!

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