Dairydell Doggie Dude Ranch & Training Center

Dairydell offers a comprehensive suite of dog training programs designed to address various needs and skill levels. Their flagship “Dream Dog COMPLETE™” Board & Train program is an intensive, modular live-in experience, available in 1 to 4-week tiers. This program covers everything from on-leash manners and household control (Week 1: My Home Companion) to greater outdoor control with distractions (Week 2: Dog About Town), and advanced off-leash work using remote collars (Week 3: Hands-Free & By My Side, Week 4: Wide OpenSpaces). Each Board & Train tier includes daily professional training, necessary equipment, step-by-step owner videos, hands-on owner classes, lifetime access to maintenance classes, boarding, meals, and progress reports.

Drop-Off Day Training provides professional sessions for specific issues like pulling, jumping, and recall, available as single or multiple sessions for dogs boarding or dropping in for the day. Private Concierge Sessions and Expert Behavior Consultations offer personalized, hourly training or in-depth analysis for complex behavioral issues, led by either experienced staff trainers or the Director of Training, Camilla Gray-Nelson.

Group Dog Training Classes cater to a range of needs, including “Manners 911” for quick fixes of common household behaviors, “Basics & Beyond” for foundational obedience using their “Natural Dog Training” method, and “Advanced Obedience” for mastering skills with distractions. Specialized group classes include “PHDog” for advanced off-leash control, “CGC Prep & Pass” for AKC Canine Good Citizen certification, “S.T.A.R. Puppy Socialization” and “On the Right Paw” for puppy development, “Rally-Gility” for combining obedience with agility, and “Sniffer Dog” for scent detection training.

Pricing Summary

The Dream Dog Complete Board & Train program costs $1850 per week, with options for 1 to 4 weeks. Day Training is $150 per session or $250 for two sessions per day. Expert Behavior Consultations with Camilla Gray-Nelson are $199 per hour (regularly $225) for in-person or Zoom sessions. Private Concierge Sessions with staff trainers are $99 for the first hour (regularly $150) for in-person or Zoom, with additional packages available: $375 for 3 sessions or $750 for 6 sessions.

Group classes are priced as follows: Manners 911 is $150 for a 3-week course. Basics & Beyond is $275 for a 7-week course. Advanced Obedience, PHDog Advanced Obedience, CGC Prep & Pass, S.T.A.R. Puppy Socialization, On the Right Paw Puppy, Rally-Gility, and Sniffer Dog classes are all $250 for 6-week courses. Training equipment for group classes is custom-chosen and paid for separately.

Additional services include “Matchmaker” Consultations with Camilla Gray-Nelson for $250 per hour, Personal Trainer Sessions starting from $150 for 50 minutes (Camilla Gray-Nelson by special arrangement for $250), and Supervised Public Walks for graduates at $30 per hour. Boarding rates are $68 per night for the Bunk House, $78 per night for Private Suites, and Luxury Suites are $150 per night for a single dog or $200 per night for two family dogs.

Policies

All group classes are prepaid, and Dairydell has a strict no-refund and no-credit policy for missed classes. For the safety of all participants, children under 12 are not permitted in any group training classes. Dogs attending classes must be current on their Rabies, DHPP, and Bordatella vaccinations; while the Canine Influenza vaccination is optional, coughing dogs are not allowed in class. For boarding services, Dairydell cannot accept dogs that are aggressive toward humans.

Dairydell Doggie Dude Ranch & Training Center is a dog training and boarding facility located in Petaluma, CA, serving Sonoma, Marin, Napa, San Francisco Bay Area, Oakland, and the East Bay. They offer a variety of services including intensive live-in Board & Train programs, Drop-Off Day Training, Private Concierge Sessions, Expert Behavior Consultations, and Group Dog Training Classes.

Their unique approach, “Dog Training a Woman’s Way™,” is a “woman-centric” philosophy that emphasizes a “mother-like teaching style” focused on loving leadership, rules, boundaries, and consistent follow-through, without yelling, punishment, or bribery. This nature-based method is designed to help dogs understand their place in the family hierarchy, leading to willing cooperation and obedience.

Dairydell also provides comprehensive dog boarding services, including group “Bunk House” accommodations, private “Miss Kitty’s” suites, and luxury “Little Houses on the Dairy” apartments, all in a farm setting with fresh air and room to run. They offer additional services like “Matchmaker” consultations for prospective dog owners and supervised public walks for training graduates.

The business has been built on client referrals for 25 years, highlighting their commitment to client success. They provide extensive support to owners, including step-by-step videos, tutorials, hands-on classes, and lifetime access to maintenance classes for Board & Train graduates.

Accomplishments

Dairydell Doggie Dude Ranch & Training Center has been transforming dogs and delighting owners for 25 years. The training programs are led by Camilla Gray-Nelson, the founder, who brings over 40 years of dog training experience. She has helped over 10,000 dogs and is an award-winning author of “Lipstick and the Leash: Dog Training a Woman’s Way.” Camilla Gray-Nelson holds professional memberships in both the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors (NADOI) and the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP). The business prides itself on its growth through sincere referrals from grateful clients, rather than advertising.

How to Get Started!

Prospective clients can begin by booking a free ranch tour and a helpful trainer conversation to learn more about Dairydell’s services. New client registration is available online through a dedicated form. For general inquiries or to schedule services, clients can call (707) 762-6111 or use the secure contact form on their website. They also offer a downloadable app for communication, boarding requests, vaccine record uploads, and curb-side service notifications.