Dog Dynasty Duluth, LLC

Dog Dynasty Duluth offers professional instruction in Obedience, Agility, and Scentwork, along with behavioral consultations and private lessons.

Obedience classes include Puppy and Adult Foundation, which teach basic social skills, bond building, and leadership using a balanced reward system and positive reinforcement. Advanced Foundation and Competition classes build on these behaviors, preparing dogs for higher-level education and competition.

Agility is a fast-paced dog sport focusing on teamwork and obstacle negotiation, requiring conditioning and concentration. Prerequisites include Puppy/Adult and Advanced Foundation, with classes progressing from Agility I (Starters) through Agility IV (Masters).

Scentwork classes, including Intro, Intermediate, and Advanced levels, introduce dogs to basic scents and develop their searching acumen through various types of searches. Private consultations are available for behavioral concerns, particularly for outwardly aggressive dogs, to assess behavior and provide guidance.

Pricing Summary

Group classes are typically 6 weeks long, costing $180 or $200 depending on the program. Private consultations are available at $100 for one hour or $50 for a half hour.

Policies

Outwardly aggressive dogs (towards persons or other dogs) are not permitted in regular classes without a private consultation. During this consultation, the business will determine if the dog can be admitted to a group class setting and will provide guidance on managing behavioral concerns.

Dog Dynasty Duluth, LLC is a family-owned and operated business located in Lakewood Township, just minutes north of Duluth, Minnesota. Originally founded in 1970 as Arrowhead Dog Training Academy by Dan and Rita Herald, it is now run by their daughter Diane Craig and her husband Jim. The business is described as “The Leader in Canine Education.”

They provide professional instruction in dog sports, including Obedience, Agility, and Scentwork. They also offer behavioral consultations and private lessons. Their training style is a balanced reward-based system that incorporates positive motivational techniques and repetitive redirection to foster a strong bond and reliable responses.

Beyond training, Dog Dynasty Duluth offers complete Trial Secretary services for AKC Agility and FastCAT, USDAA Agility, and UKI Agility in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota. They are an annually licensed AKC Trial Secretary, insured and bonded. Additionally, they operate “Perfect 10 Border Collies,” a breeding program, and the “Dog Dynasty Store,” which sells quality dog training products.

Accomplishments

Dog Dynasty Duluth, originally founded in 1970 as Arrowhead Dog Training Academy, has become a premier training facility.

Owner Diane Craig began training dogs in the late 1960s and has since competed extensively in Obedience, Scentwork, FastCAT, and Agility, earning dozens of titles and championships, including UDX. Her late dog, Quinn, achieved numerous titles such as Utility Dog Excellent, Obedience Master 1, and Agility Dog Champion-Bronze, and was a multiple Beckwith Challenge Trophy Winner. Diane’s current dog, Noli, is competing at the Excellent level in Scentwork with multiple High in Trials.

Jim Craig, co-owner, began training in the early 1990s and is responsible for designing and maintaining the training equipment and facility. Their daughter, Robin, has also earned numerous agility and obedience titles and is an instructor at another canine center.

How to Get Started!

To get started, clients can submit a contact form on the website or call the provided phone number for general inquiries. For Trial Secretary services, a specific form is available to request contracts and fees. Private consultations can be scheduled by calling Diane directly. Registration links are provided for specific class dates and times.