Happy Tailz
Ranked #1 in Richmond and #5 in Virginia
Service Overview
Types of Dog Training
- Family Dog
- Behavior Modification
Specialty Focus Areas
- Basic Obedience
- Puppy Training
- Leash Pulling
- Reactivity / Aggression
- Jumping on People
Training Formats Offered
- Private Lessons
- In-Home
Program Formats
- Sessions Package
Types of Dogs
- Small
- Medium
- Large
- Giant
Age of Dogs Trained
- Puppy (<1 year)
- Adolescent (1-2 years)
- Adult (2-8 years)
- Senior (8+ years)
Dog Training Methodology
Methods:
- ✓ Positive Reinforcement Only
Happy Tailz offers private, one-on-one training sessions, including home visits, focusing on improving relationships between humans and their pets through positive reinforcement and muscle memory. Training is customized to individual needs and is available for pets at least 8 weeks of age, with no upper age limit.
Pricing & Policies
Pricing Summary
Happy Tailz provides quality education at a fraction of the cost, specializing in customizing seminars and workshops. A single 1-hour session costs $125.00. Packages include four sessions for $450.00 (saving $50) and six sessions for $675.00 (saving $75).
Testimonials
“Kelly got our 10-year-old Lab mix to get along with our new puppy and debunked the myth that “you can’t teach old dogs new tricks”. She’s also helping us raise our English Mastiff to be a good boy. They love her, and so do we!”
– Luisa Bonnin
“I contacted Kelly and I’m so glad I did! She came to the house and our Golden Puppy responded immediately and only after two sessions is much more obedient and responds to commands. Kelly does a great job of training the owner too! I highly recommend Kelly to anyone interested in helping train their dog!”
– Pamela Sperbeck
“Kelly is PHENOMENAL! We met Miss Kelly when my now 2 1/2 year old black lab mix, Tempe, was a puppy and she did some training with Kelly at a different location. She loved her and listened so much better to Kelly than to me. Kelly is energetic and LOVES dogs and their humans. When I follow her training, Tempe is an ANGEL!During our last training session, we walked by the pond in our neighborhood and wanted to see if Tempe would be interested in cooling off. Attached to a 100 foot rope, Kelly ROLLED UP HER PANTS and got into the water to help encourage and get Tempe comfortable with the water. So, add “teaching dog how to swim” to her list of things she excels at! She will go the extra mile for her clients and she is a complete treasure. I look forward to our next round of classes where we attempt to tame the wild 6 month old puppy we have and get him some better manners. Thank you Kelly for loving and training our animals.”
– Angie Mann
About the Trainer
Happy Tailz Dog Training, owned and operated by Kelly Colthorpe, is dedicated to improving the relationships between humans and their pets. Kelly emphasizes positive reinforcement and muscle memory in her training approach, reflecting her background in Wildlife Biology.
She offers private, one-on-one training sessions, including convenient home visits, to provide personalized attention. Happy Tailz is committed to making quality education accessible, offering customized seminars and workshops tailored to individual client needs.
Kelly has successfully trained over 2,000 dogs, 24 cats, and 2 pigs to date, demonstrating her broad expertise. She believes it’s never too late to train a pet, with a minimum age requirement of 8 weeks for the animal’s well-being.
Accomplishments
Kelly Colthorpe, the owner and trainer, holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Biology from 2011. She is an AKC CGC Evaluator and AKC STAR PUPPY certified, and also holds Dog and Cat CPR/First Aid certification. To date, she has trained over 2,000 dogs, 24 cats, and 2 pigs.
How to Get Started!
To begin training, clients can contact Happy Tailz via email or phone to book their first session.
Contact Information
Availability
- Morning
- Afternoon
- Evening
Certifications
- AKC
- Credentialed
Associations
- AKC
Misc Features
- wheelchair accessible entrance
- wheelchair accessible parking
Other Services Offered
- Pet supply store