Mr. Dog Training

Mr. Dog Training provides relationship-based, holistic dog training that focuses on building trust, confidence, and connection between dogs and their human companions. The training approach emphasizes understanding canine body language, developing clear communication, and prioritizing the dog’s emotional state. Programs include a variety of group classes such as Puppy Kindergarten, Basic Obedience, Advanced Obedience, Agility, Tricks, and Doga. Private training sessions are also offered, with options for virtual participation or in-person at their Brunswick facility. Additionally, the business provides access to training videos.

Pricing Summary

Private training, whether virtual or in-person at the Brunswick facility, is priced at $4 per minute. Group classes are also available. Mr. Dog Training offers a referral program where clients receive a $5 credit for referring someone who signs up for a single class or private session, and a $15 credit for referring someone who signs up for a session of group classes. Credits are emailed out the first week of each month.

Sara Sokol is the owner and trainer at Mr. Dog Training, a business established in Maine in 2012. Her goal is to enhance the lives of dogs and their humans by fostering trust, confidence, and connection through mental and emotional well-being support, communication development, and building strong relationships. Her training philosophy is relationship-based and holistic, emphasizing fun, respect, joy, and empathy for both the dog and owner. She focuses on understanding how dogs learn, what drives behavior, clear communication, canine body language, and prioritizing the human-dog bond.

Before founding Mr. Dog Training, Sara started Follow My Lead in Pasadena, California, in 2004, which was a full-service dog walking/running and pet sitting business. To expand into dog training and behavior modification, she completed an internship as a behavior and training tech at the Pasadena Humane Society and SPCA. In this role, she performed behavior assessments and taught various classes, including Puppy Kindergarten, Advanced Obedience, Agility, Tricks, and Doga (yoga with dogs). She also served as District Manager of the Connecticut Humane Society, where she implemented new volunteer and enrichment programs.

Mr. Dog Training offers both private training sessions, available virtually and in-person at her facility in Brunswick, and group classes, which also have virtual and in-person options. Additionally, the business provides training videos and operates a referral program for existing clients.

Accomplishments

Sara Sokol, the trainer at Mr. Dog Training, has been voted BEST Trainer in Maine for nine consecutive years and is ranked 25th BEST trainer in the country. Her extensive experience began as a teenager with pet sitting and dog walking. In 2004, she founded Follow My Lead, a pet sitting and dog walking business. She further developed her expertise through an internship as a behavior and training tech at the Pasadena Humane Society and SPCA, where she conducted behavior assessments and taught a range of obedience and activity classes. Before establishing Mr. Dog Training in Maine in 2012, she also served as District Manager of the Connecticut Humane Society.

How to Get Started!

To begin private training, prospective clients are asked to complete an online form. This form requests their name, email, phone number, preferred service (virtual, in-person, or first available), and details regarding their dog’s leash reactivity, history with invisible fences or shock collars, last vet visit, medical issues, and specific behaviors they wish to address. For those interested in group classes, which include both in-person and virtual options, a direct registration link is provided.