Pup-A-Razzi

Pup-A-Razzi offers over 20 dog training classes weekly in a heated/air-conditioned, fully-matted indoor facility. They utilize a positive training approach, rewarding desirable behaviors and employing management techniques. Classes typically run for one hour per week over six or seven weeks, with many programs including a “humans only” first session.

Programs range from foundational obedience like Puppy Preschool, AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy, Training Basics, and Beyond the Basics, to advanced and specialized training. Advanced offerings include Canine Good Citizen Prep (CGC, CGCA, CGCU), Therapy Dog Foundations, Calm & Control, Dog Tricks, Total Recall, Walk THIS Way, and K9 Musical Freestyle. Dog sports include Agility (Puppy Agility, Foundation Agility, Agility I, Agility II, Agility Skills and Drills), Rally Obedience (currently unavailable), and Dog Conformation Classes (drop-in and Introduction to Conformation).

Day Training focuses on specific skills such as mat work, leash manners, recall, and appropriate group play, maintaining a 10:1 dog-to-person ratio. Additionally, Indoor Play Times feature a Small Dog Social Hour.

Pricing Summary

Class tuition is generally transferable but non-refundable, and classes must be attended as scheduled. Specific pricing includes $45.00 per team for a 2-hour Jump Drills Workshop and $15 per dog for the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Test.

Indoor Play Times cost $15 for one session or $81 for six sessions. Class Placement Consultations are charged at the private lesson hourly rate. For Calm & Control classes, tuition must be paid 7 days in advance to secure a spot.

Policies

Class tuition is generally transferable but non-refundable, and classes are to be attended as scheduled. All dogs are required to be vaccinated for Distemper, Parvo, Rabies, and Bordetella, with records on veterinarian letterhead (breeder/home vaccines are not accepted, but titers on vet letterhead are).

For Day Training, all dogs must be scheduled in advance, with no drop-ins. Drop-off is between 7:00 AM and 9:00 AM, and pick-up for a full day is by 6:00 PM (half-day by 2:00 PM). Female dogs in heat are not permitted to attend Day Training. For Calm & Control classes, tuition must be paid 7 days in advance to hold a spot. Drop-in nail trimming is available, but calling ahead to confirm availability is recommended.

Pup-A-Razzi is the largest dog training school in the Portland, Oregon metro area, offering over 20 dog training classes each week. They are locally owned and operated by dog enthusiasts and have been helping dogs train their owners for over 20 years.

The facility is fully-matted, heated, and air-conditioned, providing an ideal environment for training. They pride themselves on their positive dog training approach, rewarding desirable behaviors and using management techniques to strengthen the relationship between dogs and their owners.

In addition to a wide variety of training classes, Pup-A-Razzi provides professional dog grooming, a self-serve dog wash, dog day training (Day Care), organized indoor play times, and arena rentals. They also have a specialty-retail store stocked with quality dog foods, training tools, toys, and treats.

Accomplishments

Pup-A-Razzi is recognized as the largest dog training school in the Portland metro area, with over 20 years of experience. The business is owned by Desiree “Dezi” Engel, who has been working professionally with dogs since 2005, attended Animal Behavior College in 2006/2007, and volunteered at the Oregon Humane Society. Dezi is an AKC Evaluator, Certified Trick Dog Instructor (CTDI), Animal Actor Certified Evaluator (AACE), and Stunt Dog Judge (SDJ).

Lucas, the manager, day trainer, and class instructor, is an AKC Evaluator who started helping at Pup-A-Razzi at age 11 and specializes in working with reactive/aggressive dogs. Kylie, the assistant manager, day trainer, and class instructor, is also an AKC Evaluator and CTDI, having started in 2017. Sara, a day trainer and class instructor, is an AKC Evaluator, a balanced-based trainer, and aims to specialize in aggressive dogs.

Agility instructor Louise Sivak has 8 years of experience running agility and 4 years teaching, competing in CPE, USDAA, AKC, and UKI agility. Lea is a former CPDT/PPD trainer with over 13 years of experience and a background in Bio/Animal Behavior from Mills College and UofO, specializing in basic obedience, first-time dog owners, focused walking, reactivity, and public access training. Lucy Bitz, an Agility and Conformation Instructor, has a teaching background and earned five agility titles in 12 months. Carrol Haines, the Musical Freestyle instructor, is a retired Engineering Technician who has competed in various dog sports and holds intermediate and advanced titles in Canine Musical Freestyle and Heelwork to Music, serving on the board of Dogs Gone Dancin’ Club and as a member of other freestyle organizations.

How to Get Started!

To enroll in Day Training, dogs currently or previously enrolled in a class can schedule an evaluation. If a dog has not taken a class, a private lesson is required first, after which the trainer will advise on evaluation scheduling. The evaluation assesses for issues such as aggression, resource guarding, play style, and separation anxiety to determine appropriate integration into the program.

Prospective students can also request a Class Placement Consultation, which is charged at the private lesson hourly rate, to be placed into an appropriate group class. General class sign-up is available via their website, and more information can be obtained by calling or emailing Pup-A-Razzi.