pupDOGS Training, LLC

Group classes are offered for puppies (8 weeks to 8 months) and adult dogs (8 months and up), held weekly at a facility in Eden Prairie. Classes focus on socialization, basic manners, leash walking, and confidence building. Private training is available in-home or online, tailored to individual goals such as house training, behavior modification, or obedience. Online training mirrors private in-home sessions with live video coaching. All programs emphasize step-by-step learning using positive reinforcement and marker training with a clicker.

Pricing Summary

Pricing details are not explicitly listed on the website. Group classes require registration via the DogBizPro portal, and private training is arranged through direct contact. No package pricing or rate structures are disclosed publicly.

Policies

Group class policies are available on the website, but specific cancellation or rescheduling policies for private or online training are not detailed. Clients are directed to contact Susan directly for scheduling inquiries and program-specific policies.

pupDOGS Training, LLC is a dog training business owned by Susan Ward, a CPDT-KSA certified professional dog trainer with 25 years of experience. They offer group classes, private in-home training, and online training services to dog owners in the West Metro area of Minnesota, including Eden Prairie and Minnetonka. Susan uses only positive reinforcement methods, grounded in science and empathy, to help dogs of all ages—puppies, adolescents, and adults—build confidence, improve manners, and overcome behavioral challenges like fear, anxiety, aggression, and leash reactivity. Her approach emphasizes teaching owners how to communicate effectively with their dogs, creating lasting bonds and sustainable results. Susan’s personal experience raising two traumatized littermates, Nina and Klaus, deeply informs her compassionate, fear-free training philosophy. She is supported by her husband, Rob, who assists in group classes, creating a warm, family-oriented learning environment.

pupDOGS specializes in puppy socialization, basic obedience, leash walking, recall, crate training, and behavior modification for issues like resource guarding and separation anxiety. Their group classes are held at a facility in Eden Prairie, while private sessions occur in clients’ homes or virtually. Online training is available nationwide, offering flexibility for those outside the local service area. All training is designed to be fun, engaging, and tailored to the individual needs of each dog and owner.

Susan is certified by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CPDT-KSA), adheres to the Humane Hierarchy, and follows guidelines from leading organizations like AVSAB, APDT, and PPG. She does not use punishment, corrections, or aversive tools, and instead relies on clicker training, food rewards, and marker-based techniques to reinforce desired behaviors. Her clients consistently praise her patience, clarity, and ability to make training accessible and effective for every family.

Accomplishments

Susan Ward is a CPDT-KSA certified professional dog trainer with 25 years of experience. She founded pupDOGS Training in 2009 and has successfully trained hundreds of dogs and their owners using science-based, force-free methods. Her personal success with two severely traumatized rescue dogs, Nina and Klaus, demonstrates her expertise in fear-based behavior rehabilitation.

How to Get Started!

Prospective clients can register for group classes via the DogBizPro portal or contact Susan directly through the Private Training Contact page to schedule a private or online session. No free initial consultation is offered, but all programs begin with an assessment of the dog’s needs and the owner’s goals.