Storm Castle Canines

Storm Castle Canines offers structured, individualized training programs. Day Training includes daily circuits in obedience, confidence-building, and socialization in small groups. Outdoor Adventure Days add guided hikes and real-world exposure. Boarding is in-home with the trainer, including daily play and field trips. Board & Train programs are intensive, lasting 10 days to 4 weeks, with daily training sessions focused on specific goals like recall, leash walking, and reactivity. Each includes a go-home lesson for owners. Private lessons are one-hour sessions tailored to home, facility, or public settings. Group classes include Competition Obedience for advanced handlers and Puppy Social Hour for socialization and basic manners.

Pricing Summary

Private Lessons: $125 on-site, $140 off-site. Day Training: $68/day. Outdoor Adventure Days: $90/day. Standard Boarding: $78/night (dogs over 6 months), $150/night (puppies under 6 months). Stay & Train add-on: $150/night. Board & Train: 10-day ($1,500), 3-week ($3,150), 4-week (price incomplete). Competition Obedience: $45/class. Puppy Social Hour: $40/class.

Storm Castle Canines is a dog training business based in the Gallatin Valley, Montana, founded by Kenzie Hegstad, a certified LIMA (Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive) trainer with a degree in Fisheries and Wildlife. The business offers a comprehensive range of services including private lessons, group classes, day training, boarding, and intensive board-and-train programs. Kenzie and her team prioritize individualized, enrichment-based training that works with each dog’s personality rather than trying to change it. Dogs receive daily structured training, mental stimulation, physical exercise, and outdoor adventure trips, including hikes and real-world exposure in busy environments. Boarding is offered in-home with the trainer, not in a kennel, ensuring personalized care and a home-like environment. The team emphasizes continuing education and uses positive, science-based methods to build confidence, improve behavior, and strengthen the bond between dogs and their owners.

Their Day Training program provides small-group, goal-focused sessions Monday–Thursday, while Outdoor Adventure Days add guided hikes and distraction training on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Board-and-Train programs range from 10 days to 4 weeks, targeting reactivity, recall, leash walking, and house manners, with included go-home lessons for owners. Group classes include Competition Obedience and Puppy Social Hour, and private lessons are available on-site, in-home, or in public settings.

The business is known for its compassionate, tailored approach, especially for dogs with fear, reactivity, or trauma, and has earned glowing reviews for transforming difficult behaviors and creating lasting results. Clients appreciate the frequent updates, flexibility, and deep expertise of the team, including trainers Natalie Rohrbaugh and Mary Rippel, who bring extensive animal experience from horses and sport dogs.

Accomplishments

Kenzie Hegstad, owner and head trainer, holds a degree in Fisheries and Wildlife and is certified as a LIMA trainer. She has competed in AKC Obedience, Trick Dog, Dock Diving, Schutzhund (IGP), and hunting disciplines. She has trained dogs in multiple advanced sports and has over a decade of hands-on experience. Her team includes Natalie Rohrbaugh and Mary Rippel, both with extensive animal experience from horse training and sport dog environments.

How to Get Started!

Prospective clients can contact Storm Castle Canines via phone or email to discuss their dog’s needs. A consultation is recommended to determine the best program—private lessons, day training, or board-and-train. Drop-in classes like Puppy Social Hour require pre-registration. Boarding and training programs require advance booking.