Such A Good Dog

Service area: Huntsville, AL, located at 517 Jordan Ln, 1/2 mile off 565 at the corner of Holmes Ave.

Such A Good Dog offers a progressive curriculum from puppy to advanced levels, including Gymboree (8-14/16 weeks) for puppy socialization, Kindergarten (8-20 weeks) for foundation obedience, and Elementary (5+ months) for older dogs covering similar basics. Fast Track offers the Elementary curriculum in half the time.

Intermediate levels include Middle School, Jr High, and High School, which build on fundamentals with increasing distractions and field trips. Specialty classes cover Scent Games, Pup Crawl (field trips), Family Pup (dogs with babies), and AKC Star Puppy, CGC Prep, and AKC Trick Dog titles.

They also provide single topic sessions for specific behaviors. Group classes are limited to 4-5 dogs for personalized attention and require owner participation. Private and in-home training are available for tailored needs.

Pricing Summary

Group classes range from $35 for single sessions (Gymboree, Single Session) to $165 for 5-week specialty classes (AKC Tricks Intermediate). Kindergarten, Elementary, and Fast Track are $155 for 5 sessions. Middle School is $99 for 3 weeks, Jr High is $110 for 3 weeks, and High School is $130 for 4 weeks. Specialty classes like Scent Games and Pup Crawl are $125 for 4 weeks. AKC Star Puppy is $60 for 3 weeks, and CGC Prep is $75 for 3 weeks, both including AKC fees. Private sessions at their facility are $99 per hour, and in-home sessions are $199. Evaluations are free. Refunds are not available within 48 hours of a group class start date or 24 hours for an individual session.

Policies

Group classes are for dogs with no trouble (excessive barking, aggression, fear) with strange dogs or people; contact them prior to enrolling if this is a struggle. Refunds are not available within 48 hours of a group class start date or 24 hours for an individual session. Vaccination records from a veterinarian are required for classes.

Such A Good Dog has been providing dog training in Huntsville since 2010. Their philosophy is based on the fact that dogs respond to positive, rewarding situations and clear communication. They specialize in helping owners learn to read their dog’s body language for better communication.

They offer group classes with a maximum of 5 dogs per class, private sessions, in-home training, one-topic single sessions, and seminars. They also offer Board and Train as an option, accepting a maximum of two clients at a time for personalized training.

Training takes place indoors and outdoors, including field trips and special events. They have professionally certified trainers who are committed to science-based, humane dog training and ethical conduct.

Accomplishments

The business has been providing dog training in Huntsville since 2010. They employ professionally certified trainers (CPDT-KA) who are committed to science-based, humane training and ethical conduct, requiring continuing education.

Nicole Loveless, the owner, has been training professionally since 2013 and is working towards her CPDT-KA. Gary Morgan, a CPDT-KA, graduated with honors from Animal Behavior College and specializes in reactive dogs. Callie Loyd, a CPDT-KA, has been a professional trainer since 2015 and is involved in rescue. Jennie Hudson, a CPDT-KA, has been training since 2016, is involved in Therapy Dog work, and serves on the Advisory Board of Huntsville Animal Services. Erin Barinaga and Mary Ellen Pollard are also professional trainers working towards their CPDT-KA certifications.

How to Get Started!

To get started, clients can choose a class day/time from the online calendar. If a dog hasn’t taken a previous class or has behavioral struggles, a free 10-15 minute evaluation (phone or in-facility) is recommended or required prior to enrollment in certain classes (e.g., Middle School, Jr High, High School, Scent Games, Pup Crawl, AKC Star Puppy, AKC Tricks). For individual training, clients are advised to contact the business to schedule sessions around their availability.