The Canine Coach – St Louis Park

The Canine Coach offers a diverse range of training programs. Boot Camp provides intensive day training (Monday-Friday) for puppies (under 5 months) and adult dogs (over 5 months) focusing on basic obedience, impulse control, leash walking, advanced recall, and holiday manners. Dogs are picked up daily, and programs include 20-minute checkouts with trainers twice a week, plus 1-2 in-home follow-up sessions.

Camp Courage is a specialized 4-week day program for shy or fearful dogs (attending Tuesdays and Fridays), focusing on confidence building, counterconditioning, and desensitization through activities like “Tea Party” and “Exploring & Spelunking.” FIT Dogs is a structured mental and physical fitness day program (Monday-Friday) for dogs that may not thrive in traditional daycare, offering activities like treadmill training, agility, and scent work.

Group Classes cover basic obedience (Puppy Training & Socialization, Level 1-3 Obedience), behavior modification (Dog to Dog Socialization for Reactive Dogs, Leash Aggression, Confidence Building for Shy Dogs), advanced skills (AKC Canine Good Citizen, Rally Obedience, Therapy Dog Training), and fun activities/sports (Cooperative Care, Just Tricks, Agility, Scent Work, Disc Dog). Mini-Courses offer one-on-one private training adapted from group class curricula, available for Puppy Training, Basic Obedience, Agility, Cooperative Care, Leash Aggression, Dog to Human Socialization, and Outdoor Recall. Club K9 is a post-Boot Camp program offering Play & Train (play + training session) or Party Pups (play only) for alumni. They also have Kid Programs (Kids & Canines group class and Dog Camp for Kids) and a 7-week “School For Trainers” certification program.

Pricing Summary

Pricing varies by program. Boot Camp programs range from $925 for a 2-week Puppy Start-Up to $1849 for a 4-week Basic Obedience program. Club K9 offers Play & Train at $52/day ($49/day sibling) and Party Pups at $36/day ($34/day sibling), with discounted packages available for 8, 12, or 16 days. FIT Dogs is priced similarly at $52/day ($49/day sibling) with package discounts. Mini-Courses are $310 for four sessions, with Cooperative Care, Leash Aggression, and Dog to Human Socialization Mini-Courses priced at $412. In-Home Training sessions are $185 for an initial visit ($196 if 15-20 miles away) and $145 for follow-up sessions ($156 if 15-20 miles away). Afterpay is available for Boot Camp and Group Classes. Packages for Club K9 and FIT Dogs must be used within 8 weeks of the first visit and are non-refundable.

Policies

Cancellations for Boot Camp and Mini-Courses require written notice via email at least one week prior to the start date for a full refund; otherwise, a $50 fee may be retained. Club K9, FIT Dogs, and Lure Coursing cancellations require 24 hours notice for a refund or reschedule, with no-shows or cancellations within 24 hours forfeiting prepayment. In-Home Training cancellations within 48 hours result in a $50 retention fee, while cancellations prior to 48 hours are 100% refundable.

Vaccination records (Bordetella, Rabies, Distemper/DHPP) must be current and received by the first day of any program; failure to provide them will result in the dog not being able to participate without a refund. Missed days due to scheduling conflicts for Boot Camp are forfeited. Late pickups after 6 PM for day programs incur a $20 late fee.

The Canine Coach – St Louis Park is a locally owned dog training business established in 2004, offering a variety of programs designed to help dog owners train their companions effectively. They provide comprehensive training services including group classes, in-home training, and specialized day programs like Boot Camp, Camp Courage, and FIT Dogs. Their approach emphasizes professional skill, knowledge, patience, and repetition to lay a strong foundation for a dog’s training.

Unique advantages include a “work day” Boot Camp program where dogs return home daily, convenient city locations, and opportunities for owners to work directly with their dog’s trainer during programs. They also offer in-home follow-up sessions for certain intensive programs to ensure skills transfer to the home environment.

Beyond core training, The Canine Coach provides other programs such as Club K9 (a daycare-like program for alumni), Kid Programs (Kids & Canines, Dog Camp for Kids), Lure Coursing, and a “School For Trainers” certification program. They aim to provide fun, friendly, and effective training solutions for a wide range of dog behaviors and owner needs.

Accomplishments

The Canine Coach was established in 2004 and is locally owned. They offer their own “Canine Coach Certified” (CCC) program through their School for Trainers, which provides hands-on experience training with dogs and deep-dive discussions into dog behavior and training theory.

How to Get Started!

For In-Home Training, clients fill out an information form and prepay online, after which they receive a list of upcoming sessions via email. Initial visits are recommended to be followed by two additional follow-up appointments. For Boot Camp, Camp Courage, and FIT Dogs, preregistration is required due to limited spots. Group classes have specific sign-up links for each course. Clients are encouraged to contact the office if unsure which program is the right fit for their needs.