The Dog Way – Expert Dog Training Services, Portland OR

The Dog Way’s training programs are built on “The Dog Way” philosophy, which focuses on natural canine instincts, leadership, and clear communication, rather than traditional methods involving treats, clickers, or training devices. Their approach emphasizes prevention of unwanted behaviors by teaching owners to become calm, confident leaders.

Programs include In-Person Training, Online/Virtual Training, Lifetime Training, and Board and Train. All programs begin with a free consultation to assess needs and create a customized plan. Training sessions are tailored to the dog’s personality, age, and unique needs, as well as the owner’s lifestyle and experience level. The goal is to foster a lifelong, natural bond and create lasting behavioral changes, ensuring dogs are balanced, calm, and happy.

Pricing Summary

The Dog Way offers a free initial consultation. For Board and Train programs, the initial orientation is $175, and additional specialized training is $70/hour. Bathing & Grooming starts at $30, with additional fees for dogs over 75 lbs. For In-Person and Online/Virtual Training, an introductory private training session (2-3 hours) costs $175/hour, and ongoing training sessions are $125/hour. Pay-as-you-go hourly training is also available at $125-$175/hour. Lifetime Training pricing requires direct contact for details. For Boarding and Daycare, an orientation session is $175, and additional hands-on people training is $125/hour.

The Dog Way, previously known as Canine Country, is a privately owned canine training and boarding facility located in Tualatin, Oregon. With over 40 years of experience, they provide innovative, cutting-edge training on-site at their 6-acre facility and offer online/remote/virtual options for clients anywhere.

Their unique approach, “The Dog Way,” is a complete life philosophy for human/dog training developed by Shawn Riley, the canine expert and founder. This philosophy teaches people to understand true natural canine instincts, communicate effectively, and provide structure, believing that dogs instinctively do the right thing and unwanted behaviors reflect human leadership, communication, or environmental structure. They emphasize prevention over correction and do not use treats, clickers, choke chains, or any training devices, focusing instead on natural, instinct-based methods.

The Dog Way offers various services including in-person training, online/remote training, lifetime training, board and train programs, and dog boarding and daycare. They aim to help the world create the healthiest, happiest life and relationship with their dogs, working with dogs of all ages, breeds, and temperaments. Shawn Riley also provides free clinics to Portland-Metro area veterinarians and their staff and volunteers his counseling services to animal rescue and foster organizations.

Accomplishments

Shawn Riley, the founder of The Dog Way, has over 40 years of experience in raising, training, and boarding dogs. He has successfully trained thousands of people with dogs of every breed, size, gender, and age. Shawn provides free clinics to Portland-Metro area veterinarians and their staff to improve animal safety and handling skills, and volunteers his counseling services to all animal rescue and foster organizations, never turning a dog away.

He has appeared on local TV shows and presented “The Dog Way” methods to professional training groups and individuals internationally. Shawn was recruited by National Geographic as the on-set Behavioral Advisor for the national video series “My Dog Ate What?” He also traveled to El Salvador to teach Central and South American trainers to use “The Dog Way” as an alternative to harsh methods. Shawn is a published authority, featured in multiple publications and video presentations for Wikipedia and Wiki How, and has been nominated for several TED talks. His methods are trusted by veterinarians across the Pacific Northwest.

How to Get Started!

To get started with The Dog Way, clients are encouraged to call for a free, no-obligation consultation. During this call, Shawn Riley will discuss the client’s experience, needs, and long and short-term goals, and assess the dog’s current behavior and temperament. Based on this evaluation, a personalized strategy tailored to the client and their dog’s needs and lifestyle will be developed. After the consultation, clients can choose an introductory private training session (in-person or virtual) or opt for pay-as-you-go hourly training.