Next Level Dog Training

Our Private Lessons

Take your dog’s training to the next level with fully custom private lessons with Courtney personally.

Our exclusive private lessons are not only about training your dog, they’re about enriching the relationship and unlocking a new depth of bond you can have with your dog.

From Basic Pet Manners

Having a dog living in our homes mean wanting an incredible animal to co-exist with us in our human world. Teaching you and your dog how to love each other well through clear communication is an invaluable gift that will reap benefits for the lifetime of your relationship.

to Competition Level Obedience

Flashy, impressive, competition level training is not out of the conversation for you when working with us. We can evaluate your dog in light of your goals. If you want to invest further in your relationship with your dog or start a fun activity together, we can customize almost any training program for you to enjoy.

Highly Advanced Obedience Training with Intense Level Distractions

Meet one of Courtney's personal dogs: Kora! By the time Kora was a year old, she was focused under an intense level of distraction, well on her way to completely off-leash advanced obedience. Dogs are capable of incredible things when given the opportunity to rise to the challenge and thrive with mental exercise that matures and enriches them.

*This result in this time frame came by daily work, hundreds of hours of expert training, and good genetics.

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Possibilities for your Custom Private Dog Training Lessons

"Start-Right" Puppy Foundations

Perfect for puppies under 6 months of age, puppy foundations includes the most essential elements of setting your puppy up for success for the rest of its life. What’s done in class is completely custom to you and your puppy, but here’s what’s often covered:

The Essential Recall/Come Foundation
Name + Attention
Proper Socialization
Confidence Building (if needed)
Potty Training
Loving the Crate
Intro to loose leash walking
Sit + Down
Intro to Stay
Reinforcing No Jumping
Intro to Touch Desensitization
And More!

Basic Pet Manners

Similar to Puppy Foundations, Basic Pet Manners includes the most common, boiled down essentials most dog owners desire. I always add in transformational training(*) that most dog owners need, but is not what typically comes to mind as traditional pet manners. You’ve come to me to improve your relationship with your dog for the rest of its life and take training to the next level — I’m not leaving you to settle for the bare minimum of the list.

The Essential Recall/Come Foundation
Name + Attention
Potty Training
Loving the Crate
Loose Leash Walking
Sit + Down
Intro to Stay
Reinforcing No Jumping
Trust Building*
Touch Desensitization* (including ear/paw inspections + trust building for nails)
Impulse Control*
Engagement*
Confidence Building* (if needed)
Toy/Play Techniques + Boundaries*
And More!

Intermediate Obedience

Intermediate Obedience is where we begin turning your dog’s foundation into consistency, confidence, and reliability. This stage is perfect for owners who want to move beyond basic dog manners training and begin shaping a dog that listens the first time, even with real-world distractions.

Whether you’re building a solid family companion or you’re working toward future off-leash reliability, Intermediate Obedience training gives your dog the structure and mental exercise necessary to mature their skills.

Common Intermediate Skills Include:

Leash manners with real-world distractions
Stronger recall + recall to heel or front
More reliable sits, downs, and stays
Place/stay command with duration
Beginning off-leash foundations via long line
Confidence building + impulse control
Nail Clipping/Dremel training
Engagement + focus work
Public-setting readiness (stores, patios, public training)
And more!

Advanced Obedience

Advanced Obedience is designed for dogs and owners who want dependable, high-level communication both on and off leash. At this stage, we take your dog from well-behaved at home to reliable anywhere — parks, busy sidewalks, restaurant patios, hiking trails, or dog-friendly stores.

Perfect for motivated pet owners, small and large dogs, working dogs, therapy dog candidates, and those exploring service dog training, this level elevates your dog into a truly trustworthy companion or working dog.

What Advanced Obedience Often Covers:

Off-leash heeling + recall to heel
Down/Stays and Place with heavy distractions and long duration
Off-leash recall from longer distances
Proofing neutrality toward dogs, people, noises, and environments (foundations for this begin at all levels)
Behavior reliability in public settings
Beginning task-style behaviors (for therapy or service dog paths, or for owners who want some fun new tricks)
Proofing impulse control around distractions

Advanced Obedience is where your dog exceeds the partner you always hoped for — well-mannered, and ready to take on the world at your side.

Tricks + Relationship Enrichment

Tricks + Relationship Enrichment is perfect for owners who really want to do something fun and engaging with their dog in order to provide for its fundamental need of regular mental exercise. All training is mental exercise, but trick training really works their brain while providing a creative way for the dog and owner to deepen and enliven their relationship to a whole new level.

Come with your own list of tricks, see where your dog leads you, or here’s a list of some common fun ones:

Hit a Volley Ball Back (medium to large dogs)
Nose the soccer ball
Spin
Weave Through Legs
Jump through a hoola hoop
Back Up
Beg/Sit Pretty
Bounce
Reverse/back up around your legs
Jump into Arms
Shake + High Five
And More!

Competition Level Obedience

Competition Level Obedience is for owners who want that sharp, expressive training seen in IGP/Schutzhund, AKC, and working dog or sport teams. Whether your goal is to earn titles, sharpen obedience skills for agility training, or simply experience a higher level of training with your dog, we can design a training plan for you and your dog.

This is a fully customized program built around your dog’s genetics, your goals, and the specific style of obedience you want to pursue. You do not need to be a competitor to enjoy this level — many pet owners choose this work to deepen their partnership and bring out their dog’s fullest potential.

Competition Obedience May Include:

Focused, energetic heeling (IGP or AKC style)
In-motion exercises (sit, down, stand)
Fronts, finishes, and precision positions
Drive Building + Engagement
Proofing for many environments
Environmental neutrality under distraction
Preparing for trials, mock trials, or advanced pet-level obedience

If you love the idea of a dog who works with joy, precision, and excitement — competition obedience is definitely something to consider!

Sports + Relationship Enrichment

Sport and enrichment training gives your dog what every dog needs: mental exercise, fun challenges, creativity thinking, and partnership with you! Even if you never step foot onto a competition field, these activities help channel energy, strengthen obedience, and deepen connection with your dog.

This type of training is perfect for high-drive breeds like German Shepherds, Malinois, herding breeds, and sporting dogs — but it’s equally valuable for mixed breeds, rescues, small dogs, and family pets who love to learn!

Examples of Sport + Enrichment Options:

Trick training
Engagement + drive-building games
Obedience with fun challenges
Scent games + tracking foundations
Interactive play (tug, fetch patterns, toy play skills)
Confidence-building obstacles and exercises
Clicker training & free shaping

When your dog’s brain is satisfied, your dog is not only healthier but your relationship thrives. Training is something you enjoy together, not something you have to do.

Customized Combo

You’re not limited to any one of these options! Because each private lesson is personalized just for you and your dog, as long as we keep you progressing logically, we can mix in all kinds of fun stuff. I also offer traveling to different environments to train, such as your home, the lake, pet store, park, or even rent out the local dock diving pool!

A Few things to Know

Are we a Good Match?

At this time I am not taking advanced or extreme aggression cases, but I am happy to offer referrals to trainers I trust based on your situation.

What to Expect

Sessions typically last one hour as for most dogs and people that's a sweet spot for learning new techniques. Exercises are given to practice at home in between sessions.

Client-Only Board & Train

I do offer board & train for my private lesson clients while they are out of town or to expedite training to a more advanced level more quickly.

Why Private Lessons?

The Reasons I most often Advocate for a Lessons-First Approach

Lasting Results

When you and your dog learn alongside each other you are empowered to be in control of the results. Learning the techniques yourself allows training to stick long-term.

Deeper Bond

Training one-on-one creates confidence, trust, and teamwork which strengthens the relationship between you and your dog in a way that board-and-train programs simply can’t replicate.

Stronger Confidence

Confidence is contagious. When you feel sure of yourself, your dog does too. Your dog relaxes, you relax, and progress happens fast.

Real Life Application

We train where it matters most: your home, neighborhood, and real-world environments where your dog actually lives and learns.

Enrich Your Bond

Our Dog Training Rates

Single Private Lesson $130

One Custom Private Lesson lasting about an hour at a local park in Buford, Smyrna or Cumming, GA. I teach classes at local parks such as Bogan Park, Windermere, or near the Battery/Braves Stadium area.
Package of 4 Private Lessons $480

Includes 4 Custom Private Lessons lasting about an hour at a local park in Buford, Smyrna or Cumming, GA. I teach classes at local parks such as Bogan Park, Windermere, or near the Battery/Braves Stadium area.
Package of 6 Private Lessons $690

Includes 6 Custom Private Lessons lasting about an hour at a local park in Buford, Smyrna or Cumming, GA. I teach classes at local parks such as Bogan Park, Windermere, or near the Battery/Braves Stadium area.
Travel to your Location or Home $50/lesson

Travel to your location of choice within 40 minutes of Buford, GA is an additional $50 per lesson. This option can be applied to each lesson or specific lessons as desired as we go through classes. I also serve the Alpharetta to Smyrna area even if it is outside the 40 minute radius of Buford.