Why Clicker Train?
Click here for a Clicker Q&A

Alpha Dog/Dominance?
The truth revealed! Click here

Think your dog may be aggressive! Click here.

Start at the Head of the Class!
Check out these books that will help deepen your understanding of positive reinforcement methods, which are used in all Trainers Academy classes:

Getting Started: Clicker Training for Dogs
by Karen Pryor

The Power of Positive Dog Training
by Pat Miller

If you have trained dogs before, but not with positive reinforcement, this is a great place to start:

The Thinking Dog: Crossover to Clicker Training by Gail Tamases Fisher

Meet Muffin!
Trainers Academy, LLC Class graduate and Daycare Player!


Muffin, down!

Muffin, High-5

Good Muffin (Click & Treat!)

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Classes

All of our classes are taught using the principles of positive reinforcement. Please call 248-616-6500 to confirm class dates and to enroll or if you would like to observe a class. All classes meet for 6 weeks and 90 minutes unless otherwise noted in the description.

Class Requirements

• Participants must pre-register to guarantee a spot in class
• Students must supply Trainers Academy, LLC with veterinary records including:
• Bordetella
• DHLPP
• Rabies
• Fecal check current within 90 days of the class start date
• No choke chains, pinch, prong collars or shock collars are allowed in class
• Students must bring or purchase a clicker and treats for week 1

Class Calendar is subject to change. Please call 248-616-6500 to confirm dates and times, and to reserve  space in any of our classes.

Is your dog shy? Does he bark at dogs or people? If you're not sure class is right for your dog, read this.

Located South of Maple (15 Mile Rd.), East off Livernois at 1016 Troy Ct. 

"I’ve been to a lot of different dog training facilities over the years and Trainers Academy is the best!  I feel like the others were a waste of money compared to this training.  The instructors are knowledgeable and truly care about the dogs.  The techniques are gentle, help the dogs understand quickly, and the instructors give individual attention. "

- Darleen Urbanek with Micah

"Loved the training, the instructors cared so much for Gizmo, It makes you feel good when you walk in and they know your dogs name and greets them. The class taught me to be a better human being to my dog."

- Vicotria McGill with Gizmo

Class Descriptions

Puppy Class
A class for puppies between the ages of 9 weeks and 5-1/2 months. This class focuses on socialization exercises that will help your pup grow into a confident and calm dog! We also have behavioral discussions and begin laying the foundation for obedience. Click here for more info. See past puppy grads in our gallery.

Intermediate Class
Open to dogs over 5-1/2 months or puppies that have graduated from our Puppy Class. This class works on basic household manners such as sit, down, stay, come, and leave it. Click here for a slideshow featuring our Intermediate Class.

What is the Intermediate Class Repeat Guarantee?

Wish you had practiced more with your dog while taking class? Don’t worry! You can try again! We know our programs bring owner-dog teams success and build better relationships!

The benefits include: 

·         Being able to brush up on skills after a lapse in training – be it a month after your original class or 2 years after your original class.

·         Developing strong responses in the presence of new dogs and people.

·         Increased responding to other household members. Mom loved class, and the dog responds well to her, but Dad just can’t get Fido to respond to him. What to do? Send Dad to class with Fido!

Rules and Restrictions

·         This Guarantee is non-transferable to other dogs in the same household. For example, if John Smith enrolls and attends class with Fido, he cannot enroll Fluffy in class under the “Lifetime Guarantee”, unless he pays the enrollment fee for Fluffy.

·         This is also non-transferable to a new owner. For instance, if Fido goes through class with John Smith, and then gets re-homed with Jack Tripper, Jack cannot take classes under the original guarantee.

·         Only family members living in the household of original registration that meet age requirements qualify.

·         Students MUST complete their initial session IN FULL before signing up for additional classes under the Intermediate Guarantee. This means, if you missed any classes during your initial session, you must schedule, and attend, make-ups before enrolling in an additional class.

·         Students wishing to take a class under the Guarantee may only sign up for one Intermediate Class at a time. You are eligible to sign up for additional classes only after any class you are currently enrolled in has graduated.

·         To ensure an effective class experience for all of our students, Trainers Academy, LLC limits class sizes and reserves the right to deny enrollment in classes that are full. Trainers Academy, LLC reserves the right to reschedule “Lifetime Guarantee” students into another class, if the requested date becomes full. Students will be notified by phone if this circumstance arises and will be provided with a choice of alternative class dates. This condition applies to subsequent classes taken under the promise of the Lifetime Guarantee. 

·         Enrollment opens up to our Intermediate Guarantee students two (2) weeks prior to the start date of the class. To enroll in a class under the Guarantee, please call the office NO SOONER than 2 weeks prior to the start date. If the class is full, you will be put on a waiting list. If you are on the waiting list you will be notified only if a slot in the class becomes available. You must then confirm with the office if you would like to reserve this spot in order to be considered enrolled in the class.

Trainers Academy, LLC reserves the right to refine and restrict this program. Rules are subject to change. Please contact the Troy location at (248) 616-6500 to confirm eligibility status.

Advanced Class
Our Advanced Class is taught by Trainers Academy President, Lisa (Laney) Patrona, Dip. DTBC, CPDT-KA, CBC. Please drop us an email if you wish to be added to our Advanced Class waiting list.

CGC Class
Prerequisite: Intermediate Class, as participants must know how to use the clicker.
Get ready for the American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen Test in our 4 week prep class. Practice under the guidance of a CGC evaluator for three weeks and take the exam in the last week. Each class runs 60 minutes. Click here to find out more about the CGC, including the test items.

CGC/TDI proofing class
Prerequisite: Intermediate Class, as participants must know how to use the clicker.
Proof your dog for all of the items on the Canine Good Citizen and Therapy Dog International tests. Participants will be given the CGC test on the last night and will be given priority for open test slots when we schedule a TDI test. Click here for more info.

For more info about Therapy Dogs International click here.

Greyhound-Only
* We have expanded this class! Week 1 will run 60 minutes, weeks 2-6 will be 90 minutes each.
This greyhound-focused training class has been developed through our years of interaction with several of Metro-Detroit's greyhound adoption groups. Greyhounds-Only was developed to help newly retired racers transition from racer to household pet. This class was designed for greyhounds that have had no formal training. Click here for more info. Click here to see a slide show of previous Greyhound-only Classes.

To be contacted when we schedule the next Greyhound-Only Class click here.

Student Comments:

"We absolutely treasure the classes at Trainer's Academy. We travel almost 2 hours to class and have put one of our puppies through puppy, intermediate and advanced, and our second puppy through puppy class. It is well worth the travel time! The knowledge provided is invaluable to not only our pups, but also to us as pet owners. We look forward to continuing with Trainer's academy in the future."

Kathy VanGorp
Puppy, Intermediate & Advanced Graduate
 

"Coming here made me realize how worthless all the previous dog training I've taken has been. I've learned so much from this class, and the handouts were the perfect reinforcement for me."

- Jeff Proulx & Grace
Greyhound-Only Graduates

"In the past, I have been to other training which was less expensive, but I have learned that you get what you pay for! The instruction at Trainers Academy is the very best and definitely very worth the extra cost.    I really like the positive training techniques that are taught.  And how the dog's interpretations of our actions are explained!"

- Edie McLeod & Ian, Intermediate Graduates

"Tess has definitely gained confidence (and personality).  While you didn't see it in class, when we'd get home she'd strut around, like she really thought she was something else - tossing toys in the air, teasing Cody and initiating play.  She now approaches neighbors that she knows - wagging her tail and asking to be petted!  That's huge and beyond my expectations of what she'd get from the class.  Thanks!!!"

- Jill Calvin & Tess
Intermediate Graduates