The top 5 dog trainers in Brisbane for the perfect canine bond
We usually think of dogs as our best friends, but they can be a real handful sometimes. I’m sure we’ve all experienced the chaotic running around, the excessive barking, and the chewing of shoes, cables, and other items.
These are natural dog behaviours, but for the sanity of everyone involved, it’s a good idea to give your dog some training. This will help control some of their more destructive or dangerous habits and make them a pleasure to be around for other dogs and people.
We’ve put together a list of the most effective dog trainers in Brisbane to deliver the best possible training in the appropriate way for your furry friend.
How much does a dog trainer cost in Brisbane?
A dog trainer in Brisbane will cost $150 to $900 for in-person sessions. Single sessions and multiple-session packages will likely both be available, with the latter being more complete but more expensive. Specialised training costs more, while virtual sessions tend to be cheaper.
1. Sammy’s Pet Training
– Media credit: sammys_pet_training
Address: Brisbane and Ipswich QLD
Phone: +61 420 913 299
Business hours:
- Monday – Friday: 6:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Saturday and Sunday: Closed
Before founding her own pet training business, Sammy worked as a behaviour trainer at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), an advocacy group that promotes animal welfare.
She specialised in working with fearful and reactive dogs, eventually gaining the skill and experience to bring out their calmness and joy.
Sammy’s Pet Training helps dogs walk calmly with owners, socialise well with other pets and humans, moderate their excitement and energy levels, learn simple commands, and more. Puppies and adult dogs are both welcome.
The business strictly adheres to a “no force” training methodology and uses only positive reinforcement to influence pet behaviour. This results in the desired changes for the owner, without ever causing negative experiences for the pets.
Training sessions are personalised for your dog; you can also choose between single sessions, packages, and even virtual training. Sessions range from $35 (for a simple 1-hour dog walk) to $900 (a comprehensive 5-session package for long-term results).
If sessions were available on weekends as well as weekdays, Sammy’s Pet Training would be pretty much perfect.
Do not look any further
“If you need professional and experienced advice for your loved family member, do not look any further. Sammy is brilliant. Caring and loving to animals, seeing our pets be the very best they can. Highly recommend.”
– Suzanne Dean, Google review
Practicable and helpful
“Sammy is so responsive and understanding of your needs for dog training — her suggestions are practicable and helpful.”
– Rachael Rubic, Google review
2. Bonnies Dog Obedience & Puppy School
– Media credit: bonniesdogandpuppyschool
Address: Chaprowe Rd, The Gap QLD 4061
Phone: 0408 337 110
Business hours:
- Monday – Saturday: 8:30 am – 6:00 pm
- Sunday: Closed
Bonnies Dog Obedience & Puppy School is a family-operated business; in fact, it’s an entire heritage, with older generations passing their skills and knowledge to younger ones. The core family plus additional staff have over 5 decades of experience training dogs both in Australia and abroad.
Whatever your dog’s training needs, you’ll find something useful with Bonnies. In particular, the business offers a “Puppy Magic” training course designed specifically to develop and encourage good behaviour in dogs 8 to 18 weeks of age. This 4-week course costs $240.
There are also general and intermediate-level obedience courses lasting 6 weeks each. These sessions are perfect for socialising older dogs with each other. These will run you $360.
Private sessions are available as well. These take the form of 30-minute online consultations ($80) or in-person private training for an hour ($150). If you’d prefer the trainer to come to you, the service is yours for $295.
We truly couldn’t have asked for a better trainer
“Peter from Bonnie’s Dog Obedience & Puppy School is absolutely fantastic! From the very first session, it was clear he has a genuine passion for dogs and a deep understanding of their behavior. He was patient, knowledgeable, and always encouraging — not just with our puppy Nala, but with us as first-time dog owners!”
– Nala Rose Hannam, Google review
Each week, we noticed significant improvements
“We had a great experience with Heath! He provided lots of encouragement, helping both us and our dog gain confidence. Each week, we noticed significant improvements and learned valuable techniques to continue working on at home.”
– Jai Tsien, Google review
3. Positive Response Dog Training
– Media credit: positive_response
Address: 73 Shore St W, Cleveland QLD 4163
Phone: 0734592121
Business hours: 24/7
Positive Response Dog Training was founded by a nationally qualified trainer with over 30 years of experience.
The company uses force-free methods only for its dog training. In particular, they utilise operant conditioning, which just means rewarding good behaviour while ignoring (but not punishing) the dog if it behaves in an inappropriate way.
Positive Response has lots of dog training options on its menu. You can go for puppy courses that help address excessive biting and chewing, very energetic or boisterous behaviour, or if you just want to lay the groundwork for additional training later in life.
Courses are broken up into age categories in order to match each course’s training methodology with the dog’s stage of development. This ensures that they’re always being given the best training at the appropriate time.
When your dog is old enough, you can also opt for puppy playgroups, which are a great way to teach your growing dog how to socialise and interact well with other dogs and people. Private training is available as well.
Training prices range from $230 (1 hour of virtual training) to $645 (complete package of all puppy training courses).
The puppies loved it
“Kit was amazing, with lots of excellent advice and tips. She is very helpful and knowledgeable, and her love for all dogs really shines through. The puppies loved it, especially puppy play time at the end of the session.”
– Penny Lee, Google review
We highly recommend Positive Response
“Our golden retriever attended puppy school part 1, recently graduated part 2 and will commence part 3. The trainer, Rikki, was very knowledgeable on dog training and behaviour, hands-on during classes, always friendly, and worked at an appropriate pace for each puppy and owner.”
– Michelle Hausler, Google review
4. Fur Get Me Not
– Media credit: furgetmenot.com.au
Address: Mansfield 4122
Phone: 0402 767 821
Business hours: 7:00 am – 7:00 pm (Every day)
Fur Get Me Not is a dog training service founded by a certified personal trainer and former board member of the Pet Professional Guild of Australia. The business aims to identify dogs’ mental health needs and work to improve their well-being and emotional state via correct training.
Both online courses and in-person training are available. You can try out the 50+ virtual puppy training modules, which allow you to learn about young dogs’ behaviour at your own pace, as well as techniques for training them yourself.
Or, go for the in-person obedience training for older dogs. Let your dog learn skills like staying and waiting, dropping or ignoring forbidden items, and walking at a calm pace.
In particular, Fur Get Me Not trainers can work with dogs that have been rescued from the street or other difficult conditions. These dogs have been living in a state of anxiety and reactivity, and may have little experience interacting with humans. Fur Get Me Not can help with a behavioural assessment and training.
Private training with Fur Get Me Not starts at $130 per hour. Lastly, you’ll get access to a Facebook playgroup where you can connect with other students and set up your own canine playdates.
We couldn’t be happier
“Cassie is an amazing dog whisperer! Our puppy has loved learning from her as has our family. We couldn’t be happier with the gentle and positive techniques for training a new family member!”
– Katherine Lyall-Watson, Google review
Above and beyond
“We cannot recommend Cassandra highly enough! She is an incredibly knowledgeable and compassionate dog behaviourist who has helped us so much over the times we’ve worked with her. Her understanding of canine behaviour is unmatched, and she always tailors her approach to suit both the dog and the owner.”
– Lilly Asher, Google review
5. Craig A. Murray Dog Training
– Media credit: dog.school
Address: 33 Packett Cres, Loganlea QLD 4131
Phone: 07 3200 5421
Business hours:
- Monday – Friday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Saturday and Sunday: Unavailable for calls due to fieldwork
Craig A. Murray Dog School has been assisting students from all over the world not only with dog training, but also welfare and veterinary skills. They’ve even worked with government departments to facilitate more advanced dog training breakthroughs.
This dog school has puppy classes for dogs up to 16 weeks old ($125), teaching foundational skills that will help dogs become better socialised as they grow. There are also manners classes for older dogs ($180), teaching improved engagement, control, and discipline inside and outside the house. Obedience training is also introduced here.
At a higher level, you can also choose “structure lessons”, during which a specialist will visit your home. The specialist will first observe and assess your dog’s behaviour and interactions, and then brief you on their observations and recommendations. From there, techniques can be discussed and slowly implemented.
Finally, if you work in a niche field and need a dog trained for special tasks, Craig A. Murray Dog School can help with this too. This includes training in security patrol, pest and animal detection, disaster response, therapy, and more.
5 stars every day of the week!!!
“Nikki was AMAZING helping each of us with our own individual questions and ‘difficulties’ we were having at home with our puppies. She gave advice that made sense and demonstrated techniques in front of us, so we could do the same at home. Nikki always gave alternative options to use and demonstrated all of them to us. I left every session knowing more and feeling more confident as a pet parent.”
– Kate Lord, Google review
Great experience!!
“Just finished Puppy Class with Karia!! Great experience!! Karia is extremely knowledgeable and explains techniques thoroughly. Highly recommend taking your pup to Craig A Murray. Already booked for the next class.”
– Karen Willshaw, Google review