Private Dog Training Richmond, VA

Private Dog Training in Richmond

Work with a dog behavior expert in Richmond. The James River Dog Training professionals are certified and experienced with dog behavioral problems at all severity levels. Our repertoire includes balanced dog training programs for puppies and new parents, and we’re ready to tackle challenges like housebreaking, basic obedience, aggression, anxiety, leash reactivity, and improper greeting behavior.

Communicating with your dog can be difficult, but we’re here to help.

Meet the Trainers

Pat Burke – Head Trainer

Pat Burke grew up in the Tidewater region of Virginia. Having attended VCU in the early 80s, he has long had a place in his heart for the Richmond area. When given the opportunity to return to Richmond to take over James River Dog Training from his daughter, Sarah, he jumped at the chance.

He is a sports enthusiast and loves being back here surrounded by like-minded Redskins and VCU Rams fans. He is certified by the Canine Trade Group school as a professional dog trainer. The training protocol he uses has been successfully correcting aggression and anxiety issues in dogs for over two decades!

Pat is also a lifelong lover of dogs. In fact, he has never gone longer than two weeks without owning a dog. It’s in his blood; his dad trained dogs in the military in the 1960s. His understanding of how a dog becomes part of the family is grounded in personal experience.

Clair Cortright – Professional Dog Trainer

Clair Cortright is the newest team member at James River Dog Training in Richmond, Virginia.

She grew up in Henrico, Virginia and graduated from Virginia Tech with a major in Animal and Poultry Sciences. While there, she studied with an emphasis on companion animals. Clair has been around dogs her whole life and could not imagine doing anything but working with them.

Clair completed the Canine Trade Group training course in canine behavior, which focused on the training philosophy of “Decisions, not Dominance.” In short, the training methods help pups make the right decisions independently without the owner ever feeling like they must break their dog’s spirit.

Premier Dog Behavior Training 

James River Dog Training has the top dog trainers in Richmond because they use effective training methods. In fact, Canine Trade Group founder John Van Olden has used these methods for more than thirty years. Our canine behaviorists have been certified through Canine Trade Group to become part of a network of dedicated dog trainers committed to the highest standards of dog obedience training and professional conduct.

Comprehensive Training Programs

James River Dog Training offers the best dog obedience training in Richmond. It’s also the most inclusive dog training program. We don’t turn away dogs based on breed, age, temperament, or what trainers have said in the past. (Several of our dog training success stories are other trainers’ hopeless cases.)

We’re here for all your Richmond dog training needs: basic obedience, focus, recall, leash behavior, impulse control training, enrichment, calm greeting behavior, and more!

The Private Training Experience

James River Dog Training offers in-home dog training for one key reason: Home is the most effective dog training atmosphere.

Where does your dog’s behavior occur most often? The answer is probably at home, which is also where you and your dog feel most comfortable. A private dog trainer can schedule sessions around your calendar, identify triggers and problem areas in real-time, create unique training plans, move at your dog’s pace, and ensure owner involvement.