Obedience Training ProgramsTeaching Your Dog the Basics & Beyond!

General Obedience Training Programs in Royal Oak, MI

Sit, Stay, & Everything in Between

At Connected Canine Academy, we offer two specialized hybrid board-and-train general obedience training programs: one for puppies and one for adult dogs. Both are designed to teach essential commands and build a strong foundation of good behavior and each program that starts with board-and-train can transition into private lessons for continued progress and clear communication.

In our puppy program, we focus on sit, stay, heel, potty training, and chewing prevention. Puppies aged 12 weeks to 5.5 months stay with us for immersive training, with slip leads used to reinforce basic commands and routines. For adult dogs, our program focuses on distraction-based training to improve obedience and focus in real-world situations.

Ready to get started? Enroll today and create a stronger, more trusting bond with your dog!

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Enroll Today

Ready to get started? Enroll and create a stronger, more trusting bond with your dog!

Dog Training Programs

Dog training should be fun, effective, and built around your dog’s personality! Our programs help your dogs thrive and become the best version of themselves by focusing on their needs. We offer puppy training that sets your dog up for success, adult dog training to reinforce good habits, and solutions for common behavioral issues like barking, jumping, and reactivity.

One-on-One Dog Training

Our private lessons help you build structure, communication, and trust—covering obedience, house manners, leash skills, and more.

Board-&-Train Programs

Our immersive board-and-train experience gives your dog the structure, repetition, and calm leadership needed to reduce reactivity, sharpen obedience, and stay focused.

Behaviors We Correct

Whether your dog jumps, barks, pulls, or panics, we’ve seen it… and fixed it. Our training programs are built to correct common issues through a humane, balanced approach.

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Get in touch today to start your dog’s journey toward better behavior and a stronger bond—you’ll both love the results!

Two Paths to a Better-Behaved Dog

Choosing Individual Dog Training or Board-&-Train

Both of our training programs are effective—what matters most is choosing the one that fits your dog’s needs, your lifestyle, and your training goals. Whether you choose individual lessons, board and train, or a combination of both, we’ll help you create a plan that sets your dog—and you—up for long-term success.

Board-&-Train Program

Ideal for dogs who need a structured reset, consistent repetition, or help overcoming behaviors that have become hard to manage at home. It’s especially effective for high-energy, easily distracted, or reactive dogs that benefit from 24/7 leadership in a calm, immersive environment.

Owners who are busy, overwhelmed, or simply want a professional to lay the foundation often find this program the most helpful. However, board-and-train requires a handoff—your dog will do the initial learning with us, and then you’ll need to follow through at home.

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One-on-One Dog Training

Perfect for owners who want to be involved from day one. These sessions give you the tools, feedback, and coaching to build clear communication and trust in real-time. It works especially well for dogs with mild to moderate behavior issues, younger dogs just starting out, or families who prefer a more active role in the training process.

While it requires more hands-on consistency between lessons, it offers the flexibility to work at your own pace.

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Our Approach to Dog Training

Power of Positive & Negative Reinforcement in Dog Training

We use a balanced, humane approach that combines positive reinforcement (rewarding good behavior) with responsible negative reinforcement (clarifying boundaries). This method creates a safe, consistent learning environment where your dog understands both what’s expected and what behaviors need to change.

This approach helps:

Build consistency
Improve learning retention
Strengthen trust
Boost communication between you and your dog

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Dog Training Programs FAQs

How Do I Know If Board & Train or Private Lessons Are Right for My Dog?

Both of our programs are effective, but the right fit depends on your dog’s behavior and how involved you want to be in the training process.

Board & Train: Ideal for dogs that need structure, consistency, or a full behavioral reset. It’s especially useful for busy owners—your dog stays with us and receives professional training throughout the day in a calm, controlled environment.

Individual Lessons: Best for owners who want hands-on involvement. These private sessions offer real-time feedback, personalized coaching, and the flexibility to address issues like pulling, barking, or reactivity at your pace.

If you’re unsure which path to take, we’re happy to assess your dog and help you decide based on their temperament, challenges, and your goals.

What Kinds of Behavior Problems Can You Fix?

Our training programs are designed to correct common behavioral issues and give both you and your dog the structure needed for long-term success. We take a humane, balanced approach to build trust, create consistency, and teach your dog what’s expected of them—at home, in public, and around distractions.

Some of the most common problems we help solve include:

Leash reactivity and pulling
Excessive barking
Jumping on people or furniture
Separation anxiety or crate resistance
Destructive chewing or boundary-pushing
Overstimulation or fear-based behaviors

Whether your dog needs a foundational reset or just help with a few specific habits, we’ll build a plan that fits your dog’s needs and your lifestyle.

What Happens After Board & Train Ends?

When your dog finishes our board-and-train program, we don’t just hand them back and wish you luck. We schedule a transition session with you to walk through everything your dog has learned—commands, structure, rules, and expectations—so you know exactly how to maintain that progress at home.

We’ll also coach you on how to stay consistent, how to correct behaviors if they start to slide, and how to reinforce the obedience your dog has developed while staying with us. Many clients choose to continue with one-on-one lessons after Board & Train to strengthen communication and stay on track long-term.

The goal isn’t just a trained dog—it’s a confident owner who knows how to lead.

Can You Help With Dogs That Are Fearful, Anxious, or Reactive?

Yes. Many of the dogs we work with come to us overwhelmed, overstimulated, or stuck in fear-based patterns. Whether your dog barks at strangers, panics in new environments, or shuts down when overstimulated, we can help them learn how to regulate their energy and respond to direction instead of reacting emotionally.

We use calm exposure, consistent structure, and responsible corrections to help your dog build confidence and trust. For milder cases, individual lessons may be all that’s needed to coach both you and your dog through those challenges.

For more intense or deeply ingrained behaviors, board and train may be a better fit, giving your dog time to adjust in a distraction-managed environment before transitioning back home.

Every plan is personalized, and we’ll be honest about what your dog needs and what will give you the best long-term results.

What Will I Learn in Individual Dog Training Lessons?

Individual lessons are designed to train you just as much as your dog. In every session, we coach you through handling, timing, tone, and consistency—so you don’t just know what to do, but why it works. You’ll learn to give clear commands, calmly correct unwanted behaviors, and reinforce structure at home and on walks.

We’ll help you address specific issues like pulling, barking, jumping, or leash manners while also teaching you how to create a calm, structured environment for your dog to thrive in. These lessons are perfect for owners who want to feel confident leading their dogs through real-world situations and daily routines.

Prevent Destructive Behavior With Private Dog Training

If your dog struggles with aggression, reactivity, or anxiety, private dog training is the perfect solution. Our personalized approach addresses every behavior problem, from crate training for a puppy who can’t settle to leash training for an older dog who pulls. Using clicker training and positive reinforcement, combined with responsible negative reinforcement, we encourage good habits while addressing issues like destructive behavior and dog aggression.

Our board-and-train program offers an immersive experience, providing a consistent environment where your dog can learn and reinforce positive habits. We prioritize socialization, ensuring your dog feels confident in different settings and environments. Each training session is tailored to your dog so we can achieve positive results for them.

In the end, we help your dog overcome issues like anxiety and fear while improving their long-term behavior.

Build a Stronger Bond With Your Dog

Let’s build a trusting, communication-based, and respectful relationship with your pet. Together, we can work through any behavior issues and create lasting positive change.

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