Looking for effective, relationship-focused dog training? SpiritDog’s positive reinforcement methods are gaining popularity, but are they right for you and your furry friend? This review dives deep into SpiritDog Training, exploring the pros, cons, and various courses offered. We’ll examine their unique approach, analyze pricing and accessibility, and ultimately help you decide if SpiritDog is the key to unlocking your dog’s full potential and strengthening your bond. Read on to discover if SpiritDog’s bark is bigger than its bite.
SpiritDog Training’s philosophy is that a pet owner is their dog’s best trainer. They offer an online program that’s more affordable than meeting with a professional trainer in person. Pet owners can pull up whichever lesson they want to work on, either on a mobile device or home computer, and can progress with lessons at their own pace.
SpiritDog Training says you can work with your dog for just 10 minutes a day, and your dog will learn the lessons on general and specific behavior issues. If you join Spiritdog Training’s email list, they will give you a free 7-day training course so you can learn about their training philosophy without paying. That’s a nice beginning to the training experience.
Spirit Dog Training lessons are broken down into step-by-step instructions, and when you sign up, you become a part of a “highly engaged community of trainers and course alumni who will help support you along your training journey.”
The objective is to provide fast, easy, and practical dog training solutions that pet parents can train their dog to do at home. Using positive reinforcement techniques creates a strong bond and understanding between humans and dogs. Most importantly, the online dog training courses delve into what’s causing your dog’s behavior so you can address the factors directly.
Spirit Dog Training Reviews
SpiritDog was founded in 2013, so it’s had 11 years to develop and perfect its courses. Spirit Dog Training said that dog owners give them a 92% 5-star rating. Trust Pilot, Dog Forum, and Canine Journal posted good reviews of the program. SpiritDog received 5-star reviews on Google, Trust Pilot, and Facebook. You can read a bunch of testimonials on their website.
Key Features of Spirit Dog Training
Let’s dive into the essential aspects of Spirit Dog Training, where innovative methods meet canine psychology to transform your dog’s behavior and skills.
Positive Methods
Spiritdog Training features humane training courses that provide positive reinforcement rather than punishment. Praise and/or treats are given for desired behavior, and undesired behavior is ignored.
Training techniques include fun games, so it’s a positive experience for dog owners and their dogs, whether they’re beginners or have taken training courses.
Flexible Scheduling
You purchase the Spirit Dog Training courses you want and can watch them whenever you please. The flexibility is nice because if you take a lesson with a trainer, you’d have to schedule it ahead of time.
With these online courses, you can just pull one up if you have 10 minutes and want to fit it into your daily training session, and you become your own professional dog trainer by following it.
Personalized Courses
There are 700 lessons and 400 online training videos, so you pick the ones that your pup needs. The main four combination online courses are called Rescue Dog Bundle, Tackling Reactivity Online Bundle, Ultimate Puppy Program Bundle, and The Perfect Focus Bundle.
Expert Support
Expert support is a big advantage because you’re not on your own. If your dog is having trouble learning something, you can contact support, and someone can help you through your issue. You have extra help throughout the training process, in addition to step-by-step instructions.
Pros
Let’s discover the advantages of Spirit Dog Training, where effective techniques and expert guidance lead to remarkable improvements in canine behavior.
Convenience
You can have an online dog training course with your dog whenever you want. Dog owners with crazy schedules can squeeze online dog training in whenever they are able to.
Access to Hundreds of Videos
700 lessons and 400 online courses are available. SpiritDog Training has 17 training courses for beginners needing basic obedience and also classes for those who have been using training techniques for years and want to explore fancy and impressive tricks and Parkour. Their statistics show that 938,500 people have viewed their training videos.
Effectiveness
The training techniques and the training methods from Basic Obedience to the Tackling Reactivity bundle have been successful for almost 80,000 satisfied dog owners, according to their website.
Expert Support
You can ask questions to professionals with many years of training experience and can also contact a community of dog owners. You can even show videos of your training sessions to the professional trainers, and they’ll tell you if you need to modify your lessons.
7-Day Free Training Course Philosophy
You can sample seven days of their training philosophy by adding yourself to their email list.
Money back guarantee
Spiritdog Training offers a 60-day refund guarantee if their online dog training doesn’t work for you, but they say they’ve had 100% satisfaction.
Cons
Now, let’s uncover the limitations of Spirit Dog Training, exploring areas where the program may fall short in addressing diverse canine training needs.
Expensive
Some feel it’s more expensive than other online dog training courses. There’s a $20 membership, and an online course ranges from $9 to $149. You really get a lot for the money because of the professional trainers, the community of dog owners, and lots of training tips, ideas, videos, instructional PDFs, quizzes, and audio segments. It’s a huge package.
Bundle Videos
Spirit Dog training courses include four bundle video packages for online training:
Rescue Dog Bundle
This very comprehensive package for rescue dogs includes basic obedience, addressing reactivity and stress responses, resolving rescue guarding issues, and taking your pooch places. SpiritDog Training throws in bonus videos of their Potty Training, Stop Jumping, Crate Training, Separation Anxiety Solutions, Sibling Struggles, Long Line Lessons, Treat Ebook, and 14 Days to Better Focus Ebook.
You can also suggest any content that you want SpiritDog to cover.
Rescue Dog Bundle
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Tackling Reactivity Online Bundle
If your dog is lunging, barking, or growling at other dogs, this bundle will help you stop that behavior. The video will help you understand why your dog is reacting — because they probably experienced trauma, how to prevent it, how to calm your pooch, and what to do when your pup starts exhibiting reactive behavior.
Tackling Reactivity Online Bundle
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Ultimate Puppy Program Bundle
This class teaches how to get a puppy’s attention and focus, potty training, crate training, basic obedience, and keeping the puppy focused despite nearby distractions. SpiritDog says your puppy will learn 5-10 behaviors and/or tricks by the end.
Bonuses include: Training Habits, Attention Booster, Hyperactivity Helper, Stop Jumping, Separation Anxiety, and 14 Days to Better Focus.
Puppies need to teethe when their teeth come in because they are in pain. If you need help training a puppy not to bite, we have you covered. You might also want to learn how to teach a dog to sit, which is a very basic command.
If you have an older dog, learning how to crate an older dog will be helpful. My rescue dogs are always full-grown when they arrive at my house, do not want to be in a crate, and are quite insulted when we attempt to gently push them into one — no matter how well-decorated and cozy.
You can read the article to find out how to get older dogs comfortable and happy in a crate.
Ultimate Puppy Program Bundle
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The Perfect Focus Bundle
This is for the dogs that are overwhelmed by stimulus and unable to follow behavior commands when there are people and/or dogs around. This class teaches your dog to come when called even if there are distractions, understand and fix reactivity toward other dogs, increase impulse control, calm your dog immediately, teach your dog to settle on a mat, and more.
In addition, we can direct you to the best dog training book of 2024 if you want to supplement Spiritdog training lessons with the written word. Also, you’ll need the right equipment, so here are the best dog collars for training.
You can also check out the best dog training app.
The Perfect Focus Bundle
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Single Spirit Dog Training Videos
Calm Down
This class helps you understand why your dog is wild, instructs you on how to calm your pooch down, teaches you how to help your dog go from active to quiet, builds up impulse control around toys and food, shows you how to teach your dog to solve homemade food puzzles and brain games, and you’ll learn how to make permanent changes in your dog’s behavior issues.
Calm Down
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Basic Confidence
Confident dogs are secure and behave. This video is about teaching basic manners, understanding why your dog has behavior issues, learning how positive reinforcement works, and making changes that last in your dog’s behavior issues.
It also includes a variety of dog breeds working in different places, so you can witness how well they focus.
Basic Confidence
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Coming When Called And Outdoor Focus
This video course includes lifetime access to 28 extensive learning modules and being allowed to ask the trainer unlimited questions. The premise is, “Teach your dog that nothing is as important and fun as listening to you.”
This teaches how to use your dog’s prey drive to work in your favor. You’ll learn how to be more interesting than a squirrel or rabbit — quite an accomplishment.
Train your dog to ignore toys and full food bowls. Develop a bond through playing that is stronger than any temptation. The relationship between you and your dog is the foundation that you build all trust and training upon.
Coming When Called And Outdoor Focus
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Loose Leash Walking
This video is for dogs that pull when on leash. It helps you train your dog to walk next to you by reinforcing that behavior. You can alsowatch different dogs train in a variety of settings.
Dog Tricks
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Dog Tricks
If your dog is a good boy/girl and you just want to train them some impressive tricks, this is the video for you.
Commands include: sit pretty, roll over, handstand, walk backward, crawl backward and forwards, spin left and right, roll a ball, weave through legs, jump through a hoop, wave, pretend to limp, and more. It’s like a graduate degree, and they’ll dazzle friends and strangers with their talents!
Dog Tricks
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SpiritDog Parkour
Parkour is fun for your pup, helps you enhance their focus and attention, strengthens your bond, teaches new behaviors, and helps them learn to work in different settings.
The video includes parkour move instructions, ways to adapt them for puppies/seniors/athletic dogs, different levels, course maps, a new course map each month, personal feedback from the trainer, videos of different dog breeds and ages doing parkour, quizzes, money back guarantee, and lifetime access.
SpiritDog Parkour
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Other Courses of Spirit Dog Training
Here are three more top-selling courses:
Recall Expert
SpritDog Training explains that if your dog sees another dog and you call your pooch and they ignore you, they are positively reinforced because disregarding your command allows them to greet the other dog and have a great time sniffing and barking. Your dog needs to learn that you are the center of their universe.
Recall Expert
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Focus in Public
Spirit Dog Training touts this course as the fix for your dog not responding to you, ignoring treats and toys that you offer as rewards, pulling you to things when on leash, barking, and lunging on walks.
Focus in Public
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Perfect Obedience
This course is for dogs who ignore their people’s commands, pull on the leash, and jump on everyone. The bundle includes Basic Obedience Course, Loose Leash Walking Course, Training Habits & Rewards Mini-Course, Stop Jumping Mini-Course, Separation Anxiety Solutions Mini-Course, and Exclusive Ebook “14 Days For Better Focus.” Very comprehensive.
Perfect Obedience
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Single Classes
These are single classes that are offered as part of bundle packages, and you can purchase them separately as well.
Dog Agility At Home
Have your dog perform agility right at home.
Indoor Games for Small Spaces
This class shows how you can use things you have in your home to play games in small spaces. It promises that 5-10 minutes of daily games will make your dog’s thinking skills and focus stronger.
Taking Turns
If you have two or more dogs, you can help them learn to wait patiently while the other(s) are training.
Canine Fitness
Taught by a certified canine fitness trainer, this class keeps your dog healthy and fit by working exercise routines into their life.
Confidence Booster
A healthy relationship with you, socialization, and training help your pooch to feel confident and secure.
Learn to Fetch
Some dogs don’t understand fetch immediately. This class will help your pup catch on.
Mastering Potty Training
Step-by-step instructions to teach your dog to go potty outside.
Distance Control
Your dog will learn to obey hand and verbal cues, stay in position until released, stand, sit, and spin on cue, come when called from 30 feet away, and stay still when you walk away.
Just Listen
Listening is so important. Your pup can even go on trails off-leash if you want as long as they know to heed your commands (for safety purposes).
Stop Resource Guarding
When your pooch understands the “drop it” command, they won’t steal socks, growl if someone walks by when they’re eating, etc.
Frisbee Games
If your dog needs a little help with the concept of frisbee, they can learn with this class.
Who SpiritDog Isn’t Suitable For?
SpiritDog training is for pet parents who will commit to spending 10 minutes each day working with their dogs so they will be happy and well-adjusted. Repetitive training, consistent practice, dedication, and owner involvement are the best ways to ensure a content and well-behaved pup.
Our Experience With Spirit Dog Training
My dog is a little spoiled. She’s 13, and I feel bad making her sit for treats because she has arthritis. Dogs are pack animals and behave as the alpha dog instructs. I am asking her to sit before treats because it’s an important reinforcer.
Not asking her to sit is a missed opportunity for her to obey a command and be rewarded. They like and need structure. SpiritDog taught me that.
We’re also making a lot of progress on the “come” command. When she’s outside in our yard, she’s so excited to check if there are squirrels or chipmunks out there. When it’s cold out, she loves the temperature and doesn’t want to come in.
Spirit Dog Training emphasizes high-value treats, which trump many distractions. My dog always wants a treat when she comes in, so she knows she has to listen.
These are the best puppy treats for training.
FAQs
Is Spirit Dog Training effective?
According to my personal experience and online reviews indicate that SpiritDog training courses are effective.
Who owns Spirit Dog Training?
Steffi Trott, a trainer, who decided to make videos of lessons to help dog owners near and far train their pups.
What is the highest-rated dog training certification?
The highest dog training certification is the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers® (CCPDT).
FINAL THOUGHTS
Spiritdog Training courses have been widely used due to their effectiveness, convenience, many topics, resources (including Ebooks), and the valuable resource of speaking with dog training experts.
Spiritdog Training sessions were created over a decade ago and have been refined throughout the years to help dog owners understand dog behavior, solutions, and instructions for implementing them.
Customers report improvement in their pup’s behavior after 10 minutes of Spiritdog training per day for a week or two. It’s nice to go at your own pace with no pressure.
Some online dog training may be cheaper, but Spiritdog training courses give dog owners lifetime access to resources, the opportunity to ask professional trainers questions, and many popular courses from basic obedience and rescue dog training to the tackling reactivity bundle (to other dogs), to new puppy courses, helping dogs who have trouble focusing, calm down, confidence, and other top selling courses.
Does SpiritDog training work? The testimonials and reviews say yes. I personally learned a lot about the dog psyche and how to train them, and my dog sits and comes when called!
SpiritDog Training offers a comprehensive platform, especially appealing to those seeking a positive reinforcement approach. Their variety of courses caters to different needs and budgets, from puppy essentials to aggression rehabilitation. While the online format allows for flexibility, it lacks the personalized touch of in-person training. Additionally, the sheer volume of content can feel overwhelming. Ultimately, SpiritDog’s success hinges on owner commitment and self-discipline. For dedicated owners seeking a structured, positive approach to dog training, SpiritDog provides valuable resources, but may not be suitable for those preferring a more hands-on learning experience.