About The Dog Institute of Williamsburg

The Dog Institute of Williamsburg occupies 125 Roebling Street and describes itself as a center for puppies and dogs to learn, socialize, play and rest. The stated goal is helping dogs and their humans develop positive communication skills and friendship, and the method is stated without qualification: 100% positive reinforcement.

Who runs it

Founder and director Elizabeth Reddin is a Dog Training Internship Academy (DTIA) certified dog trainer and a longtime Williamsburg resident with years of experience supporting local dog owners.

The puppy program

For puppies between eight and twenty-six weeks there is a comprehensive Baby Puppy Curriculum, delivered as a series of virtual sessions with the option to take the fourth session in person. That structure is a deliberate answer to a real constraint: the socialization window opens before a puppy is fully vaccinated, so the early work has to happen at home, and a curriculum built to be taught remotely lets an owner start on day one rather than waiting.

Drop-off play and train

As a supplement to the Baby Puppy Program the center runs four-hour drop-off play-and-train sessions – the dog is left at the center, works with a trainer and socializes, and goes home the same day. For an owner working full time, this is the format that gets training done without an evening class.

The space

Having its own premises is the distinguishing feature. Classes, an honor roll of graduates and a purchase page for programs are all published, and the center is set up for dogs to rest as well as work, which matters for puppies whose capacity for a class runs out long before the hour does.