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Dog Obedience Classes in Colorado Springs, CO — Find the Best Trainers

Dog Obedience Classes in Colorado Springs, CO

GDBy the GetDogSchool team·Updated 2026·Expert-reviewed
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Obedience classes are the most affordable way to build everyday manners, and around Colorado Springs they come in more varieties than the classic six-week evening course. You can join leveled class series, drop-in classes, an indoor training gym with a flexible schedule, small group classes in a Black Forest barn, or graduate classes after a private or board-and-train program.

This page explains what a good obedience class covers, the local formats, how to choose, and how to get the most out of the hours you pay for.

What an obedience class should teach

Basic obedience is less about commands than about a dog that can listen when life is distracting. A good beginner class covers:

  • Attention to the handler and responding to its name.
  • Sit, down, stay and a release word.
  • Coming when called, starting in a quiet room and building up.
  • Loose leash walking and polite greetings.
  • Place or settle, so a dog can relax in one spot.
  • Leave it and drop it.

Advanced classes add heel, longer and more distant stays, distractions and work in public, and several local class series end in preparation for the AKC Canine Good Citizen test.

Class formats in and around Colorado Springs

Leveled class series. Two daycare camps in the area, one in Monument and one on the east side, have trainers who teach levels of six weeks each: basic training for dogs over 4 months, advanced training covering heel, place and distractions, and a public polishing class that can prepare for the Canine Good Citizen test. A nonprofit training school runs its own ladder from puppy and elementary classes through intermediate and advanced obedience, rally, tricks and therapy dog work.

Drop-in and flexible classes. A large training and daycare center sells drop-in classes and competitive obedience, rally, scent work and conformation sessions, and an indoor training gym lets members book classes on a flexible schedule rather than a fixed course, with the owner in every class.

Small group classes. A low-cost class program in a Black Forest training barn limits classes to 8 students and needs at least 3 to run; most classes there last 6 weeks. A training studio on the west side runs basics and reactive-dog classes, and an agility ranch teaches small obedience classes alongside agility.

Graduate classes. Some trainers teach group classes only to dogs that have finished a private or board-and-train program, including a franchise location, a balanced trainer who focuses on reactivity and a facility in Monument with group training and the CGC test.

How to choose a class

  • Watch a session if you can. Look at the dogs’ body language, how much individual help handlers get and whether the room is calm.
  • Ask about class size. Smaller classes give more coaching; one local program caps classes at 8 students.
  • Ask about prerequisites. Some classes require vaccinations and a minimum age, advanced levels require the basic level, and some graduate classes require a private program first.
  • Ask about methods and tools. Local trainers describe themselves as positive reinforcement only, all-positive, reward-based or balanced. Ask what equipment is allowed in class.
  • Check the schedule honestly. A course with a fixed weekly slot suits some owners; drop-in and flexible booking suit others. Missing classes is the most common reason owners stall.

When a class is not the right fit

A dog that barks, lunges or cannot settle around other dogs may not learn much in a busy room, and it can make the class harder for everyone. Several trainers here run reactive-dog classes or ask for an assessment first, and many offer private lessons at a studio or in your home as a bridge into group work. The same applies to very fearful dogs and to dogs with a bite history.

Preparing for the first class

A little preparation makes the first session far more useful. Exercise your dog before class so it can concentrate, but do not tire it out completely. Bring small, soft treats your dog really wants, since the training room competes with every other dog in it. Use the collar or harness and leash the class asks for, and bring proof of vaccinations, which most classes require. Arrive a few minutes early so your dog can settle, and give it space from other dogs in the waiting area; a calm arrival sets up the whole hour.

Tell the instructor about anything that worries you, such as a dog that is nervous around men, guards food or has been in a scuffle. A good instructor will adjust where you stand, how close other dogs get and what exercises you start with. If the first week is hard, that is normal; judge a class after two or three sessions, not one.

Getting the most from class

The class hour is where you learn the exercise; the week between classes is where the dog learns it. Short sessions of a few minutes, several times a day, work better than one long session before class. Practice in different rooms, then the yard, then quiet streets, and only then in busier places. Keep in mind that Colorado Springs requires leashes in city parks and on city trails outside the designated off-leash areas, so most of your homework will be on leash.

If your dog finishes a basic course and you want to keep going, the local options are unusually broad: advanced obedience, rally, scent work, tricks, agility, conformation and therapy dog classes are all taught in the region.

Reviewed Dog Obedience Classes Trainers in Colorado Springs

These reviewed Colorado Springs-area trainers from our directory are the local options for dog obedience classes. Each links to a full profile with specialties, certified credentials, reviews, and contact info:

See all Colorado Springs dog obedience classes trainers →

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do obedience classes last?

Many local classes run in blocks of about six weeks with one session a week, but you will also find drop-in classes and an indoor training gym with flexible booking instead of a fixed course.

Can I bring a reactive dog to a group class?

Usually not to a standard class. Ask for an assessment, or look for a reactive-dog class or private lessons first. Several trainers here offer each.

What is the Canine Good Citizen test?

It is an AKC test of everyday manners and handling. Several local class series end in Canine Good Citizen preparation, and a number of trainers and centers here are evaluators who can give the test.

Do I have to attend with my dog?

Yes. In a group class you are the student as much as your dog. One indoor training gym here makes a point of having the owner in every class, with no drop-offs.

Are there classes beyond basic obedience?

Yes. Trainers in the region teach rally, scent work, tricks, agility, conformation, competitive obedience and therapy dog preparation, so a basic course can lead into a sport or a working role.

Related: read our complete dog obedience classes guide or the full Colorado Springs dog training overview.

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