Paw Pack K9 Institute
Overview
About Paw Pack K9 Institute
Paw Pack K9 Institute is a family-owned Columbus training and pet-care operation (4.9 stars across 50+ reviews) that aims to improve a dog's whole lifestyle, not just its obedience.
How they train
Balanced training — the philosophy that any tool can help when used correctly — focused on better owner–dog communication and a more peaceful daily life, delivered by people who live surrounded by dogs (nine of their own).
Programs
Board-and-train, boarding, daycare and grooming under one roof. Contact directly (614-500-3443) for program structure and pricing.
Experience & credentials
Head trainer Doug brings a decade of dog training and management experience, holds a degree in Animal Science, and is pursuing a Master's focused on dog nutrition — an unusually strong academic grounding, reflected in the 4.9-star rating.
Who it’s best for
Best for owners who want a well-reviewed, balanced board-and-train plus boarding/daycare from a credential-minded team.
What they can help with
Reviews
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What really stands out is how Doug stays supportive even after training is over. He’s always available for questions and offers advice whenever we need it, which has been super helpful. You can really tell he cares about his clients, treating them like part of his family.
We found him to be one of the most affordable option in Central Ohio, which was a big bonus. We continue to use him for daycare and boarding and know that whenever we go out of town or on vacation, she's going to be in great hands. Highly recommend PawPack K9 Institute if you’re looking to train your pup!
We cannot thank Doug enough for all of his help and continued support throughout! Our other dog is now attending the same training and we can’t wait to see how well he does!
Before this experience, Blue also didn’t have much socialization with other dogs. We live in an apartment and don’t have many friends or family with dogs, so that was something he was really lacking.
We dropped him off a few days before our trip and, due to weather (and our stubborn pup 😊), ended up picking him up about a week after we returned. Throughout that time, we felt confident he was in good hands.
Since coming home, we’ve already seen noticeable improvements. Blue is responding much better to commands like “no” and “leave it,” especially when it comes to our cat and the cat’s toys.
Walks are still a work in progress, but he’s improving so much over time. He’s starting to listen better, and the slip leash Doug provided has been really helpful.
We’re also still working on outings in public. At first, he was very intense in stores, but we’ve already seen progress—he settles down much faster the longer we’re there. We recently took him to Petco for Mother’s Day pictures, and it was a great example of how he’s improving.
I truly believe the socialization he received made a big difference. Between attending daycare and being around Doug’s dogs, Blue seems much calmer around other animals, which has also helped improve his behavior toward our cat at home.
I even noticed improvement this past weekend with kids around our home. While he still gets excited and initially wants to jump and play, after a few minutes he’s able to settle down, sit, and calmly let them pet him. He still has moments where he tries to jump, but it’s much less intense than it used to be.
What really stood out to us is Doug’s ongoing support. He’s been more than willing to meet with us as needed to reinforce the training, which we truly appreciate.
We’re very happy with our experience and will absolutely be bringing Blue back for future daycare and training needs. 💙
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Helpful guides
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