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In-Home Dog Training in Santa Monica, CA

GDBy the GetDogSchool team·Updated 2026·Expert-reviewed

In-Home Dog Training in Santa Monica

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In-home training brings the trainer to the place where most problems actually happen: the front door, the kitchen counter, the elevator and the sidewalk outside your building. On the Westside of Los Angeles it is one of the most common ways people train their dogs.

This guide explains what in-home training looks like, which local trainers offer it and in what forms, how it compares with classes and residential programs, and what to ask before you book. Eleven of the trainers listed on this hub, from Pacific Palisades and Santa Monica to Marina del Rey, Culver City, West Hollywood and Redondo Beach, say in their own words that they train in the owner’s home or come to you, and they are shown below the guide.

What in-home training looks like

In a typical session the trainer arrives at your home, watches the problem in its real setting and teaches you and your dog a few skills to practice before the next visit. Later sessions often move to your block, a nearby park or a cafe so the skills carry over to busy places.

  • Private lessons, usually a series of four to eight sessions.
  • Behavior consultations, a longer first visit that ends with a plan.
  • Day training at home, in which the trainer works with the dog during the week while you are out, then coaches you.
  • Puppy programs at home, built around house training, daily routines and early manners.

Who offers it locally

The in-home trainers here cover a wide range of styles:

  • A two-person team based in Pacific Palisades that runs puppy and obedience programs at the owner’s location across much of the Westside.
  • A certified trainer in West Hollywood who offers in-home private training, puppy work and preparation for a new baby, and a positive-first academy there that pairs in-home training with board and train and group classes.
  • A long-running Marina del Rey behavior practice that combines in-home obedience and puppy training with behavior work, and a Marina del Rey trainer who starts with a behavior consultation at the client’s home followed by one-on-one sessions.
  • A Culver City trainer who works on separation anxiety, leash reactivity and fearful dogs in person or remotely, and a Playa del Rey trainer whose private lessons sit alongside classes and board and train.
  • A Santa Monica dog club with private training and day training programs, and two Santa Monica balanced trainers whose in-home programs sit alongside board and train.
  • A Redondo Beach training and daycare facility that offers its private classes at the facility or as in-home training.

Methods range from strictly reward-based to balanced. Ask each trainer how they work.

Problems that suit in-home work

  • Door manners: barking, jumping on guests and door dashing.
  • House training and crate routines for puppies and newly adopted dogs.
  • Separation anxiety, which has to be worked on in the home where the dog is left.
  • Leash reactivity, starting on quiet streets near home before moving to busier ones.
  • Household routines: counter surfing, settling on a mat, behavior around children and preparing a dog for a new baby.

In-home training compared with other formats

A group class adds practice around other dogs and people, which an in-home session does not. A board and train covers more training hours, but the dog has to transfer the skills back to your home. In-home training sits between them: you do much of the practice, but you learn it where you will use it. Many owners begin with a few in-home sessions and then add a class or outings in public places once the basics are in place.

What to ask before you book

  • Which neighborhoods do you cover, and is travel included?
  • How long is each session, and how many do you usually recommend?
  • Will you work outside the home as well, for example on walks or at a park?
  • What homework will I have between visits?
  • Do you offer check-ins by phone or video between sessions?
  • Which methods and tools do you use?

Note that in-home pet sitting and in-home boarding are care services, not training, even when the same business offers both.

How a first in-home visit usually runs

Most first visits start with questions: the dog’s history, daily routine, health, what has been tried already and what a good outcome would look like for the household. Many trainers ask owners to fill in a questionnaire or book a short call beforehand, and some ask for a video of the problem.

The trainer then watches the dog in its normal setting, for example greeting a visitor at the door, walking out of the building or being left alone for a moment, and explains what is driving the behavior. The rest of the visit is usually hands-on: one or two skills taught to the dog, then handed over to the owner, with a short written plan or notes for practice. Behavior consultations often run longer than later sessions, and some trainers leave a detailed plan with day-by-day steps. Ask whether that plan is included in the first visit.

Reviewed In-Home Dog Training Trainers in Santa Monica

These reviewed Santa Monica-area trainers from our directory handle in-home dog training. Each links to a full profile with specialties, certified credentials, reviews, and contact info:

See all Santa Monica in-home dog training trainers →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is in-home training better than a class?

It depends on the problem. In-home training is often better for door manners, house training, separation anxiety and dogs that are anxious around other dogs. A class is better for practicing around distractions. Many owners use both.

Will an in-home trainer come to my neighborhood?

Most in-home trainers here list the neighborhoods or radius they serve, and some travel across much of Los Angeles. Ask when you first contact them, and ask whether travel to your address is included.

What is day training at home?

A trainer comes to your house during the week, often several times, and works with your dog while you are busy. You then get sessions that teach you how to use the cues, so the dog responds to you as well.

How many in-home sessions will my dog need?

Puppy and basic programs often run four to eight sessions, while behavior cases can take longer and may include remote check-ins. A trainer should give you an estimate after the first visit and adjust it as the dog progresses.

Do I need to be home during in-home training?

For private lessons, yes, because the point is to teach you as well as the dog. In day training at home the trainer may work with the dog while you are out, but good programs still include sessions with you so the dog listens to you, not only to the trainer.

Related: read our complete in-home dog training guide or the full Santa Monica dog training overview.

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