About Ruff To Ready Academy

Who runs it

"I'm Austyn, a professional dog trainer and pet handler with years of hands-on experience rescuing, rehabilitating, and retraining dogs of every personality and background. I have trained for PetSmart as a Level II Trainer and am educated through Karen Pryor's Dog Trainer Professional Program."

Method, and what it rules out

Clicker training, stated as the only method used: "We specialize in positive reinforcement dog training and practice exclusively using science-backed clicker training methodology." The tools ruled out are named: "I train using positive reinforcement, create clear communication through clicker methodology, and provide results that last – no intimidation, punishments, or quick-fix gimmicks like pronged collars or e-collars." The reasoning given: "Clicker training taps into how dogs naturally learn. It marks the right behavior at the exact right moment, creating strong, permanent neural pathways, not temporary obedience."

The emphasis is on teaching the owner: "My approach stands out because it focuses on teaching owners just as much as their dogs, so you leave with real skills you can use for life, not just temporary results." The site puts the same idea in its own version of an old proverb: "Give an owner a trained dog and they will communicate for a day. Teach an owner to train a dog, and they will communicate for a lifetime."

Training, with prices

"1 Hour Private Training Session – $150," including "Ruff-To-Ready Starter Pack, a customized training plan, real-world practice, owner coaching, and 24/7 follow-up support," available "In-Person and/or Virtual" and "At your home or mine, at a time of your choosing, any time of day/night!" A "6 Session Training Bundle- $600" carries "$300 in savings!" Group classes are listed as coming soon at "$40," kept small: "up to 4 dogs per session, and each family can bring up to 3 people," "held 2-3 times a week (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) and run for 1-hour and 15-minutes," with a venue still being arranged: "currently working toward securing a spot at a nearby nursing home."

Board and train, in the house

Two tiers, both home-based. Comfort Board & Train is "24 hours $100 or Week $600": "Your dog lives in the home, not a kennel," with "Two daily 30-minute walks," "Four supervised outdoor yard sessions," "Multiple enrichment-based training sessions throughout the day," "Daily brushing and fresh breath treatment" and a "Bath before going home." Premium Board & Train is "24 hours $150 or Week $900," adding "Extra-long walks & an additional daily outing," "Structured socialization & desensitization work in public spaces," a "Nightly relaxation routine (lavender calming rub, massage, decompression games)" and "Detailed daily progress reports + videos."

Pet care alongside the training

"Nail Grinding + Cooperative Care Training" at "$20 (add-on to any service)"; dog walking at "$25 per 30 minutes | $40 per hour," described as "structured walking with sniff time, engagement games, and basic manners reinforcement"; drop-in visits at "$30 per visit (30+ min)"; bath and brush-out at "$40 (small/medium) | $60 (large)"; home-based daycare at "8:30am drop-off/5:30pm pick-up $50 (+$20 per additional dog)"; and vet transport at "$40 local (within 20 miles) | $60 extended."

Insurance, made a selling point

The site returns to it repeatedly: "We carry full professional and general liability coverage through Pet Care Insurance (PCI), including dog training coverage, pet sitting coverage, grooming liability, and pet daycare liability. This protects both you and your dog during all services."

Where it works

"Mount Pleasant, Lake Isabella, and nearby areas, extending to Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Traverse City. NO TRAVEL FEES!" The tagline is "Helping all pets from Mid-Michigan & beyond go from Ruff To Ready!"

Before you book

Ask where sessions take place.