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Dog Obedience Classes in Los Angeles, CA

GDBy the GetDogSchool team·Updated 2026·Expert-reviewed
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Obedience is the everyday language between you and your dog: sit at the curb, wait at the door, come back when called and walk without pulling past a line of parked cars. A dog that knows these cues is easier to take everywhere in a city as busy as Los Angeles.

Obedience here is taught in outdoor club classes in Griffith Park, evening group classes near Atwater Village, daycare classes, private lessons at home, day training and board and train programs. This guide explains what an obedience course covers, the local formats and how to compare them. Trainers who teach obedience are listed below the guide.

What an obedience course teaches

Most courses build the same core skills, then add distractions and distance:

  • Position cues. Sit, down and stand, held for longer as the course goes on.
  • Stays and waits. Staying in place while you move away, and waiting at doors and curbs.
  • Recall. Coming when called, first indoors and then around distractions.
  • Leash walking and heel. Walking on a loose leash and holding a heel position for short stretches.
  • Impulse control. Leave it, go to your spot and calm greetings.

One club course in the city describes eight weeks of heeling, sits, downs, stays, behaving in a group, standing for examination and recalls. Another group course lists sit, stay, down stay, come, heel, find it, leave it, go to your spot and a release cue.

Obedience formats in Los Angeles

  • Club classes. A volunteer obedience club runs back-to-back eight-week novice courses in Griffith Park on weekday evenings and weekend mornings, with advanced, rally and competition classes on Saturdays and Canine Good Citizen testing.
  • Small group courses. A reward-only trainer teaches five-week evening classes at a church hall near Atwater Village.
  • Daycare classes. Several daycares keep their own trainers, who teach obedience in group classes and one-on-one sessions.
  • Private lessons and home visits. Many private trainers teach obedience in the home, from single long visits to multi-week programs.
  • Day training and board and train. Facilities in East Hollywood and Downtown teach obedience during structured days or residential stays and then hand the skills over to the owner.
  • Pet store classes. Chain pet stores across the city run basic obedience courses in-store.

Group class or private lessons?

A group class is a good fit for a sociable dog and an owner who wants practice around distractions at a steady pace. Private lessons suit a dog that struggles around others, an owner with a specific problem, or a schedule that does not fit a weekly class. Day training and board and train programs work for busy owners, but they only last if the owner practices afterward, so ask how the transfer sessions are run.

Many owners combine formats: a few private lessons to get started, then a group class to practice around other dogs, or a group course followed by a short private refresher.

Comparing obedience trainers

  • Method. Trainers here range from punishment-free and marker-based teaching to balanced trainers who use prong or remote collars. Ask what tools are used and why.
  • Class size and level. Ask how many dogs attend and what a dog must know before joining.
  • Where it happens. Outdoor classes give real-world distractions, while indoor rooms are easier for nervous dogs.
  • Homework. A good course sends you home with clear practice for the week.
  • Next steps. Ask what follows the first course, from advanced classes to rally or Canine Good Citizen testing.

Beyond the basics

Once a dog has a solid foundation, there is more to do. The Griffith Park club offers advanced novice classes, an introduction to obedience competition and beginning open obedience, as well as rally, a sport in which dog and handler follow a course of signs. Canine Good Citizen and advanced CGC testing give owners a clear goal for everyday manners.

Other trainers here build obedience into longer programs: day training aimed at reliable off-leash skills, board and train stays that end with handover sessions, and in-home programs that add recall, heel and settling under distraction. Ask a trainer what the next step looks like for your dog and how they test whether a cue is truly reliable.

What to expect

A first course gives a dog the basics in a quiet setting. Making those cues reliable on a busy street takes practice in many places. Expect to repeat cues around new distractions for months, and expect adolescent dogs to test what they know. The payoff is a dog you can take to more places with less stress.

Reviewed Dog Obedience Classes Trainers in Los Angeles

These reviewed Los Angeles-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 Los Angeles dog obedience classes trainers →

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to be a member to join a club obedience class?

Not necessarily. The obedience club that trains in Griffith Park says you do not need to be a member to join its classes. Ask any club about registration and orientation before the first session.

How long is a typical obedience course here?

Courses in the city run from about five weeks to eight weeks, and private programs vary from a single long visit to several weeks of sessions. Ask how many sessions are included and how long each lasts.

Can an older dog still learn obedience?

Yes. Adult dogs learn obedience at any age, though habits take longer to change. Private lessons are often a good start for an older dog with established habits.

What is the Canine Good Citizen test?

It is a test of everyday manners, such as accepting a friendly stranger and walking politely through a crowd. The Griffith Park obedience club holds testing alongside its novice course orientation.

What if my dog is too distracted for a group class?

Start smaller. A few private lessons at home or in a quiet park can build focus before you add other dogs, and some classes allow a dog to work at the edge of the group. Tell the instructor about your dog’s struggles before the first session so they can plan for it.

Related: read our complete dog obedience classes guide or the full Los Angeles dog training overview.

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