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Dog Obedience Classes in Santa Fe, NM — Find the Best Trainers

Dog Obedience Classes in Santa Fe, NM

GDBy the GetDogSchool team·Updated 2026·Expert-reviewed
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Obedience classes teach a dog the everyday skills that make life easier: coming when called, walking on a loose leash, waiting, settling and ignoring distractions. Around Santa Fe and Los Alamos you can learn them in a small studio class, a club session, a park group or one-on-one, and the right choice depends on your dog, your schedule and how you like to learn.

This guide describes the class formats offered in the area, what a good class looks like, how to choose between group and private training and what you should be able to do at the end.

Class options around Santa Fe

  • Studio classes in town. A studio on Second Street, shared by two separate trainers, hosts small classes. One trainer runs a two-part foundations class for dogs from six months, covering consistency, wait, stay, sit, loose-leash walking, polite greetings and leave it, followed by novice and higher-level rally and beginner and intermediate agility. The other teaches basic manners, puppy preschool and classes for small breeds, and builds small semi-private groups for a few friends.
  • A six-week manners class. One Santa Fe trainer runs a six-week basic manners and life skills class for dogs six months and older, with a separate class for adolescent dogs.
  • A community obedience club. In Los Alamos, a non-profit club has taught obedience, rally, Canine Good Citizen, trick dog and nose work classes since 1951. Classes run in sessions, registration opens for a few days, and spaces fill in the order registrations arrive.
  • Classes north of the city. A Tesuque trainer runs small boutique classes in Santa Fe and Tesuque, including basic obedience, plus a monthly training club.
  • Sunday group training. A trainer who works around Santa Fe holds Sunday group classes in a park or another announced location, focused on public manners.

What a good obedience class looks like

A good class is small enough that the instructor sees every dog, structured enough that each week builds on the last, and practical enough that skills carry over to home and the street. Expect a short explanation, a demonstration, plenty of practice with feedback, and homework. Classes in the area keep groups small: one adolescent class sets a minimum and maximum number of dogs, and the studio classes are described as small by design.

Look for clear rules about vaccinations, age and prerequisites. Several local classes ask you to finish a foundations or basic level first, or to talk with the instructor, before joining a higher class. That is a good sign, because it keeps each group at a similar level.

Group class or private lessons?

Group classes are best for practicing around distractions, which is exactly where most dogs struggle. They also cost less per hour and give you a fixed weekly routine. Private lessons, at a studio, at home or by video, suit owners with a specific problem, an unpredictable schedule or a dog who is not ready for a group. One studio trainer in Santa Fe works mostly with private clients at the studio and books home visits only when a dog’s age or behavior makes that the best option.

Group classes are not the right setting for every dog. One local trainer says plainly that groups are not appropriate for dogs with extreme fear or a history of aggression toward people or dogs. If that describes your dog, start with a private consultation.

Beyond basic obedience

Once the basics are solid, there is a lot to keep a dog busy. Rally obedience, a course of signs that a dog and handler work through together, is taught at a Santa Fe studio and at the Los Alamos club. Agility, trick training and nose work are also available. Several trainers in the area are Canine Good Citizen evaluators, which gives you a clear goal to train toward. For owners who want a service dog, an assistance dog organization in Santa Fe runs an owner self-training course that requires weekly in-person sessions.

What you should be able to do at the end

A good first course leaves you with a dog that responds to its name, sits and lies down on cue, waits at doors, walks on a loose leash for at least short stretches, comes when called in a quiet place and leaves something alone when asked. It also leaves you with a routine for practicing and a sense of where your dog still struggles. Expect most of those skills to be reliable at home first, and shakier around other dogs, at a busy store or on a trail.

That is normal. Obedience improves through the same steps everywhere: practice in easy settings, then add distance, duration and distraction one at a time. Many owners take a second course, a rally class or a Canine Good Citizen preparation class to keep building.

Methods and what to ask

The trainers around Santa Fe describe a range of methods. Most of the class programs are reward-based and force-free, while at least one trainer describes praise and correction. Ask each instructor what equipment dogs wear in class, what happens when a dog gets it wrong and how you will be taught to keep practicing at home. Choose a class you would be comfortable continuing between lessons, because progress comes from the practice in between.

Reviewed Dog Obedience Classes Trainers in Santa Fe

These reviewed Santa Fe-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 Santa Fe dog obedience classes trainers →

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find dog obedience classes in Santa Fe, New Mexico?

Santa Fe has small studio classes on Second Street, a six-week manners class and an adolescent dog class run by another trainer, Sunday group classes in a park, and small classes in Santa Fe and Tesuque run by a Tesuque trainer. Los Alamos has a long-running obedience club with classes in sessions.

How do I get a place in a class?

Many classes fill quickly. The Los Alamos club opens registration for a few days and fills spaces in the order registrations arrive, and some studio classes keep a wait list. Join each trainer’s newsletter or announcement list and register as soon as a session opens.

What does my dog need before joining a class?

Usually up-to-date vaccinations, a minimum age and, for higher levels, a completed lower class or the instructor’s permission. Some classes ask for one handler per dog and full payment before the first session, and dogs with extreme fear or aggression are usually steered to private lessons first.

Is there dog sports training around Santa Fe?

Yes. A Santa Fe studio teaches rally and beginner and intermediate agility, and the Los Alamos club offers rally, trick dog and nose work alongside obedience. Several trainers also prepare dogs for the Canine Good Citizen test.

Related: read our complete dog obedience classes guide or the full Santa Fe dog training overview.

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