About Crossbones Dog Academy

Positive training in Providence

Crossbones Dog Academy is a dog training and daycare center at 189 Swan St. in Providence, right off I-95, run by co-owners and co-founders Katherine Ostiguy and Daniel Lombard. It describes "positive, effective dog training since 2010" and a commitment to "modern, effective, positive reinforcement-based training," and has been in Providence since 2014. PETS+ Magazine named it one of "America's Coolest" pet businesses for 2026.

Programs

The team works with puppies, basic and advanced obedience, dog sports, aggression, fear and anxiety. Puppy Day School, launched in 2014, counts more than 650 graduates. Flex Classes run six days a week: owners start with an Orientation: Dog Training 101 class, then take five Core Manners classes (Attention Please, Come This Way, Settle & Stay Put, Polite in Public and Self-Control) in any order, with elective and advanced classes after. Intensive Training offers 5- and 8-week programs, and there is 1-on-1 behavior consulting for fearful, aggressive and anxious dogs, plus agility, a Reactive Recovery class and Educational Daycare.

The trainers

Katherine is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA since 2022) and Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA CTP since 2010), competes internationally in agility and has mentored for Victoria Stilwell Academy. Dan and his dog Anthem represented the United States on the 2023 IFCS Agility World Team USA.

What owners say

One student wrote that "class sizes are smaller than other places I have been, allowing for a less chaotic environment but still plenty of socialization and time for one on one guidance."