About Paws Abilities Dog Training

Reward-based training since 1999

Paws Abilities Dog Training offers Twin Cities classes in St. Louis Park and Inver Grove Heights, alongside southeast Minnesota classes in Oronoco. The company was founded in 1999 and describes itself as the first training company to bring clicker training techniques to southeast Minnesota. It follows a LIMA (Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive) policy and the Humane Hierarchy, using gentle, motivational, reward-based methods, and interruption, redirection and training of alternative behaviors to reduce unwanted ones. Its trainers are members of professional organizations such as the Association for Professional Dog Trainers, and the company mentors new trainers through Animal Behavior College, Victoria Stilwell Academy and the CATCH Dog Training program.

Classes and services

New students can start in Puppy Class, AKC STAR Puppy, Teenage Transformations, Beginning Obedience or Reactive Dog Rehab Level One. The wider class menu runs from Canine Good Citizen prep, rally and competition obedience to agility, scent work, barn hunt, disc dog, flyball, fitness, tricks and therapy dog prep, plus solo tutoring intensives and drop-in sessions. Private lessons, behavior consultations, puppy camp, enrichment camp, board and train, and professional walks and pet sitting round out the services.

What to ask

Ask which classes currently run at the St. Louis Park location and about class pricing.