About Royal Hounds Academy

Behavior-focused training from Honokaa

Royal Hounds Academy is a dog training business in Honokaa on the Big Island, run by trainer Laeo with kennel tech Daisy and demo dog Mowgli, a dog Laeo raised and trained for tasking and medical alerts. Its mission is harmonious, balanced relationships between dogs and owners built on trust and clear communication, and it says its methods align with the CCPDT's Standards of Practice, tailored to each human-dog team.

Private sessions and courses

Weekly private sessions, in-home or at a nearby park in Honokaa, Waimea, Waikoloa, Hilo and Kona (on a limited basis), range from basic obedience to complex behavioral modification for over-arousal, fear and anxiety, noise phobias and reactivity, with written homework after each session. A single session costs $145, six cost $720, virtual sessions $90 and puppy starting (under 16 weeks) $70. Group courses, capped at five dogs, include Leash Skills (six weeks, $300), Bombproof Recall (ten weeks, $450) and Beginner Scent Detection (six weeks, $300). The academy also offers public access standards and task training for owners interested in a service dog.

Board and train

Two-, three- and four-week board and train programs run from obedience and leash manners to moderate and severe behavioral modification, priced after an in-person evaluation. Class and board and train clients can join a monthly training club ($25) on the last Sunday of the month.

What owners say

One client said, "It's incredible how much less stress and anxiety he is exhibiting."