This is a list of the top dog trainers in Des Moines, IA, based on votes from the Sniffspot community and the general public.

Animal Behavior College Graduate
Aggressive dog training, In home training, Reactive dog training, Puppy training
Greater Des Moines Area
I started my dog training career after graduating from Animal Behavior College in 2009. I opened Knox Canine Training in 2017 and we now have 6 employees

CPDT-KA
Reactive dog training, Off leash training, Puppy training
Greater Des Moines Metro
Sheila is certified and knowledge assessed through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers.
Sheila has 20 years of experience working with dogs in different capacities including rescue, daycare, rehabilitation, group classes, and private training.
Sheila regularly attends training seminars and conferences to stay current on the latest practices, methods, and e...

Aggressive dog training, In home training, Reactive dog training, Puppy training
Natalie Caldwell has been a part of the Knox Canine Training since the Fall 2018. Natalie adopted her boy, Rogue, a German Shorthair Pointer, in June 2015. Soon she had a mess with inconsistent handling, trainers wanting to utilize training techniques Natalie was not comfortable with using. When Clint Knox began Knox Canine Training, Natalie was one of the first in line. It wasn't long until Ro...

Aggressive dog training, In home training, Reactive dog training, Puppy training
Janis joined Knox Canine Training in July 2020. She is on the board at Iowa Weimaraner Rescue and has been a big supporter of Knox Canine Training since the beginning. Accounting is her full time day job but her home life is dogs. Janis currently has 3 resident Weims and 2 fosters. They have fostered about 30 Weims through IWR. All ages, all personality types. Janis works hard to have good pack...

Aggressive dog training, In home training, Reactive dog training, Puppy training
Michelle began her dog training passion in 2013 after adopting two bully mix dogs, Joe and Nina, from the Animal Rescue League of Iowa. She is a graduate of Iowa State University and was an educator for many years, but became even more passionate about learning all she could about science driven learning for dogs and their human companions. Beginning in 2014, she began teaching dog and puppy c...

Aggressive dog training, In home training, Reactive dog training, Puppy training
Erica has been assisting with Knox Canine Training since Spring 2022. She works full time as a Legal Assistant, but her passion is improving the relationship between dogs and their handlers through positive training. Having had various animals throughout her life, Erica's interest in dog training sprouted when her Mom, who has a physical disability, adopted two puppies. Knowing there may be cha...

Aggressive dog training, In home training, Reactive dog training, Service dog training, Puppy training
Cannady has worked as a social worker for 25 years serving the families of Des Moines, focusing her work on people with disabilities, community support programs, counseling, and managing teams. She earned a BS in Sociology and Criminal Justice from Iowa State. She has a passion for service-based programs and has realized the impact a service dog can have on someone needing to re-engage in his o...

Aggressive dog training, In home training, Reactive dog training, Service dog training, Puppy training
I have always had a passion for animals and have groomed dogs since 2007. I became passionate about dog training while actually training my own dog to be a service dog. Since then I have gone to dog training school through catch academy and received my certification. I hold a certification as a CCDT and am working towards my IACP certification. I am attending the master aggression course with w...

Board and train, Service dog training, Off leash training, Puppy training
A Guinness World Record title holder, Holly, has trained and shown dogs in 40 countries on 5 continents for 37 years. Leas is an Expert trainer, Behaviorist, and Professional Handler who specializes training All Breeds of Dogs in Obedience, Conformation, Therapy, Service, & Canine Good Citizen curriculums with the family business, All Breed Dog Obedience, for over 70 years.Holly Leas started tr...

Board and train, Service dog training, Off leash training, Puppy training
Sharon has trained dogs as part of All Breed Dog Obedience for over fifty years. Her husband Neal D. Leas originated program and she has been an integral part of the Leas lineage, Lutzhaus Kennels. She has owned and shown German Shepherds on 4 continents with F.C.I. International 4 Continent 10 Champion Clayfield's Mon Ami, who was inducted into the Guinness World Record Book in 1988 as 'Greate...

Board and train, Service dog training, Off leash training, Puppy training
An avid equestrian in her youth, Laura competed in the dressage and hunter/jumper disciplines through college. Her knowledge of equine body language & solid training techniques helped in starting young horses from the racetrack under saddle for pleasure riding. After an automobile accident left her horse training passions by the wayside, she was introduced to the Great Dane; a horse among dogs!...

Board and train, Off leash training, Puppy training
Since childhood, my passion for animals has been unwavering. Initially, I set my sights on becoming a veterinarian, but fate led me down a different path when I stumbled upon the world of dog training. It all started in high school when my mom welcomed a Doberman puppy into our home. accompanying her to a local training center, I felt an instant connection to the world of dog training, realizin...

Board and train, Off leash training, Puppy training
I spent years immersed in the world of dogs, initially through roles in boarding/daycare facilities and grooming salons. Working closely with these animals ignited a deep passion within me. However, it was a chance encounter with a female boxer mix named Genie, found wandering the streets of my neighborhood, that truly propelled me towards becoming a trainer.
Taking Genie into my care,...

In home training, Puppy training
Em Muench is a dog lover who began her dog training journey in 2019. She fell in love with learning how to understand and better communicate with dogs while training service dogs for a local nonprofit.Em's passion lies in helping owners enjoy life with their dog. She finds it extremely rewarding to see the transformation that takes place not only with the dog, but with the owner, as well. From ...

Board and train, Puppy training
When you're shopping for a place your pup can thrive when you can't be there, you have a lot to consider. And It's not all just fun. This is what we offer:Daycare Overnight Boarding Long Term Boarding, Special Needs Care, Private Quarters, Perfect Safety Record, Spa Packages, Grooming, Training, Curated play groups, Small Class Sizes . Orthopedic Beds , Cushioned Floors , Strict Adherence To S...

In home training
Ankeny Bark Avenue, Bark Avenue West, and Waukee Bark Avenue are resort-style vacation facilities for dogs, providing dog boarding and dog daycare and combining homelike amenities with recreational, safe activity. Our inviting facilities feature clean, secure, and fun-filled environments exceeding pet care industry standards. Our well trained and dog-loving staff provide the highest levels of c...
Welcome to Des Moines’s list of top dog trainers. The Des Moines, Iowa list is based on 31 votes from the Iowa Sniffspot community. Only the Des Moines dog trainers with the top number of votes made this list. Trainers are ordered by number of votes, with Clint Knox at the top of this list with 30 votes. We also counted 90 votes for Iowa, with the remaining trainers listed outside of Des Moines.
Our rankings include trainers certified by CPDT-KA and Animal Behavior College Graduate. They also specialize in Puppy training, In home training amongst other training programs.
Des Moines dog trainer services include:
Behind every successful Des Moines training session lies a passionate professional. Clint Knox shares why they chose this path: 2009. All 16 trainers on this Des Moines list are committed to positive reinforcement. Trusted Des Moines trainer, Sheila Williams, uses the following methods: .
Explore the top dog trainers in Des Moines as voted by our community:
Ordered alphabetically, only included cities where there is enough data to compile a list
Smaller steps.


















































