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The Best Dog Trainers in Wisconsin of 2026

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David Adams

Aug 7, 2026

Dog Trainers

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

  • Lynsie Bernier Photo

    Lynsie Bernier

    Certified Professional Dog Trainer- Knowledge Assessed, CPDT-KA

    Reactive dog training, Agility training, In home training, Puppy training

    Oshkosh, Winnebago County, Northeastern WI

    Lynsie Bernier is the owner of Ideal DOG and brings 30 years in the animal care field to the business. Lynsie has worked in nearly every capacity of professional animal care since 1993.

    Over the last 18 years Lynsie has focused her career on dog training and behavior. Her credentials and memberships include:

    Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA)
    Approved AKC Canine...


  • Shannon Skolaski Photo

    Shannon Skolaski

    Aggressive dog training, Deaf dog training, Reactive dog training, In home training, Off leash training, Puppy training

    Dane County and surrounding areas

    With DBF since: 1999Areas of expertise: Families with dogs and children, general training, puppies and reactive/ aggressive dogsEducation: Bachelor's degree in zoology and psychology from UW-MadisonI have always had a passion for animals. My grandfather was a large animal veterinarian. As time went on I was going to pursue a degree as a veterinary technician. A local veterinarian directed me to...


  • Brittany Rose Photo

    Brittany Rose

    CPDT-KA, ACDBC, Force Free Trainers of Wisconsin

    Aggressive dog training, Deaf dog training, Reactive dog training, In home training, Off leash training, Puppy training

    Milwaukee County, Waukesha County, Washington County, Ozaukee County

    Brittany has always had a strong love of animals, which she fostered from an early age with her participation in horseback riding, as well as her volunteer work at the humane society.

    After graduating high school, Brittany went to UW Madison to pursue a degree in veterinary medicine. Dog training wasn't a popular career option at the time, so veterinary medicine was the career recommen...


  • Heather Mishefske Photo

    Heather Mishefske

    CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA

    Aggressive dog training, Reactive dog training, Off leash training

    Midwestern Wisconsin

    Heather got her start in dogs at the age of 10 years old in 4H. Showing in local shows, and doing some grooming of the neighbor dogs prepped her for a life in the dog world. She has a degree in dietetics from UW Madison, and worked in healthcare for 13 years before leaving to go into dogs full time. She opened emBARK in 2006 and they offer dog daycare, group training classes, grooming, canin...


  • Jessica Cady-Bartholomew Photo

    Jessica Cady-Bartholomew

    KPA CTP, CPDT-KA, Fear Free Trainer, Predation Substitute Trainer, Family Dog Mediator, Certified Trick Dog Instructor, Pro Dog Trainer

    Aggressive dog training, Reactive dog training, In home training, Off leash training, Puppy training

    Madison & Surrounding Communities

    Jessica Cady-Bartholomew believes in training and educating efficiently with kindness and compassion. She uses the latest and best methods in animal learning to ensure that you and your pup are reaching your goals and having a great time doing it.

    A Madison native, with a degrees in sociology & recreation, Jess has made the commitment to help people and their dogs lead their very best ...


  • Jennifer Pratt Photo

    Jennifer Pratt

    CTC, CDBC, CSAT, SA PRO, CPDT-KA

    Aggressive dog training, Reactive dog training, In home training, Puppy training

    We are based in the Milwaukee, WI metro area, and work remotely with clients worldwide.

    Jennifer Pratt, CTC, CSAT, SA Pro, CDBC, CPDT-KA, is the founder of Wag the Dog and Company. She is a graduate of Jean Donaldson's prestigious Academy for Dog Trainers where she earned her certificate in training and counseling (CTC) and honored to be on their speaker roster for conferences and seminars.Jennifer is also a graduate of two renowned trainers and authors widely-recognized as the a...


  • Pam Catalano Photo

    Pam Catalano

    CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA

    Reactive dog training, In home training, Puppy training

    Waukesha County

    I have been training people to train their dogs for 9 years at Best Paw Forward. I am a certified dog trainer through APDT and just recently received my certification in behavior. Prior to do dog training, I was a Registered Nurse for 25 years. I have 3 dogs at home, 2 Keeshonds and a Great Pyrenees/Hound mix.


  • Kerrie Hoar Photo

    Kerrie Hoar

    M.S., CPDT-KA, IAABC-ADT, FFCP, LFDM-T, LFDM-L

    Aggressive dog training, Deaf dog training, Reactive dog training, In home training, Puppy training

    I am based in La Crosse, Wisconsin and serve the surrounding Wisconsin, Minnesota & Iowa communities with a 50-60 mile radius. La Crosse County (e.g., La Crosse, Onalaska, West Salem, Holmen), Jackson County (e.g., Mindoro, Melrose), Buffalo County (e.g., Alma, Fountain City), Monroe County (e.g., Sparta, Tomah, Warrens, Cashton), Trempealeau County (e.g., Trempealeau, Galesville, Whitehall), Vernon County (e.g., Stoddard, Viroqua, Westby), Winona County (e.g., Winona), Houston County (e.g., Houston, Hokah, Caledonia). I serve clients all over the country with virtual training sessions.

    Prior to entering the world of dog training, I received two Bachelor of Science degrees (Biology and Animal Science) and a Master of Science degree in Biology from Montana State University. For over 20 years, I taught human anatomy and physiology at the university level. My dog training experience includes teaching in-person and virtual group classes and private in-home and virtual lessons for...


  • Rachel Evers Photo

    Rachel Evers

    Agility training

    Southeastern Wisconsin

    Rachel began her professional life as a dancer and K-12 educator, and has been teaching workshops for children and adults since 1995. She made the leap to dog training in 2006, and found a natural fit for her experience in dance, education, and psychology. Helping students to develop an awareness of themselves and their canine teammates through movement and clear communication is an integral pa...


  • Lisa Schmick Photo

    Lisa Schmick

    ITA Therapy Dog Evaluator, AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator, a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, a member of The Pet Professional Guild, a member of Force Free Trainers of Wisconsin

    Lisa's life-long love of dogs began at an early age, when she always had a stray dog in tow as a child. As an adult, she has had the pleasure of being owned by four dogs all shelties and has served as a professional dog trainer since 2006. She is an ITA Therapy Dog Evaluator, AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator, a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, a member of The Pet Profess...


  • Roxy Bull Photo

    Roxy Bull

    CPDT-KA

    Southeastern Wisconsin

    Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed


  • Chelse Wagner Photo

    Chelse Wagner

    CBCC, CBDT

    Aggressive dog training, Deaf dog training, Reactive dog training, In home training, Off leash training, Puppy training

    Madison, WI and surrounding communities/rural areas. Remote, too.

    Certified Behavior ConsultantEducation: UW-Madison B.S. in Psychology and Zoology, Apprenticed with Patricia McConnell, Ph.D., Graduate of Susan Friedman Ph.D.'s Living and Learning with Animal ProgramCertifications: CBCC-KA CPDT-KA Chelse has always been passionate about animals and started her professional career in sheltering in 1994, working for the Dane County Humane Society where she was...


  • Sara Caron Photo

    Sara Caron

    School for the Dog Certified Professional Trainer

    Reactive dog training, In home training, Puppy training

    Milwaukee, WI and the greater Milwaukee area

    Sara Caron is a School For The Dogs Certified Professional Trainer.

    Sara completed SFTD's rigorous, 6 month long apprenticeship program focusing on the fundamentals of animal behavior and learning and practical dog training skills in 2021.

    She shares a home with a husky mix, Bun Chan, terrier puppy, Chilli, and cats Little Oatie and Goo.

    She holds a BFA in Integrate...


  • Claudia Mecikalski Photo

    Claudia Mecikalski

    CPDT-KA (Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed)

    Claudia is a member of the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) and an AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator. Claudia spends many hours listening to training podcasts, taking on-line courses, and webinars, as well as attending as many seminars and conferences as she can.In Claudia's words: "I have enjoyed my time and experience with all of the dogs with which I have been privileged to share my life. They h...


  • Julie Vanderloop Photo

    Julie Vanderloop

    BS, CVT, CPDT

    Aggressive dog training, Reactive dog training, In home training, Off leash training, Puppy training

    Madison, Dane County

    I have been in the dog behavior business for over 20 years.


  • Elaine Katanick Photo

    Elaine Katanick

    Agility training

    Elaine joined the team at the beginning of 2021 as an assistant and became a lead instructor by the end of 2021.
    In Elaine's words: "All of my dogs are so special. My yellow lab rescue, Bo, has been a therapy dog for many years. We visited a local elementary school for over 13 years teaching kindergarteners and first graders the love of reading. Bo and I trained at Best Paw Forward many yea...


  • Pam Collar Photo

    Pam Collar

    ABC Certified Dog Trainer

    Puppy training

    Baraboo & it's surrounding areas, Wisconsin Dells

    My name is Pam Collar and I am a graduate of Animal Behavior College (ABC) where I earned my certification as an ABC Certified Dog Trainer. Animal Behavior College (ABC) is approved by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education and is an internationally recognized school. My year long commitment to this program has provided me with a formal education in canine obedience train...


  • Brianne Statz Photo

    Brianne Statz

    CPDT-KA

    Agility training

    Greater Madison Area

    Brianne first joined Teacher's Pet in 2004. While her training journey took her away from Teacher's Pet for a bit, we are so delighted to welcome her back in 2022! Brianne's love for animals started young and when she went to college at UW Madison, she got her bachelor of science in Zoology. She became a certified professional dog trainer (CPDT-KA) in 2006 and has diligently kept up on her co...


  • Emily Blythe Photo

    Emily Blythe

    Associate Certified Cat Behavior Consultant - IAABC Associate Certified Dog Behavior Consultant - IAABC Fear Free Certified Professional - Trainer Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer Bachelor of Science in Animal Ecology

    Aggressive dog training, Deaf dog training, Reactive dog training, In home training, Puppy training

    In-person services within a 40 mile radius of Wyocena, WI. Virtual training is offered worldwide!

    Homeward Bound Behavior and Training, LLC is owned by Emily Blythe. Emily has over 15 years of experience helping families and pets in need. She got her start in Nebraska, moved to Iowa, and now her journey has brought her to Wisconsin! She has extensive experience working in animal shelters and veterinary clinics. She specializes in feline, canine, and avian behavior and implements behavior m...


  • Nikki Darga Photo

    Nikki Darga

    CPDT-KA

    Puppy training

    Greater Madison, WI area

    Nikki Darga has 6 years of experience training dogs. Nikki started training in competitive obedience with her dog Kona when she was sixteen years old. Nikki and Kona also trained for tracking and retrieving. From then on, Nikki knew that she wanted training animals to be a part of her life.



    Professionally, Nikki has been engaged in various training related endeavors, includi...


The Best Madison, WI Dog Trainers In 2026

  • Shannon Skolaski Photo

    Shannon Skolaski

    With DBF since: 1999Areas of expertise: Families with dogs and children, general training, puppies and reactive/ aggressive dogsEducation: Bachelor's degree in zoology and psychology from UW-MadisonI have always had a passion for animals. My grandfather was a large animal veterinarian. As time went on I was going to pursue a degree as a veterinary technician. A local veterinarian directed me to...

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  • Jessica Cady-Bartholomew Photo

    Jessica Cady-Bartholomew

    Jessica Cady-Bartholomew believes in training and educating efficiently with kindness and compassion. She uses the latest and best methods in animal learning to ensure that you and your pup are reaching your goals and having a great time doing it.

    A Madison native, with a degrees in sociology & recreation, Jess has made the commitment to help people and their dogs lead their very best ...

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  • Chelse Wagner Photo

    Chelse Wagner

    Certified Behavior ConsultantEducation: UW-Madison B.S. in Psychology and Zoology, Apprenticed with Patricia McConnell, Ph.D., Graduate of Susan Friedman Ph.D.'s Living and Learning with Animal ProgramCertifications: CBCC-KA CPDT-KA Chelse has always been passionate about animals and started her professional career in sheltering in 1994, working for the Dane County Humane Society where she was...

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The Best Milwaukee, WI Dog Trainers In 2026

  • Brittany Rose Photo

    Brittany Rose

    Brittany has always had a strong love of animals, which she fostered from an early age with her participation in horseback riding, as well as her volunteer work at the humane society.

    After graduating high school, Brittany went to UW Madison to pursue a degree in veterinary medicine. Dog training wasn't a popular career option at the time, so veterinary medicine was the career recommen...

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  • Jennifer Pratt Photo

    Jennifer Pratt

    Jennifer Pratt, CTC, CSAT, SA Pro, CDBC, CPDT-KA, is the founder of Wag the Dog and Company. She is a graduate of Jean Donaldson's prestigious Academy for Dog Trainers where she earned her certificate in training and counseling (CTC) and honored to be on their speaker roster for conferences and seminars.Jennifer is also a graduate of two renowned trainers and authors widely-recognized as the a...

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  • Pam Catalano Photo

    Pam Catalano

    I have been training people to train their dogs for 9 years at Best Paw Forward. I am a certified dog trainer through APDT and just recently received my certification in behavior. Prior to do dog training, I was a Registered Nurse for 25 years. I have 3 dogs at home, 2 Keeshonds and a Great Pyrenees/Hound mix.

    View profile


Welcome to Wisconsin’s list of top dog trainers. The Wisconsin list is based on 943 votes from the Sniffspot community. Only the Wisconsin dog trainers with the top number of votes made this list. Trainers are ordered by number of votes, with Lynsie Bernier at the top of this list with 215 votes.

Our rankings include trainers certified by CPDT-KA and CPDT-KA. They also specialize in Puppy training, In home training amongst other training programs.

Wisconsin dog trainer services include:

  • Puppy training
  • In home training
  • Reactive dog training
  • Aggressive dog training
  • Agility training
  • Off leash training
  • Deaf dog training
  • Service dog training
  • Board and train

Dog trainers in Wisconsin selflessly set pets up for success. Lynsie Bernier shares why they chose this path: A lifetime of working in the animal care field including sheltering, I realized the best way to help animals and people was from the ground up. Teaching animals and people effective communication leads to happier pets and people in everything we do together. From sharing our home, getting the health care and grooming they need, to sharing the outside world, training makes life with dogs the best it can be!. All 34 trainers on this Wisconsin list are committed to positive reinforcement. Trusted Wisconsin trainer, Shannon Skolaski, uses the following methods: The term positive has at least two meanings in dog training. One is positive, as in dog-friendly. In that sense, Dog's Best Friend Training is all about positive dog training. We train with food reinforcement or clicker training and do not use force, shouting, or other negative forms of coercion to train dogs. The other use of positive in dog training is as a technical Learning Theory term. In that sense, there is positive reinforcement and positive punishment, among other things. In those terms, positive just means you're giving the dog something, in the mathematical sense of addition. You're giving treats or giving pain/annoyance. So in that usage, positive dog trainer doesn't make sense. Positive dog training is the way to go!.

Explore the top dog trainers in Wisconsin as voted by our community:

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FAQ: Meet the Top Dog Trainer in Wisconsin

Who are the top Reactive dog trainers in Wisconsin?

Our top-rated trainer, Lynsie Bernier, has earned 215 votes for their outstanding work in Reactive dog training. Alongside them, Shannon Skolaski and Brittany Rose have also made a significant impact amongst Wisconsin pets.

What motivates Wisconsin dog trainers?

Lynsie Bernier became a dog trainer because A lifetime of working in the animal care field including sheltering, I realized the best way to help animals and people was from the ground up. Teaching animals and people effective communication leads to happier pets and people in everything we do together. From sharing our home, getting the health care and grooming they need, to sharing the outside world, training makes life with dogs the best it can be!/. Similarly, Shannon Skolaski and Brittany Rose have unique motivations, with I have always had a passion for animals and a love of teaching. Finding Patricia McConnell opened the best of both worlds. andI became a dog trainer so I could teach clients how to effectively communicate with their dog as well as listen to what their dog has to say. Better communication means a stronger bond! It's not just about the dog or the person, but the teamwork between the two. driving their passion.

What is Lynsie Bernier biggest tip?

For Lynsie Bernier, the best tip is to: Be keen observers of your dog's communication and voice, listen closely and respond compassionately always..

What do Wisconsin trainers love most about their work?

Lynsie Bernier finds the greatest joy in Teaching humans about dog behavior, body language and learning/communication turns on a lightbulb so everything is clearer., while Shannon Skolaski and Brittany Rose cherish I enjoy the diversity of every day. My favorite part is helping families understand their dog and really being able to communicate effectively., and I enjoy the diversity of every day. My favorite part is helping families understand their dog and really being able to communicate effectively., respectively.

How do you become a certified trainer in Wisconsin?

All the top trainers in Wisconsin have earned certifications like Certified Professional Dog Trainer- Knowledge Assessed, CPDT-KA, demonstrating their expertise in Puppy training, 49894, In home training, 26320, Reactive dog training, 18360, Aggressive dog training, 13512, Agility training, 8203, Off leash training, 3498, Deaf dog training, 1500, Service dog training, 1002, Board and train, 724 and beyond.

Why are these certifications crucial in Wisconsin?

Qualifications like CPDT-KA ensure that each trainer is equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to address a wide range of behavioral issues, from Reactive dog training to Aggressive dog training.

How do their methods differ?

Wisconsin’s Lynsie Bernier describes their method as: We are Certified Professional Dog Trainers who use positive reinforcement and follow LIMA. We offer behavior consultations and lessons at our training facilities, in your home, over phone or ZOOM.. Meanwhile, Shannon Skolaski says: The term positive has at least two meanings in dog training. One is positive, as in dog-friendly. In that sense, Dog's Best Friend Training is all about positive dog training. We train with food reinforcement or clicker training and do not use force, shouting, or other negative forms of coercion to train dogs. The other use of positive in dog training is as a technical Learning Theory term. In that sense, there is positive reinforcement and positive punishment, among other things. In those terms, positive just means you're giving the dog something, in the mathematical sense of addition. You're giving treats or giving pain/annoyance. So in that usage, positive dog trainer doesn't make sense. Positive dog training is the way to go!. As you can see, there are diverse approaches to Reactive dog training in Wisconsin.

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David Adams photo

David Adams

Aug 7, 2026

Dog Trainers

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