Zen Dog Training

What Zen Dog Training does

Zen Dog Training is a privately held, founder-owned dog training company headquartered in Somerville, Massachusetts, operating since 2010 (with founder Gordon Fontaine's training practice dating to 2005). The company provides in-home dog training, group puppy classes, and virtual training sessions primarily in the Greater Boston area, supplemented by a global digital storefront selling online courses, training videos, eBooks, and training comics. Its customer base consists exclusively of individual pet owners — concentrated in new puppy owners and dog owners seeking to correct problem behaviors such as separation anxiety, reactivity, leash pulling, and fear-based behaviors.

The company's core technology is its proprietary 'Zen Dog Training Approach,' which combines positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, games, solutions, and fear-free interruption techniques, all approved by the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). Its productized content library includes the Video Solution Center (100+ training videos with lifetime access at $97), the Puppy Boot Camp online course ($27), and individual eBooks and comics covering specific training topics. The company has codified coping strategies under named techniques such as Jolly Talk, Yoga Breath, and Treats for Confidence for shy/fearful dogs.

Zen Dog Training operates a multi-channel business model combining professional services (in-home sessions, group classes) with self-serve digital products. GTM is direct-to-consumer through the company website, free puppy eCourse lead generation, podcast content marketing (in partnership with Just Curious Media), and a free 10-minute telephone consultation to convert prospects. The company employs approximately eight trainers using the Zen Dog methodology, and offers a 'Train the Trainer' program to onboard additional trainers into the proprietary approach.

Name

Zen Dog Training

Legal name

Zen Dog Training

Website

https://zendogtraining.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pet Training Services

NAICS

Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Puppy Care In-Home Sitting (Potty Training Support) (HSANAEAK)

Keywords

• Dog training services
• Puppy obedience training
• Positive reinforcement training
• In-home dog training
• Dog behavior modification

Headquarters

HQ city

Somerville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. In-Home Training Sessions: One-on-one in-home dog training sessions customized to each dog's breed, age, attitude, and temperament. Typically requires two to three visits for significant improvements.
2. Group Classes: Six-week puppy and dog training programs meeting once weekly for one hour. Small class sizes with personal attention.
3. Online Video Solution Center: Subscription-based access to over 100 training videos, training plans, guides, eBooks, and comics. Lifetime membership model.
4. Puppy Boot Camp: Six-week online puppy course with training solutions, comics, and eBooks for house training, play biting, leash walking, and commands.
5. eBooks and Digital Products: Individual eBooks including The Zen Method of Raising a Puppy, How to Treat and Prevent Separation Anxiety, How to Crate Train Your Dog in Two Days, and training comics.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Zen Dog Training delivers personalized dog training services through in-home sessions, six-week group puppy classes, and virtual/remote coaching, supported by a digital product suite including the Video Solution Center online membership, the Puppy Boot Camp course, individual eBooks, and training comics. The training methodology combines positive reinforcement with fear-free interruption techniques and LIMA-compliant methods, and is delivered to dog owners seeking to address obedience, behavior problems, and confidence building in their dogs.

Product overview

Zen Dog Training is a Boston-based dog training company operating since 2005, offering a multi-channel training approach combining in-person services with online digital products. The core offerings include In-Home Training (personalized one-on-one sessions at customer homes), Group Puppy Classes (SPCA-approved six-week programs), and Online Solutions via the Video Solution Center. The digital product portfolio centers on the Zen Dog Training Online membership ($97) and Puppy Boot Camp course ($27), supplemented by individual eBooks including The Zen Method of Raising a Puppy (66 pages), How to Treat and Prevent Separation Anxiety, and How to Crate Train a Dog in Two Days. Comic-based training guides cover Play Biting Solutions, Helping a Shy/Fearful Dog, and Teaching Commands, available individually or as a Comic Bundle ($9.99). Virtual training via Zoom and a podcast partnership with Just Curious Media extend the reach beyond in-person services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• In-Home Dog Training One-on-one personalized dog training sessions conducted at the customer's home, customized to the dog's breed, age, temperament, and the owner's objectives. Designed for dog owners seeking fast, customized behavior modification with step-by-step guidance.
• Group Puppy Classes Six-week group training programs meeting once weekly for one hour with small class sizes for personalized attention. SPCA- and vet-recommended curriculum covering socialization and basic obedience for puppies and dogs.
• Virtual Dog Training Remote dog training sessions delivered via Zoom, offering both private and group training options for puppies and adult dogs. Includes ongoing support between sessions. Available to customers nationwide.
• Zen Dog Video Solution Center (Online Membership) Subscription-based online training platform providing over 100 video lessons, printable training schedules and guides, downloadable PDFs and eBooks, and a step-by-step system to interrupt problem behaviors. Lifetime access at $97.
• Puppy Boot Camp Six-week online puppy course covering play biting, obedience, house training, separation anxiety, and teaching commands. Includes a separation anxiety eBook and training comics. Priced at $27 as a one-time purchase.
• The Zen Method of Raising a Puppy 66-page puppy training eBook authored by Gordon Fontaine covering play biting solutions, new puppy guides, and first-day hour-by-hour instructions for raising a well-mannered puppy.
• How to Treat and Prevent Separation Anxiety 11-page eBook/guide covering treatment and prevention strategies for separation anxiety in dogs of all ages. Included in Puppy Boot Camp and Video Solution Center.
• How to Crate Train a Dog in Two Days 9-page eBook/guide providing rapid crate training methods using the Zen Dog Training approach to ease the stress of transitioning a dog to a new home.
• Helping a Shy/Fearful Dog Comic-format training guide ($4.99) covering coping strategies including Yoga Breath, Jolly Talk, and Treats for Confidence to help dogs overcome fears and phobias through desensitization and counter-conditioning.
• Play Biting Solutions 12-page comic training guide teaching five options for solving play biting: Interrupting, Refocusing, Managing, Ignoring, and structuring Teaching Moments.
• Teaching Commands 8-page comic guide ($3.99) explaining step-by-step how to teach dogs commands using verbal cues and hand signals for improved communication during training.
• Zen Dog Training Comic Bundle Discounted bundle ($9.99) combining three training comics — Zen Dog Training Secrets, Play Biting Solutions, and Teaching Commands — providing 32 pages of training guidance.
• Train the Trainer Program Professional development program for individuals seeking to become certified dog trainers using the proprietary Zen Dog Training methods.

Quantifiable outcome

• Most clients see significant improvements in 2-3 in-home training visits
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Just Curious MediacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerZen Dog Training partners with Just Curious Media to produce the 'How to Have a Zen Dog' podcast. The podcast offers 58+ episodes with over 14 hours of free puppy training content. Hosted by Jason Connell from Just Curious Media and Gordon Fontaine, the podcast explores the Zen Dog Training approach and provides informative tips for dog owners.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Rover: Online pet care marketplace connecting owners with dog walkers, sitters, and trainers nationwide. Adjacent in target market (dog owners) but operates a marketplace model rather than direct service delivery; represents both a potential channel and competitor for Zen's services.
• Petco: National pet retailer offering group dog training classes at stores nationwide. Competes at scale in basic obedience training; serves similar customer need but through retail locations rather than in-home or digital delivery.
• PetSmart: National pet retail chain operating in-store dog training classes across hundreds of locations. Competes in group training at much larger scale and broader geographic reach; not focused on Zen's in-home or premium digital model.

Direct peers

• Zak George's Dog Training Revolution: Force-free dog training brand built around video content, books, and online programs. Highly comparable positive-reinforcement methodology and content-driven direct-to-consumer model.
• Baxter & Bella: Online puppy training subscription service offering lifetime access to video courses and training materials. Closely comparable to Zen Dog's Video Solution Center business model and target customer (new puppy owners), with national/online distribution.
• K9 Training Institute: Online dog training programs focused on positive reinforcement and structured curriculum for puppies and adult dogs. Comparable digital subscription model and similar target customer to Zen Dog's online offerings.
• SpiritDog Training: Online dog training subscription platform providing structured video courses, training plans, and live coaching. Comparable to Zen Dog's digital product line and direct-to-consumer online training focus.
• McCann Dog Training: Dog training company offering both in-person training and an extensive online video course subscription. Closely matches Zen Dog's combined in-home/group class plus digital content business model.
• The Online Dog Trainer (Doggy Dan): Subscription-based online dog training program with video library and training methodology. Comparable to Zen Dog's positive-reinforcement approach and lifetime online video subscription model.
• Dunbar Academy (Ian Dunbar): Online dog training courses founded by veterinarian and behaviorist Ian Dunbar, pioneer of positive reinforcement puppy training. Highly comparable methodology (force-free, science-based) and direct-to-consumer online course model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zen-dog-training-inc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zen Dog Training