The Canine Coach

What The Canine Coach does

The Canine Coach is a privately held, locally owned dog training services company founded in 2004 and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It operates five physical facilities across the Twin Cities metro area (South Minneapolis, NE Minneapolis, St. Louis Park, St. Paul, and West St. Paul), supplemented by in-home trainer visits within a 20-mile service radius and Google Meet/Zoom virtual sessions for distant clients. The company serves individual dog owners in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region with programs spanning puppy foundational training, adult obedience and behavior modification, structured day training (Boot Camp), mental and physical enrichment (FIT Dogs), and specialized offerings for shy/fearful dogs (Camp Courage), reactive dogs, and youth/families (Dog Camp for Kids).

The core product set includes Group Classes (weekly one-hour sessions at all five locations, recurring), Boot Camp (Monday-Friday daytime training programs priced $925-$1,849 for 2-4 week durations with included in-home follow-ups), In-Home Private Training ($145-$196 per session), FIT Dogs day packages ($44-$55 per day with volume discounts), Mini-Courses ($310-$412 for four private sessions), and a School for Trainers certification program ($1,995 Phase 1 plus free internship). Adjacent offerings include alumni-only Club K9 day programs, seasonal Lure Coursing and Winter Activities, and gift certificates. The technical stack is operations-focused and human-delivered: Acuity Scheduling for self-serve booking, Afterpay for installment financing, Google Meets/Zoom for virtual delivery, and Contentful for the marketing site. Differentiated program features include electronic-collar-based Advanced Off-Leash Recall, treadmill-included fitness routines, structured Camp Courage cohorts capped at two dogs, and an electronic follow-up session mechanism bundled with most Boot Camp purchases.

The revenue model is a hybrid of one-time program fees (Boot Camp, In-Home, Mini-Courses, School for Trainers) and recurring/usage-based day-program pricing (FIT Dogs, Club K9, drop-ins). Pricing is supplemented by sibling discounts and Afterpay installment plans. Customer acquisition is omnichannel but locally focused: the company's own website with integrated Acuity scheduling is the primary booking entry point, supplemented by phone, email, organic local SEO, Facebook/Instagram/Twitter content, email newsletter, third-party reviews (Angie's List, MNMO, City Pages), and word-of-mouth referrals. Customer segments cluster around puppy owners (8 weeks to 5 months), adult dog owners, dogs with behavioral issues, children/families, busy professionals, high-energy dogs, and aspiring trainers; all are individual consumer (SMB/HH) buyers rather than enterprise accounts.

Name

The Canine Coach

Legal name

The Canine Coach

Website

https://thek9coach.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Canine Coach is a privately held, locally owned dog training company founded in 2004 that serves individual pet owners across the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro from five physical facilities via group classes, Boot Camp day training, in-home sessions, and FIT Dogs day programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pet Training Services

NAICS

Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Pet Services (Grooming, Training, Daycare) (CRALAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Training-Integrated Dog Daycare (Day Training) (HSANAFAE), Full-Day Dog Daycare (HSANAFAA), Enrichment-Focused Dog Daycare (HSANAFAF)

Keywords

• Dog training services
• Pet obedience training
• Puppy socialization classes
• Canine behavior modification
• Dog fitness programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Boot Camp Training Programs: Day training programs where dogs attend Monday-Friday. Programs include Puppy Start-Up (2 weeks, $925), Basic Obedience (4 weeks, $1849), Impulse Control (3 weeks, $1540), Leash Walking Basic (2 weeks, $1025) or Advanced (3 weeks, $1540), Advanced Off-Leash Recall (2 weeks, $1335), and Holiday Manners (2 weeks, $1025). All programs except puppy include in-home follow-up sessions.
2. Group Classes: Weekly one-hour group training sessions held at five locations with multiple class types: Puppy Training, Level 1-3 Obedience, Behavior Modification, Advanced Classes (CGC, Rally, Therapy Dog), Fun Activities, Sports for Fun, and Kids Programs. Classes accommodate 5-9 dogs per session with ongoing enrollment.
3. In-Home Private Training: Personalized one-on-one training at customer home or virtual. Initial session $185 ($196 if 15-20 miles from nearest location), Follow-up sessions $145 ($156 if 15-20 miles). Sessions 1-1.5 hours. 20% discount on follow-up appointments. Virtual sessions available for clients beyond 20-mile range.
4. FIT Dogs Day Program: Mental and physical fitness day program with per-day pricing. Single day $55 ($52 sibling), 8-day package $52/day ($50 sibling), 12-day package $50/day ($47 sibling), 16-day package $44/day ($39 sibling). Packages must be used within 8 weeks. Next-day spots available.
5. Mini-Courses: Private one-on-one training at facilities in 4 one-hour sessions. Basic programs $310, Behavior modification programs $412. Topics include Puppy Training, Basic Obedience, Leash Walking, Recall, Leash Aggression, Dog-to-Human Socialization, Separation Anxiety, Cooperative Care, Agility, Scent Work.
6. Club K9: Ongoing day program for Boot Camp alumni. Play & Train $52/day ($49 sibling), Party Pups $36/day ($34 sibling). Package pricing available with 8, 12, and 16-day options. Packages must be used within 8 weeks.
7. Dog Camp for Kids: Summer camp program for children established in 2014. Enrollment typically posted in late February or early March.
8. School for Trainers Certification: Professional dog trainer certification program. Phase 1: 7-week hybrid course (digital + in-person) costing $1,995. Phase 2: 6-8 month internship program free for selected Phase 1 graduates. Next course begins June 10, 2026.
9. Lure Coursing: Individual 20-minute sessions at $26 each. Starter sessions for new participants, Pro sessions for returning clients. Held at West St Paul outdoor sport field.
10. Winter Activities: Seasonal drop-in and private sessions offered December through March. Includes Puppy Social Hour ($12/session), Private Play ($20/30 min), Agility Drop-In ($26/session), Scent Work Drop-In ($23/session), Disc Dog Drop-In ($20/session), Rally Drop-In ($23/session).
11. Afterpay Payment Plans: Buy Now, Pay Later option available for Boot Camp and Group Classes through Afterpay integration at checkout. Allows customers to spread costs over custom interest-free payment plans.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Canine Coach provides professional dog training services including weekly group classes, multi-week Boot Camp day programs, and personalized in-home training sessions for puppies and adult dogs. The company operates five physical training facilities across the Twin Cities metro area offering obedience training, behavior modification, mental and physical fitness day programs (FIT Dogs), confidence-building programs for shy dogs, specialty sports, and a professional dog trainer certification program.

Product overview

The Canine Coach is a dog training service company offering multiple interconnected programs across five Twin Cities locations. The core offerings include Group Classes (weekly obedience and activity sessions), In-Home Training (private personalized sessions), and Boot Camp (professional daytime training with owner checkout sessions). Supporting programs include FIT Dogs (mental/physical fitness day program), Mini-Courses (private one-on-one training), Camp Courage (confidence building for shy dogs), Club K9 (alumni day program), Kid Programs (children and dog classes/camp), School for Trainers (professional certification), Lure Coursing (sport activity), and Winter Activities (seasonal offerings). The company also sells Gift Certificates and offers Afterpay payment plans for most programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Group Classes Weekly one-hour training sessions for dogs and owners held at five Twin Cities locations. Covers puppy training, obedience levels 1-3, behavior modification, advanced skills (AKC CGC, Rally, Therapy Dog), fun activities (tricks, cooperative care, sports sampler), agility, scent work, disc dog, and kids programs. Sessions accommodate 5-9 dogs with ongoing enrollment.
• In-Home Training Private personalized training sessions conducted at the client's home, at Canine Coach facilities, or virtually via Google Meets/Zoom. Covers basic obedience to complex behavior issues including separation anxiety and aggression. Initial sessions are 1-1.5 hours at $185 (within 15 miles of nearest location) or $196 (15-20 miles). Follow-up sessions at $145 with a 20% discount applied. Virtual sessions available for clients beyond the 20-mile range.
• Boot Camp Day Training Program Professional daytime training program where dogs attend Monday-Friday at facilities. Multiple program formats include Puppy Start-Up (2 weeks, $925), Basic Obedience (4 weeks, $1,849, 12 reliable behaviors taught), Impulse Control (3 weeks, $1,540), Leash Walking Basic/Advanced (2-3 weeks, $1,025-$1,540), Advanced Off-Leash Recall (2 weeks, $1,335, includes electronic collar), and seasonal Holiday Manners (2 weeks, $1,025). All programs except puppy include in-home follow-up sessions.
• FIT Dogs Day Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 12 reliable behaviors taught in Basic Obedience Boot Camp program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature5 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Dogtopia: National dog daycare franchise with an integrated training component (webcam-monitored playrooms, optional training). Comparable to The Canine Coach's FIT Dogs day program and Boot Camp offerings, though Dogtopia focuses more on daycare than on behavior modification and advanced obedience.
• Dog Wizard: National dog training franchise delivering in-home and group lessons using positive reinforcement. Comparable to The Canine Coach's In-Home Training and Group Classes, with both brands emphasizing behavior modification for reactivity and aggression.
• Camp Bow Wow: National dog daycare and boarding franchise with a training add-on component. Comparable to The Canine Coach's FIT Dogs day program and Club K9 alumni offering, with similar structured-daycare positioning in a multi-location operator model.
• Zoom Room Dog Training: Multi-location dog training gym offering group classes, agility, and socialization in a structured facility environment. Comparable to The Canine Coach's Group Classes and FIT Dogs programs, with similar emphasis on facility-based structured training curricula.
• Bark Busters Home Dog Training: National franchise specializing in in-home dog training and behavior modification. Closely comparable to The Canine Coach's In-Home Training and Behavior Modification offerings, though Bark Busters scales through a franchise model rather than operating its own facilities.
• Off Leash K9 Training: National dog training franchise focused on obedience and off-leash training delivered through private lessons and board-and-train. Directly comparable to The Canine Coach's Basic Obedience and Advanced Off-Leash Recall Boot Camp programs.
• Sit Means Sit: Multi-state dog training franchise offering group classes, private lessons, and board-and-train programs. Directly comparable to The Canine Coach's Group Classes, Boot Camp, and In-Home offerings, with overlapping use of e-collar-based advanced recall training.

Broad incumbents

• PetSmart: National pet retail chain offering in-store group dog training classes and behavior programs. Comparable as a dog training provider, but PetSmart competes primarily through store-based group classes at lower price points rather than Boot Camp, in-home, and specialty behavior modification services.
• Petco: National pet retail giant offering group dog training classes at many store locations. Comparable due to direct overlap in dog training service delivery, though Petco operates a much broader retail and services portfolio and does not focus on the private, multi-format training depth that The Canine Coach offers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/CanineCoachMN
• Facebookfacebook.com/caninecoachmn
• Instagraminstagram.com/thecaninecoach
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-canine-coach-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 The Canine Coach