Dog Training Long Island, NY
Looking for the best dog training on Long Island?
Here’s what you get with Ruff Haus K9.
- A dog that listens, at home and out
- No more pulling, jumping or barking
- Calmer around dogs and people
- Lifetime support and guidance
Click the button below and fill out a quick form to get started with a free consultation ↓
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Does Your Dog...
If any of these sound like your dog, you are not alone. These are the problem behaviors our training programs address.
Your Dog Before and After Training
These are the changes Long Island families come to Ruff Haus K9 for most often.
Life right now
- Pulling you down the street
- Ignoring you around distractions
- Jumping on every guest
- Barking at dogs and noises
- Bolting out the open door
Life after training
- A loose leash on every walk
- Listens when you ask, anywhere
- Four paws down for hellos
- Calmer around dogs and noise
- Waits at the door until released
Why Long Island Dog Owners Choose Rikki
- ✓A Plan Built for Your DogEvery program is individualized around your dog’s energy level, body language and sensitivity, and around your goals.
- ✓Real Attention for Every DogWe only take a limited number of dogs each month, so every dog and family gets real one-on-one attention.
- ✓A Locally Owned BusinessRikki Fontana owns Ruff Haus K9 and is a graduate of Animal Behavior College in obedience and behavior modification.
- ✓Real-World PracticeTraining moves beyond the yard to parks and busy stores, so good manners hold up wherever you go.
From First Call to a Well-Mannered Dog
Here is what to expect when your dog trains with Ruff Haus K9.
Free Consultation
Tell Rikki about your dog and what you want to change. She meets your dog and answers your questions.
The Right Program
Rikki recommends the right fit for your dog and your schedule, whether that’s board and train in Kings Park, day training, group classes or private lessons at your home.
Training Begins
Rikki works with your dog step by step, at a pace that fits your dog, on the skills you want most.
Lifetime Support
Rikki shows you how to keep the training going, and you can reach her with questions long after training ends.
Programs Built Around Your Dog
Board and train, day training, group classes or private in-home lessons. Every program starts with a free consultation, so Rikki can learn about your dog and recommend the right fit.
Board & Train
Your dog lives and trains with Rikki and her team for 2, 3 or 4 weeks and comes home with the skills you want.
Off-Leash Training
A recall you can trust and a dog that stays with you, on or off the leash, out in the real world.
In-Home Training
Private one-on-one lessons at your home, where you learn to handle your dog right where the problems happen.
Day Training
Drop your dog off for a day of training with Rikki and her team, then bring your dog home at the end of the day.
Group Classes
Group dog training classes where your dog practices obedience around other dogs and real distractions.
Puppy Training
House manners, leash skills and good habits for your puppy, through puppy board and train or in-home lessons.
Potty Training
A clear routine, fewer accidents and a plan you can keep up at home. Worked on with care, never over-promised.
Crate Training
A crate your dog settles in calmly, built step by step into your dog’s daily routine.
Aggressive Dog Training
Help for slight to moderate aggression, starting with an honest evaluation of your dog.
Reactive Dog Training
Calmer walks past dogs, people and traffic, built on structure and step-by-step work around triggers.
Separation Anxiety
Help for dogs that panic, cry or destroy things when left alone, so you can leave the house again.
Service Dog Training
Obedience, focus and calm public manners, trained for the work your dog will do with you.
Therapy Dog Training
Calm manners and confidence around people and new places, to prepare for a therapy-dog evaluation.
Agility Training
Now offering agility for fun, exercise, confidence and teamwork, built on solid obedience.
Boarding
Vacation boarding with the Ruff Haus K9 family, with plenty of space to run, play and rest while you’re away.
Daycare
Doggy daycare on a limited basis, with play, exercise and rest alongside the Ruff Haus K9 family.
Training That Holds Up at Home
Training only works if the results hold up in your house, on your street and with your family. That’s why every program teaches you, not just your dog.
With board and train, Rikki walks you through every command at pickup and follows up once your dog is home. With private lessons, Rikki works with you and your dog at your home, right where the problems happen. Day training and group classes work the same way, with Rikki coaching you on everything your dog learns.
A Dog You Can Trust Off the Leash
Imagine a dog that comes when called the first time, walks at your side and stays with you at the park, with or without a leash. Off-leash reliability is built into our longer board and train programs.
We train in the real world, not just a quiet yard, at parks and busy stores like Home Depot, Petco, DICK’S and Target, so your dog learns to listen around people, other dogs and distractions.
Choosing Dog Training on Long Island
A few things worth knowing before you pick a trainer and a program.
What to Look For in a Dog Trainer
A good trainer meets your dog before recommending anything, explains how they train and teaches you the skills, not only your dog. Ask whether you can visit, how many dogs they take at a time and what happens after the program ends.
At Ruff Haus K9 you’re welcome to visit before you decide, references are available on request, and only a limited number of board and train dogs are accepted each month.
Basic and Advanced Obedience
Most families start with the basics, like loose-leash walking, sit, down, stay, come, place, off and leave it. Advanced obedience adds longer stays, stronger distractions and, in longer board and train programs, off-leash reliability.
Problem behaviors such as jumping, barking at the door, leash reactivity or guarding are worked on alongside obedience, because a dog that understands clear cues has something better to do instead.
Board and Train or Private Lessons?
Board and train suits busy families and dogs that need steady daily structure. Your dog lives and trains with the Ruff Haus K9 family in Kings Park for 2, 3 or 4 weeks, and you learn everything at the go-home lesson.
Private in-home lessons suit owners who want to be hands-on from day one, or problems that only show up at home. Some families start with one and add the other later.
How Ruff Haus K9 Trains
Every plan is built around your dog’s energy level, body language and sensitivity to touch. Training is balanced, combining exercise, affection, positive reinforcement and e-collar work, and the e-collar always starts at zero.
Serving Suffolk & Nassau Counties
Ruff Haus K9 is based in Kings Park and trains dogs for families across Long Island.
Dog Training on Long Island, Your Questions
How much does dog training cost?
It depends on your dog and the program. Board and train runs 2, 3 or 4 weeks or longer, while day training, group classes and private lessons at your home are priced differently, so there’s no one price for every dog. On your free consultation, Rikki meets your dog, explains each option and gives you an exact quote, with no pressure to sign up.
How long are your board and train programs?
Our board and train programs run 2, 3 or 4 weeks. Two and three weeks suit mild to moderate behavior concerns. Two weeks builds the foundation, and three weeks adds advanced obedience and off-leash freedom. Four weeks, or longer, gives dogs with more serious concerns extra time. Rikki recommends the right length for your dog on your free consultation.
Do you use e-collars?
Yes. We use a balanced approach that combines exercise, affection, positive reinforcement and e-collar training, and an e-collar is part of every program. It’s a safe, adjustable tool. We always start at zero, increase only as needed, tailor the level to your dog’s temperament and sensitivity, and use low, humane settings. Your dog’s own Educator e-collar is included, and we show you exactly how to use it.
What happens after training?
Rikki walks you through every command your dog learned and how to use the equipment at home. Board and train includes a follow-up session once your dog is home, and you can call or email with questions during and after any program. Your part matters, because keeping up the training at home is what makes the results last.
Do you work with aggressive or reactive dogs?
Yes. We work with reactive dogs and with slight to moderate aggression, including leash reactivity, territorial behavior, food and resource guarding, anxiety and fear-based behaviors. We don’t take severe aggression cases. Rikki evaluates every dog first and tells you honestly what to expect, because a dog described as aggressive is often reactive, fearful or simply untrained.
How old does my dog need to be?
Dogs need to be at least 5 months old to start a training program. Every dog is treated as an individual, from tiny pups to large working breeds.
What areas do you serve?
Ruff Haus K9 is based in Kings Park and works with families across Long Island, in Suffolk and Nassau counties, including Smithtown, Commack, Northport, Huntington, Hauppauge, St. James, Stony Brook, Islip, Brookhaven and Babylon.
Get Started Today
Claim your free consultation for dog training on Long Island. Rikki will learn about your dog, answer your questions and recommend a program built around your goals.