Dog Training in Bothell, WA.

I serve Bothell out of my base in South Snohomish. Sessions happen at your home, on the trails, and in the parts of town where dogs need to handle distractions they can’t get in your living room.

What training looks like here.

Bothell is unusual for a city this size because it sits across the King-Snohomish county line. The dog code that applies to your street depends on which side you’re on, and the city’s own rules (Municipal Code 8.60.240) are stricter than people moving in from outside the area often realize. Dogs are required on leash in all city parks. They’re not allowed at all on swimming beaches, sports fields, picnic areas, or playgrounds unless specifically posted. Easy to get a citation if you don’t know.

A leash-focused training environment. Bothell doesn’t have meaningful unfenced off-leash space inside city limits, and I don’t train at off-leash dog parks regardless. Most of what I teach here is built on a solid on-leash foundation, which is the right approach for almost every family dog regardless of geography.

The Burke-Gilman. The trail runs through Bothell and connects to the Sammamish River Trail at the east end. It’s one of the highest-traffic multi-use trails in King County. Bikes, joggers, scooters, strollers, and other dogs pass within a few feet of each other constantly. For a recall-trained dog it’s an excellent focus test. For a reactive dog it’s the worst place to attempt exposure work cold. The whole approach with a reactive dog and the Burke-Gilman is to build the skills somewhere quieter first and then bring them to the trail in sections.

The parks each train different things. North Creek Park has 528 acres of on-leash trails and is one of the best long-line recall environments in the area. Park at Bothell Landing concentrates outdoor dining, families, ducks, and waterfront foot traffic into a small footprint, useful for proofing settle and place behaviors once they hold up at home. Blyth Park’s quieter corners are good for early public-space work. Wallace Swamp Creek runs through dense waterfowl habitat where high-drive dogs honestly reveal what their prey drive looks like, which is useful before you take a working-line dog hiking somewhere off-leash matters.

The downtown test. Main Street through downtown Bothell, the McMenamins Anderson School area on weekends, Country Village: distraction-rich blocks with leashed dog traffic, outdoor seating, and small kids in motion. We don’t start there, but it’s where I confirm a dog can hold what they’ve learned.

How I work.

R+ first, adapted to your dog. The full reasoning is on the about page. The short version: reward-based training has the strongest evidence base for both effectiveness and welfare, and most dogs never need anything else.

I work under two local mentors. One has 45 years of experience in SAR and service-dog work. The other specializes in reactive dogs. My own dog Laszlo is a German Shepherd, which is part of why working breeds and high-drive mixes are where I do some of my best work.

Five ways to work together.

01 Private lessons. From $135 per 60-minute session. The starting point for most new clients.

02 In-home sessions. $145 per 60-minute session. I come over and put focused work into one or two skills. You don’t need to be home. Available after the first in-person session.

03 Day Training. $245 / $335 / 4-Pack $900. Drop-off training across multiple real environments. I pick your dog up, train them, return them at the end of the block.

04 Puppy class. $195, six weeks. Small-group course for puppies 4 to 6 months.

05 Group obedience class. $195, six weeks. For dogs 6 months and older.

Full details, intake flow, and cancellation policy on the sessions and pricing page.

Travel and scheduling.

Bothell is well inside the 25-mile no-fee zone. No travel charge for sessions anywhere in the city or the surrounding neighborhoods on either side of the county line.

Common questions from Bothell clients.

My dog reacts on the Burke-Gilman. Can you help with that?

Yes. That’s one of the most common things I get called about in Bothell. We don’t start on the trail. We build the foundation in a quieter spot first and then work up to it.

Do you train at North Creek Park or Park at Bothell Landing?

Yes, once a dog is ready for that level of distraction. Public spaces are part of the progression for almost every dog, but not where we start.

I live in unincorporated Snohomish County near Bothell. Do you serve there?

Yes. The unincorporated area between Bothell and the Mill Creek border is in my core service zone. So is the unincorporated part on the Snohomish side toward Maltby.

Should I take my dog to Tambark Creek or the pop-up at Park at Bothell Landing?

I don’t recommend off-leash dog parks and I don’t train client dogs at them. Disease exposure, dogs of unknown vaccination status and temperament, and the fact that most dogs there are rehearsing exactly the behaviors we’re trying to unlearn make them a poor environment for training. If your dog needs off-leash time, a long line at North Creek Park gives you the freedom without the problems.

Can you work with my working-line dog, herding mix, or high-drive rescue?

Yes. Working breeds and first-time owners are the two groups I’m best with.

Also serving nearby

• Kenmore
• Mill Creek
• Woodinville
• Snohomish

Start here.

Send a short message about your dog and I’ll respond within one business day.