FirstBarkJenn and Roxi are amazing and have helped us with our little ones with big fears so much!! So thankful we found them. They have gone above and beyond our expectations. They came highly recommended and I see why. 💜
A Pleasant Dog
Grand Rapids, Michigan
About A Pleasant Dog
A Pleasant Dog offers gentle, modern dog and cat training, behavior help, and grooming in keeping with the advice of the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior.
Training & services
Training goals
- Behavior consultation
Program details
Resource guarding, territorial aggression, fear based aggression, conflict aggression, interdog aggression, separation anxiety, and hypersensitivity hyperarousal syndrome are all challenging behaviors. We can help you modify these behaviors using evidence based training and management strategies.
- Leash training
- Obedience training
- Puppy training
- Socialization
Behavior support
- Aggression training
- Counter surfing
- Reactivity training
Program details
Reactive Dogs Are Good Dogs Too! We live by this motto at A Pleasant Dog and have a host of offerings for our reactive friends, everything from private lessons to group classes, and beyond! We are particularly proud of our group sport classes for reactive dogs!
- Resource guarding
- Separation anxiety
Program details
Separation anxiety is a complex behavior disorder. Our owner and head trainer, Jenn Gavin, has developed a method for treating this disorder that is the subject of a book, Pleasantly Independent, and scientific research demonstrating its efficacy. In person or virtual training available!
How training happens
- Board and train
- Day training
Program details
Too busy to train? Let our professional dog trainers train your dog for you with drop off day training. Drop your dog for a full or half day, and we will teach them what they need to do between fun play sessions with other dogs and/or humans. Also available for reactive dogs!
- Group classes
- Online or virtual training
- Private training
Dog age
- Puppies
Assistance and working dogs
- Therapy dog training
Dog sports
- Agility
Your dog’s background
- Rescue dogs
Training approach
- Positive reinforcement
Additional services
- Boarding
- Daycare
Program details
We offer luxury doggy daycare with a care ratio of four dogs per human on our 2.5 acres of rolling hills in the city! Our doggy daycare is staffed with professional trainers and offers the safest, gentlest doggy care in the city! Add training for an additional fee.
- Dog walking
- Grooming
Program details
Fear Free Grooming for your dog. We groom dogs one at a time and owner may be present for the grooming session. Perfect for fearful, anxious, or reactive dogs. Does your dog struggle with the groomer? We can help!
Other listed services
View 24 additional details
- Dog bathing and blow dry
- Dog ear cleaning
- Dog training
Program details
We offer group classes for general obedience and dog sports, private lessons, and behavior consultations, as well as classes specifically for reactive dogs.
- Animal Behavior Consultants
Program details
Does your dog struggle with anxiety, separation anxiety, noisephobia, reactivity, aggression directed toward humans or toward other dogs? We can help! Our behavior trainers are the best in the state, and we can help restore harmony to your household.
- Animal Learning
- Canine Trainers Academy
- Classical Conditioning
- Continuing Education
Program details
We offer continuing education to the training and veterinary industries on a diverse array of topics. Our research in animal behavior has been consistently honored with selection for presentation before the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists and others. We also offer trainer workshops.
- Dog Barks
- Dog Camping
- Dog Parks
- Dog Parties
- Dog Sports
- Dog Welfare
- Education Seminar
- Family Dogs
- Flea And Tick Prevention
- Medical Treatment
- Play Groups
- Private Consultation
- Six Week Class
- Stay & Train Program
- Veterinary Behaviorists
- Walk And Train
Confirm current programs and availability directly.
Business-stated qualifications
Qualifications stated by the business, not independently verified.
- Jenn Gavin
- CPDT-KA
Questions & answers
From GoogleWhat people have asked about this business.
What are your fees for taining and what specific training do you offer?
Our fees vary depending upon the service provided! We offer positive reinforcement training in private sessions for basic skills and tough behaviors, group classes, and drop off day training; together with grooming and cooperative care training sessions! As of 7/2024, our fees start at $160 for six week outdoor agility classes, $199 for our 6 week indoor basic skills classes, and go up to $350 for or reactive dog classes. Private lessons start at $100. Behavior consultations start at $250.
Community answer · A Pleasant Dog · 2024-09-21
Public community answers. Authors are not verified as business representatives; details may have changed.
Customer reviews
Google listing4.4
216 Google reviews
Mentioned in reviews
- Positive reinforcement 22
- Managing reactivity 14
- Reactive dog training 11
- Puppy class 7
- Welcoming atmosphere 6
- Anxiety management 5
All 10 topics
- Knowledgeable trainers 5
- Private training 3
- Arthritis specialist referral 2
- Small class sizes 2
Google review topics, not confirmed services.
If you’re currently looking for training for you and your dog, I would recommend that “A Pleasant Dog” be your 1st call ! Prior to finding them I unfortunately waisted many valuable months of my rescue pups earlier life, that I’d hoped instead would be spent learning positive t…Read full reviewClose full review
If you’re currently looking for training for you and your dog, I would recommend that “A Pleasant Dog” be your 1st call ! Prior to finding them I unfortunately waisted many valuable months of my rescue pups earlier life, that I’d hoped instead would be spent learning positive training to help him adjust to a life outside of a shelter. (He had been to 2 shelters by the time he was probably 4 to 5 months old) From our 1st contact, I knew that they were the exception. Everyone there is so friendly and helpful! Our 1st visit was with Jen. And she was fantastic. Extremely knowledgeable, experienced, down to earth friendly, and so, so sweet and patient with both my Pup and myself! Looking forward to our next visit and journey together! Cathy & pal Ken 🐶
We love A Pleasant Dog so much! If you want training that is science-based and works, rather than a “quick fix” that does more harm than good, they are absolutely the place to go. Their fear-free grooming is an amazing service as well, and our dog is always so excited to see Milani
Last fall our border collie, Cokie, bit a girl. We were devastated and worried that we would have to have him euthanized. That was not the case - thank goodness! But in response to this very traumatic event we decided that we would have to take every measure possible to make th…Read full reviewClose full review
Last fall our border collie, Cokie, bit a girl. We were devastated and worried that we would have to have him euthanized. That was not the case - thank goodness! But in response to this very traumatic event we decided that we would have to take every measure possible to make things right. We were recommended to start behavioral training at A Pleasant Dog with Jen. I could go on for a long time about our truly remarkable experience. We went for four sessions and have a totally new relationship with Cokie. Jen was so professional, so compassionate and so very well informed about everything Cokie! I don’t know how but she seems to have a mind meld with dogs. Our experience was so good that we continued on with the services offered there and Cokie just graduated from a sport (training) class. Next, on to the dance floor! I should’ve mentioned earlier that the girl bitten by Cokie was not badly injured physically, though we were all very frightened. She has now become a good friend and loves Cokie. We believe that we are much better dog partners. A Pleasant Dog Changed our lives for the better and we couldn’t be more grateful! Keep up the great work and we look to forward to seeing you on the dance floor!
I would not recommend this facility unless your dog has very minor behavioral issues. Staff can be condescending and I felt like they held some judgement based on my dog’s breed. They claim they are “reactive dog friendly” but I found that far from the truth. They hold group reactive dog classes which seems extremely counterintuitive. Would not recommend to any of my loved ones.
Original customer experiences from the collected Google data. Ratings without comments follow written reviews.