Millton was so happy at this set of classes. She was able to have some structure play with with other dogs as well as work hard. She was able to explore new sights and sounds as well as taste. Class was a great place and you can ask questions throughout 🐶

Mountainside Mutts
Rutland, Vermont
About Mountainside Mutts
Mountainside Mutts is a premier, female-owned small business in Rutland County, Vermont, specializing in modern, rewards-based dog training and behavior consultation. We offer both private coaching sessions and group classes to meet all your dog training needs. Our passion is helping dedicated pet parents set their new dogs up for success. Our signature Puppy Start Right program provides foundational training and socialization for puppies aged 8 to 16 weeks. As the only certified dog behavior consultant in Rutland County, we address common behavior problems like nuisance jumping, leash-pulling, and fear of strangers using humane methods, without resorting to aversive tools like prong, choke, or shock collars.
Training & services
Training goals
- Behavior consultation
Program details
This meeting is designed for us to get to know each other, determine your objectives, and to provide you with advice and recommendations so you can implement behavior change at home. · Listed price: [object Object]
You consider your dog well-trained but he does one or two things that drive you nuts. Perhaps he barks incessantly or lunges on leash. Behavior modification will involve training but is more often concerned with changing your dog's emotions about something. · Listed price: [object Object]
- House training
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- Leash training
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- Puppy training Customer-reported
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- Recall training
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- Socialization
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Behavior support
- Aggression training
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- Fear and confidence
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- Jumping up
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- Reactivity training
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How training happens
- Group classes
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- Owner coaching Customer-reported
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- Private training
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Package includes: 75 minute initial consultation, four 1 hour training sessions at our facility, 2 (1 hour) training field trips, and a 2 Hounds Design Freedom Harness. This basic manners package is designed for the adolescent dog who hasn't had any formal training. We'll introduce marker training, build attention, name recognition, sit, down, stay, relax on a mat, teach polite walking and greetings, and set the foundation for a fabulous recall. · Listed price: [object Object]
Dog age
- Adolescent dogs
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- Adult dogs
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Training level
- Beginner training
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Training approach
- Force-free training
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- Positive reinforcement
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Additional services
- Daycare
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Dog daycare at Mountainside Mutts offers a safe, enriching space for dogs to enjoy companionship, gentle play, and rest all under the guidance of professionals who understand canine behavior. Perfect for pet parents who want peace of mind and pups who thrive on company and routine. · Listed price: [object Object]
Dog daycare at Mountainside Mutts offers a safe, enriching space for dogs to enjoy companionship, gentle play, and rest all under the guidance of professionals who understand canine behavior. Perfect for pet parents who want peace of mind and pups who thrive on company and routine. A negative fecal taken with 7 days of first attendance and proof of vaccinations (Distemper, Parvovirus, DHPP, Rabies, Bordetella) will be required before attending. · Listed price: [object Object]
Other listed services
View 17 additional details
- Basic Manners For Real Life
Program details
Designed for dog parents navigating the challenges of adolescence, this course helps address common nuisance behaviors such as jumping on guests, pulling on the leash, and unreliable recall. Ideally suited for graduates of Puppy Start Right, this program builds on foundational skills to promote better behavior in everyday situations. The course includes five group sessions plus one private 30-minute coaching session to provide personalized guidance. New students must schedule their private session at the time of registration. Proof of vaccinations (Distemper, Parvovirus, DHPP, Rabies) will be required before attending. No aggressive, reactive, or overly fearful dogs. No females in heat. · Listed price: [object Object]
- Puppy Start Right (Mondays)
Program details
Puppy Start Right is a fun, hands-on group class designed for puppies aged 8 to 16 weeks. Each weekly session focuses on introducing your pup to new experiences, people, and the foundations of training using positive, force-free methods. While social play is included, its a small part of the curriculum and only takes place when puppy temperaments are a good match. Our open-enrollment format means you can start anytime your schedule allows or soon after bringing your puppy home. With a maximum of 5 puppies per class, youll receive plenty of individual attention. Theres no minimum enrollment, so if no other puppies are registered, youll enjoy the bonus of private instruction at a group rate! Classes are informal, supportive, and engagingcome ready to learn, laugh, and participate! To attend, puppies must be 12 weeks or younger at their first class. We require proof of Distemper, Parvovirus, DHPP vaccinations, and a negative fecal test dated within 7 days of the first session. · Listed price: [object Object]
- Initial Strategy Session
Program details
With the exception of puppy programs, all of our private training services start with an initial 75-minute meeting. This is a chance for us to get to know each other, determine your objectives, design a training plan, and start some foundation work with your pup. You will be able to upgrade to one of our training programs within 7 days of the initial meeting. · Listed price: [object Object]
- Puppy Start Right Plus
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Everything you need to get your pup off to an extraordinary start. This package is designed to provide the fun and support of our popular Puppy Start Right class but with the benefit of private fine-tuning for crate & potty training, and dedicated targeting for your unique puppy problems. · Listed price: [object Object]
- Real Life Manners Coaching
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Package includes: 75 minute initial consultation, four 1 hour sessions at our facility, & 1 customized training field trip. If your pup has completed some basic training already, but appears to have forgotten everything, this is the package for you. We'll refresh pup's memory of basic manners such as sit, down, and place, and build their loose leash walking and recall skills against distractions. · Listed price: [object Object]
- Behavior Coaching
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A comprehensive, supportive program for dogs struggling with fear, reactivity, aggression or other complex behavior challenges. · Listed price: [object Object]
- Puppy Jumpstart
Program details
Set your puppy up for success from day one. Well cover the foundations that make life easier including focus, calm, behavior, handling, and preventing common issues like biting, jumping, and pulling. Youll learn how to communicate clearly with your puppy, using modern, reward based training. Perfect for young puppies and first time puppy owners. This is a 5 session private coaching package designed for pups first few weeks at home. Well start with a (1 hour) strategy session and then schedule 4 (45 minute) sessions. This package if for puppies under 6 months old. · Listed price: [object Object]
- New Dog Jumpstart
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Help your new dog settle in and start off on the right foot. This program is designed for newly adopted or rehomed dogs. Well focus on building structure, understanding your dogs behavior, and establishing good habits right from the beginning. Whether your dog is a rescue, rehome, or simply adjusting to a big life change, New Dog Jumpstart helps you create clarity, structure, and a calmer start from the beginning. Includes one 90 minute initial strategy session and three 1 hour coaching sessions at our facility. This package is for dogs 6 months of age and older. · Listed price: [object Object]
- Muttessori (Thurs)
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- Basic Manners
Program details
A 6 session course for dogs between 16 weeks and 6 months of age. No aggressive, reactive or overly fearful dogs. This class is intended for new dog parents who may not have attended a training school before. This is a foundational course and will cover basic training principles and core pet dog manners. The first class will be for people only - no dogs in attendance until week 2. One of the 6 sessions will be a private 40 minute training class - to be scheduled with the instructor. Proof of vaccinations (Distemper, Parvovirus, DHPP, Rabies) will be required before attending. · Listed price: [object Object]
- Bmod single session
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Stand alone behavior modification sessions. Mileage fees will apply for appointments held elsewhere than our facility. · Listed price: [object Object]
- Muttessori (Fri)
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- Muttessori (Tues)
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- Muttessori Meet & Greet
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This is a 1-hour pre-attendance session where we: 1) Get to know you and your dog 2)Review any training youve already done 3)Discuss your goals 4)Determine whether Muttessori is likely to be a good fit 5)Decide whether to move forward to a try-out · Listed price: [object Object]
- Dog School 3x
Program details
A subscription to Muttessori (our "day care plus" program) provides a 10% discount on weekly bookings. · Listed price: [object Object]
- Indoor Dog Gym
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An all-weather exercise option for you and your dog. Youll have exclusive use of our gym, Fit Paws equipment and obstacles for 30 minutes. · Listed price: [object Object]
- Private Dog Park
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Tired of off-leash dogs? Fed up with a dirty dog park? Looking for some fun with your dog without having to worry about other people and their out of control dogs? Our private and fully-fenced play area is available for your exclusive use. · Listed price: [object Object]
Confirm current programs and availability directly.
Business-stated qualifications
Qualifications stated by the business, not independently verified.
- Training team
- CDBC
Customer reviews
Google listingMentioned in reviews
- positive reinforcement 8
- private training sessions 6
- handouts 3
- helpful information 3
- individual attention 3
- patient instructor 3
All 10 topics
- puppy socialization 3
- clear explanations 2
- informative classes 2
- kind staff 2
Google review topics, not confirmed services.
Als was great with helping us learn basic manners. Our dog is a high energy boy but he really took to the methods we learned in this course.
I strongly recommend Als and Mountainside Mutts classes to anyone with a dog! We appreciate her approach with us and our "bestest girl", Maple. Als always looked at us as individuals and never had a "one size fits all" approach. She took the time to understand how Maple processed…Read full reviewClose full review
I strongly recommend Als and Mountainside Mutts classes to anyone with a dog! We appreciate her approach with us and our "bestest girl", Maple. Als always looked at us as individuals and never had a "one size fits all" approach. She took the time to understand how Maple processed her environment and helped create meaningful ways for us to build trust and communicate more effectively. We've strengthened our relationship with Maple through parkour classes, pup and paint night, and private training where we've worked on cooperative care, understanding Maple's comfort levels in different environments, and learning how to reduce reactivity. Als has always shown empathy, compassion, and understanding by helping us see things from Maple's perspective. We had the puppy blues when we first brought Maple into our lives. Now we can't imagine a world without her. Massive thanks to Als and the Mountainside Mutts program for making such an impactful difference in our lives!
I would encourage anyone with a dog to check into Mountainside Mutts. Whether you have a young pup or an older dog looking to learn some new tricks you will find yourself in great hands with Als Allan the owner. Our Aussie Bocephus was unfortunately already 6 months old by the ti…Read full reviewClose full review
I would encourage anyone with a dog to check into Mountainside Mutts. Whether you have a young pup or an older dog looking to learn some new tricks you will find yourself in great hands with Als Allan the owner. Our Aussie Bocephus was unfortunately already 6 months old by the time we discovered Mountainside Mutts. We found ourselves over our heads with this demanding, bossy little guy. We began with a few private training sessions in our home and advanced to Bo attending day-school three times a week. Als took us under her wing and supported us as we learned a whole new way of training. It’s taken time and commitment but has been so worth it! Our Bo has come a long way and our relationship with him is improved 100%. He absolutely loves going to day-school and comes home nice and tired ready for a long nap. The training methods Als and her fellow trainer, Nicki Phommachieng, use are completely rewards based and relationship building. The best thing of course is that they are effective and enjoyable for your pup. Bo loves training sessions and it turns out they burn tons of his boundless Aussie energy by using his mind. If you find yourself with a new puppy or even an older dog in need of behavioral improvement I can’t recommend Mountainside Mutts enough!
We had an amazing experience working with Als and Mountainside Mutts. She really understands dogs and people. With her help we were able to help our Aussie move from Wild Child to Reasonably Restrained. Als was always able to answer our questions, had 1st class advice, and sho…Read full reviewClose full review
We had an amazing experience working with Als and Mountainside Mutts. She really understands dogs and people. With her help we were able to help our Aussie move from Wild Child to Reasonably Restrained. Als was always able to answer our questions, had 1st class advice, and showed unbelievable patience as we worked though the basics of doggie etiquette. I'd recommend her Manners class to anyone and any dog.
Original customer experiences from the collected Google data. Ratings without comments follow written reviews.