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SongDog Kennels

Vanderbilt, Michigan

4.9/5· 84 Google reviews

About SongDog Kennels

At SongDog Kennels, we believe dogs deserve better than quick fixes. Our scientifically grounded approach combines decades of behavioral expertise with individualized training programs designed to create lasting change for both dogs and their owners. Led by Applied Animal Behaviorist Jason Major, we specialize in board and train programs, behavioral therapy, aggression rehabilitation, puppy development, and advanced obedience. Every dog receives personalized attention through our small-scale, immersive programs, followed by comprehensive owner education to ensure success long after training is complete. Located in Northern Michigan, SongDog serves clients throughout Michigan and across the United States who are looking for expert dog traini

Training & services

Training goals

  • Behavior consultation
    Program details

    Meet with Applied Animal Behaviorist Jason Major for a comprehensive behavioral assessment and customized training plan designed to resolve behavior challenges and improve your dog's quality of life.

    Meet with Applied Animal Behaviorist Jason Major to develop a customized training plan for your puppy. Learn how to build confidence, prevent behavior problems, and establish lifelong habits from the very beginning.

  • Crate training
  • House training
  • Leash training
  • Obedience training
    Program details

    Professional obedience training focused on reliable commands, loose-leash walking, impulse control, and everyday manners. Individualized programs create confident, well-behaved family companions.

  • Puppy training
    Program details

    Give your puppy the best start with early socialization, crate training, potty training, obedience, and confidence building. Our Puppy Program builds the foundation for lifelong success.

  • Recall training
  • Socialization

Behavior support

  • Aggression training
    Program details

    Specialized aggressive dog training in Michigan focused on understanding behavior, building confidence, and creating lasting change through individualized rehabilitation and proven behavioral science.

  • Barking
  • Fear and confidence
  • Reactivity training
    Program details

    Personalized behavioral dog training for reactive dogs. Reduce barking, lunging, and overstimulation while building confidence and improving focus in real-world environments.

How training happens

  • Board and train
    Program details

    Premium Board & Train in Northern Michigan led by Applied Animal Behaviorist Jason Major. Personalized programs build obedience, off-leash reliability, confidence, and lasting results through science-based training and owner education.

  • Owner coaching
  • Private training
    Program details

    Personalized one-on-one dog training tailored to your dog's unique needs. Work directly with Applied Animal Behaviorist Jason Major to build obedience, improve behavior, and create lasting success through individualized coaching.

Dog age

  • Puppies
    Program details

    Develop a confident, well-rounded puppy through structured socialization, environmental exposure, foundational obedience, and positive learning experiences during critical developmental stages.

    British Labrador Retrievers bred for health, temperament, intelligence, and trainability. Carefully raised to become exceptional family companions, hunting dogs, and lifelong partners

Training level

  • Advanced obedience
  • Advanced training
  • Beginner training Customer-reported

Support between sessions

  • Personalized training plans

Assistance and working dogs

  • Hunting dog training

Additional services

  • Boarding Customer-reported

Other listed services

View 4 additional details
  • Behavioral Dog Training
    Program details

    SongDog specializes in behavioral dog training for dogs experiencing fear, anxiety, reactivity, and difficult behaviors. Our scientifically grounded approach identifies the root cause of behavior rather than masking symptoms, creating lasting change through individualized training and owner edu.

  • Fear & Anxiety Rehabilitation
    Program details

    We help fearful and anxious dogs build confidence through customized behavior modification. Our science-based approach addresses the root cause of unwanted behaviors for lasting success.

  • Off-Leash Dog Training
    Program details

    Build reliable off-leash obedience with advanced recall, distraction training, and real-world proofing. Personalized programs strengthen communication, confidence, and trust between you and your dog.

  • Safety Training
    Program details

    Our Safety Training program is a behavioral modification process that eliminates aggression by de-arousing your dog's nervous system, targeting the root emotional triggers rather than just blocking or suppressing them.

Confirm current programs and availability directly.

Questions & answers

From Google

What people have asked about this business.

If my dog goes away for training, will my dog remember me when they return?

This is probably our most commonly asked question. The answer is yes! It has been Jason Major’s experience that if you have known the dog for at least two weeks, the dog will remember you for life. Actually, if the dog did not remember you, it would make our job easier. We could simply remove the dog from your environment, complete the training and send the dog home, and that is how they would act from that point on. We know this would not work. Your dog will remember you and remember how they acted with you before the therapy and transfer of training.

Community answer · SongDog Kennels · 2021-09-21

Question on Google
What types of dog behaviors can Songdog help me control?

Aggression, unruliness, separation anxiety, inappropriate elimination, barking, digging, running away, jumping, spinning and just about anything else your dog can think of!

Community answer · SongDog Kennels · 2021-09-21

Question on Google
Will training or therapy break my dog’s spirit or change their personality?

Many people are concerned about this. This is where science meets art. It is possible for the trainer to become so overbearing that the dog simply shuts down. We have all seen dogs that, while they responded to the handler, do so without drive and motivation.

Community answer · SongDog Kennels · 2021-09-21

Question on Google

Public community answers. Authors are not verified as business representatives; details may have changed.

Customer reviews

Google listing
4.9
out of 584 Google reviews

Mentioned in reviews

  • Leash pulling 10
  • Obedience training 6
  • Listening to commands 4
  • Therapy dog training 3
  • Foundation program 2
  • Obedient dogs 2
All 10 topics
  • Off leash recall 2
  • Older dog training 2
  • Responsive to questions 2
  • Weekly updates 2

Google review topics, not confirmed services.

84 collected reviews

Text reviews first · newest first
Asia M
5/5

We had an amazing experience with Jason and Tiffany. We welcomed our European Dobermann Pinscher Duke into our home when he was 3 months old. After spending time at SongDog Kennels he has become a respectable young man. They made sure Duke was well groomed and let us know of a dental issue that Dukes Vetenarian overlooked. We are so happy to have such a well behaved dog back!

Richard Edmonds
5/5

I have Service Dog thanks to SongDog. The VA recommended that I get a service. I local breeder had a dog. The VA gave a list of the tasks my dog would have to do as a Service Dog. Jason was able to train my dog to do everything required and then he spent time training to handle my dog properly as a Service Dog.

Suzie Mitchell
5/5
We took our 7 month old toy Goldendoodle to Jason and Tiffany so she could be trained well enough to travel 4 hours by plane. We also wanted to stop pulling on the leash, barking at dogs and people and jumping up to the table during our meals. We had attended puppy classes and in…Read full reviewClose full review

We took our 7 month old toy Goldendoodle to Jason and Tiffany so she could be trained well enough to travel 4 hours by plane. We also wanted to stop pulling on the leash, barking at dogs and people and jumping up to the table during our meals. We had attended puppy classes and individual trading sessions at pet stores. We also tried on line training courses. We’ve always had dogs, so we knew how to train them, but we were in a time constraint due to planned travel. We enrolled her in the 4 week Ultimate Canine Companion course and are amazed at our new dog. She handled the air travel perfectly and now responds to commands easily and all her bad habits have vanished. She is still the adorable, friendly, loving puppy but now well mannered. Couldn’t have done it without Jason and Tiffany Worth every penny!!!

Sydney Azzi
5/5
I was extremely nervous about investing so much in my dog’s training not knowing if it would translate to my home when my sweet Betty came back. But Jason and Tiffany did such a wonderful job both loving and seeing the good things about Betty and helping her learn how to behave. …Read full reviewClose full review

I was extremely nervous about investing so much in my dog’s training not knowing if it would translate to my home when my sweet Betty came back. But Jason and Tiffany did such a wonderful job both loving and seeing the good things about Betty and helping her learn how to behave. Betty was still the sweet fun loving puppy when she came home, she just also knew she had to listen. They were also great at training both my girls and I so we would be successful, and they took the time and checked back in to see if we needed more support. Even my husband who was skeptical said it was money well spent! We always knew Betty was sweet, we wanted the rest of the world to know it, too - and now they do! Thank you!

Rhiannon Hathaway
5/5
10/10 recommend. Jason worked with our German Shepherd on two separate occasions, the first being an in-depth foundational training at 6mo and the second working on a specific issue our dog had picked up around 1.5yrs. Both have been night and day transformations for our family! …Read full reviewClose full review

10/10 recommend. Jason worked with our German Shepherd on two separate occasions, the first being an in-depth foundational training at 6mo and the second working on a specific issue our dog had picked up around 1.5yrs. Both have been night and day transformations for our family! Jason is attentive and thorough in the dog training, as well as training us on how to properly maintain the training in any situation. He is responsive in any questions we have after the fact and has always been flexible in finding training times that work with our family. We are so grateful to SongDog for helping us be able to effectively communicate with our pup and ultimately give him the best life and the most freedom and adventure as possible!

Original customer experiences from the collected Google data. Ratings without comments follow written reviews.

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