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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
Stephanie Baker
5/5
Our experience with Jason & Tiffany of SongDog was absolutely incredible! We were at a breaking point with Norma Jean, our 8 month old puppy and were getting close to re-homing her. (not a decision we take lightly) I was apprehensive to send her to a board and train as it is a b…Read full reviewClose full review

Our experience with Jason & Tiffany of SongDog was absolutely incredible! We were at a breaking point with Norma Jean, our 8 month old puppy and were getting close to re-homing her. (not a decision we take lightly) I was apprehensive to send her to a board and train as it is a big financial commitment. I kept reminding myself that it would not be a magic fix and she would come back needing some work. Well, Norma Jean came back a completely new dog. she is actually perfect! It feels too good to be true, like real magic! Jason is so good at what he does. I hope every person out there can send their dog to SongDog as it truly changed our lives. Norma is such a good girl and we fall in love with her more each day.

Becky Mills
5/5
Our 4 year old dog was skittish, stubborn, and lovable all wrapped in one. We had thought most of his challenging traits were under control, until he turned 3. Everything slid backwards. We had a year of trying to turn things around. Sadly his skittish behavior turned into aggre…Read full reviewClose full review

Our 4 year old dog was skittish, stubborn, and lovable all wrapped in one. We had thought most of his challenging traits were under control, until he turned 3. Everything slid backwards. We had a year of trying to turn things around. Sadly his skittish behavior turned into aggression and we found ourselves uneasy with him being around people or in public. He would lunge at passing cars while walking, was reactive towards other dogs and people, and would resource guard just about everything. Jason eliminated all of these undesirable behaviors. After 4 weeks we picked up a dog who was well mannered, listened to commands, and even more lovable than he was before. SongDog Kennels are clean, they provide excellent accommodations for the dogs, and their communication and expectations of the program are clear. Very thankful to have had these services so that we weren’t faced with an unfortunate aggressive dog incident. Thank you, Jason and Tiffany!

Paul Wagner
5/5
We are so happy we chose SongDog Kennels for board and train of our 7.5 month old German Shepherd, Stanley! Stanley was a good boy prior to training but a bit of a mess in terms of listening to commands. After one month with Jason and Tiffany at their beautiful 200 acre property …Read full reviewClose full review

We are so happy we chose SongDog Kennels for board and train of our 7.5 month old German Shepherd, Stanley! Stanley was a good boy prior to training but a bit of a mess in terms of listening to commands. After one month with Jason and Tiffany at their beautiful 200 acre property in Northern Michigan, Stanley came home as a loving, obedient puppy. If you have a puppy big or small, SongDog is the only trainer you should consider.

Andrea Manes
5/5
If you are looking for excellent and effective training for your fur baby look no further. Jason and Tiffany at Songdog Kennels are top notch!! My boyfriend and I have Labs from the same litter, Xander and Odin. Xander went first and did excellent. Odin went 2 months later as…Read full reviewClose full review

If you are looking for excellent and effective training for your fur baby look no further. Jason and Tiffany at Songdog Kennels are top notch!! My boyfriend and I have Labs from the same litter, Xander and Odin. Xander went first and did excellent. Odin went 2 months later as he had to heal from surgery. I have to admit, I was worried about leaving Odin there for a month. He was a scared pup and just finished healing. The facilities were very clean, organized, heated and extremely secure. I received pictures and videos weekly. The progress each week was amazing!! The final outcome of both dogs was exceptional!!! Jason and Tiffany are both extremely friendly and welcoming and will care for you dog as if it were their own. Definitely worth every penny we paid and the length of travel time (approximately 3 1/2 hours from my primary residence) it took us to get there and we would definitely use them again for our future fur babies.

Larry Pennell
5/5

After Karma took off after a black bear we knew we had to do some serious training. Vet Tech recommended Jason and we sent her to the ultimate companion training. Now she will respond to recall immediately even when a deer or other prey is involved. She went from a good dog to a great dog.

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

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