AUSTIN’s Dog training club
- CUSTOM TRAINING PROGRAMS
- EXTRACURRICULAR PROGRAMS
- BOARDING IN TRAINERS' HOMES
varsity
Dog training membership
always a trainer there.
always a place to go.
agility & drinks monthly.
always a trainer there.
always a place to go.
agility & drinks monthly.
build your own membership
-
train: private in-home Austin Dog training sessions at a discounted rate
$149/session -
stay: we'll keep a room open in our boarding program
$9/month -
play: join us for agility and drinks every month
$29/month
Take what you need, leave what you don’t.
Change, pause, or cancel membership at any time, for any reason.
Mara was absolutely fabulous, I highly recommend. We have a 3-year old pup who was pretty well behaved until we brought in a puppy. The presence of the puppy fully reverted our adult dog to old behavior, both fed off each others bad behavior and we lost all control. Our biggest issue was with guests and barking. They started jumping on guests, wouldn’t leave them alone and barked incessantly.
After speaking with Mara on the phone she was confident both were easily correctable with a 5-session booking and we may not even need all 5 sessions for it. I was skeptical but also desperate with the holidays coming up and many guests to come.
Mara made herself immediately available and we went to work. Within 3 sessions, both dogs were sitting and staying back when guests came in. We tested it with some who bring out their worst and we had complete success. They are also 1000x better with the “quiet” command. They did so well with her that we moved on to some leash training which the puppy now has down beautifully. She walks at my side and sits whenever I stop.
Highly recommend. We will call Mara with all future needs.
ellie sanchez 
Jumpstart programs
Want to start with something more intensive?
Tutoring
Best for:
Parents with lots of time and interest.
Puppy training and basic skills.
$1490
Homeschool
Best for:
Busy parents and larger families with a need for dog training in Austin.
Behavior modification programs.
$2490
Study abroad
Best for:
Parents looking for a clean slate for their Austin dog training.
Off leash and advanced obedience.
$2890 - 4160
Mara was incredibly helpful with training me to train Maze. I reached out to her with a dog that would not recall after trying every treat in the book and working on it for about an hour each day. She would also pull and chase skateboards; anything with wheels. Mara sat down with us and helped create a training program specifically tailored to Maze and her needs. She connected with maze instantly and helped me immediately control the pulling. After just 4 sessions Mara was able to train Maze as well as myself to get Maze to a point where her recall was flawless and she could walk around the park without a leash and ignore any distractions. We now go backpacking, backcountry skiing, and have a much tighter bond. The training always continues and Mara still responds to my texts when I have questions that come up. She helped us out tremendously and I have and will continue to recommend her to my closest friends and anyone else that needs the help. Thanks!
ryan kelly
not your average
Dog trainers
- vetted for an average of 6 months
- Highly Accomplished, Certified Experts
- Specialized for Different Needs
Mara
Soo
Lion, Bear & Elk Trainer
- Apprenticed under Olympic sport horse trainers
- Trained lions, bears, and elk professionally
- PSA protection sports competitor
Christie
Branch
Branch
Primate Behaviorist
- Trained 1000 monkeys over 3 years
- Developed widely adopted training protocols used across facilities in Texas and California
Mara
Soo
Soo
Lion, Bear & Elk Trainer
- Apprenticed under Olympic sport horse trainers
- Trained lions, bears, and elk professionally
- PSA protection sports competitor
Christie
Branch
Branch
Primate Behaviorist
- Trained 1000 monkeys over 3 years
- Developed widely adopted training protocols used across facilities in Texas and California
We adopted our dog, Flash, eight years ago from Austin Animal Center and were committed to being the best dog parents to our then little puppy. Sleeping in the bed with us, leaving food bowls out whenever he wanted to eat, allowing him on couches and teaching him basic commands and we thought we had aced it. Fast forward years later and he started showing some tendencies that we were not prepared for. We started changing some things (thinking it would resolve issues) but after feeling like we were on a hamster wheel we knew we needed help. Internet research led us to Mara with Traction Dog Training, and we are forever thankful.
We started off with Mara doing in home training and after two amazing sessions we experienced another "situation" with Flash. We immediately reached out to Mara, and she jumped into action- she wanted to now do Study Abroad with Flash. With the in-home training program and the Study Abroad program she communicated all instructions perfectly and let us know her, his, and our goals, which we agreed with. Flash did a 10-day Study Abroad at Mara's house and WOW is all we can say. She identified the issues, gave us her opinion of what was happening and put together a solid plan to help us navigate (she was spot on with everything too). In those 10 days she was able to see the "situations" we encountered and provided us the tools we needed to continue to move forward with Flash. She kept in communication with us during his Study Abroad and sent us videos, emails and provided us the tools and skills we would continue with. We constantly reference the training videos she recorded with Flash and reference her emails to make sure we are using the same practices she did. We’ve never felt like we were lost on what to do because she outlined everything so well.
We are forever thankful for Mara and Traction Dog Training. Flash has been home for about two weeks, and we are all understanding our new lifestyle. Our new command words "Right, Wrong, Nope, Off, Wait, Free" are our new way of life! Flash now sleeps in a crate - might I say perfectly too! He does very well with climb cot time, and we can take him for walks without the constant pulling and lunging at other dogs! Flash's resource guarding and genetically fearful personality is a fact for us, but with the help of Mara she has taught us what our new way of life can look like. Our goals were in line with Mara's, and she has helped provide us all the resources we need. We are forever thankful for Mara and Traction Dog training. We didn't want to give up hope on our 8-year-old dog, and with the help of Mara she has restored confidence in our family. Highly, highly recommend Traction Dog Training!
kenyon willis
FAQ
- Quality of trainers. We spend an average of 6 months vetting trainers before hiring, and we only take superstars. Not only are our trainers the ones the Whitehouse chose for themselves, it’s also ensured they have exceptional communication and human-training skills.
- Program structures. We break away from the usual options, private lessons or board-and-train. Instead, we come to you for training and can provide as little or as much hands-on support as you need. We then offer a one-of-a-kind maintenance and social training membership.
- Professionalism & community. We are a training club, not just a service provider. An emphasis on community means that we expect a high level of professionalism among our trainers and club members. If you’re looking for a group of high quality people you can rely on as friends and dog trainers, this is it.
We offer private training programs for all family pet dogs, overnight boarding in trainers’ homes, protection and guard dog training, and our monthly social event, Agility Drop-In & Drinks, where you can play on an indoor agility course and enjoy free adult beverages.
We also offer apprenticeship programs for future dog trainers.
Your dogs can share one training program, although a phone consultation with a trainer will be needed to determine the best way for your specific dogs to learn together.
Even for dogs with very different goals and learning styles, two separate programs isn’t typically necessary. These dogs may have the option to increase the length and price of training sessions by 50% so there’s ample time to work with the dogs individually as well as together.
We use the methods that are most fair, kind, and effective for your specific dog. No two dogs are alike, and neither are the training methods that best suit them.
For a detailed view of the scientific foundation of our training philosophy, read about our training methods here.
Yes! Varsity allows you to pay for training sessions on a monthly schedule and at a discounted rate.
Alternatively, Affirm is available and offers 4 payments over 2 months with no interest or credit checks as well as monthly installment plans from 2 to 36 months long.
Mara makes Cesar Millan look like a rookie...seriously. Our pups have all responded so well to her teachings. We have three dogs, ranging from a pup to 13 years old. All of our dogs are more obedient, and I believe happier. They don't jump on people at the door. They don't jump on the couch (unless invited). They peacefully sleep in their kennels. Our relationship with our dogs has never been better. Mara is a true professional. She also watches our home while we travel. It's a great feeling to know our pups are happy and our home is safe. Thank you, Mara. You are great teacher and even better person.
cole jacobs
invest In years of happiness
jumpstart
Programs
Programs
Thank You Mara,
We are so pleased with the results of your training. Archie is a very active and high energy Australian Terrier. We tried two previous trainers to no avail and had almost given up hope.Thanks to you he is now becoming a much better, happier, well behaved dog. It's so nice to take him for a loose leash walk, by our side, without feeling like we are flying a kite. Also at home, among other things, he will stay in place when asked, instead of terrorizing the house. The skills you have taught us and Archie are truly appreciated. Your professionalism and reliability is exceptional and we would highly recommend you to our friends.
joe & cindy kelly
location
Our service area includes any address within a 20 minute commute from 6203 N Capital of Texas Hwy, Austin, TX 78731.
There are 3 location options for training:
- We’ll come to your home if you’re in our service area or willing to pay out-of-service-area fees ($3.20/min beyond the service area).
- Meet us in Austin for dog training.
- Use the Study Abroad program and only travel to Austin 2-3 times total.
Schedule a phone consultation to determine the best fit for you and your dog.
Mara was amazing and a joy to work with. Teddy, our three year old corgi is an opinionated soul and really struggled with barking, leash manners, and car anxiety. We did the 3 week homeschool session and Teddy is a completely different dog. She really created a plan that worked for Teddy and us. Teddy now exhibits excellent on leash and off leash manners, is calm/ not barking for attention, and is improving with his anxiousness in the car. We also love that he can stay with her when we go out of town. We can’t thank Mara enough!
sophia starkman
the learning is only
the beginning
the beginning
We don’t just improve behavior, we invite you to join a community dedicated to training dogs in Austin.
