OUR PROGRAMS
Learn how to responsively relate and communicate in a meaningful way with dogs!
DOG RAISING CLASS
The emphasis of this puppy class is to create a frictionless transition for our puppies into life as a domestic dog.
AKC S.T.A.R. PUPPY
If your puppy has completed our Level 1 Dog Raising Class, you are invited to join our AKC S.T.A.R. PUPPY PROGRAM!
CANINE GOOD CITIZEN
This program is designed for preparing to take and pass the official AKC Canine Good Citizen test and earn the official title!
EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DOG
From preferred dog selection to advanced training. There is no better place than here to begin and complete the process.
DOGCENTRIC WORKSHOPS
Are you tired of listening to professional trainers who blindly follow what other humans tell other humans about what other humans know about dogs?
PRIVATE DOG TRAINING
One on one coaching for you and your dog is a great way to cater training to specific goals or issues you and your dog need to work on.
BOARD AND TRAIN
We say we offer the best board and train programs in the state because we consistantly create durable and powerful transformation in dogs and their families.
IN-HOME PUPPY TRAINING
Our private puppy training program is simple and fun. The goal is to create a solid foundation for a dog who will be able to stay intimate with the community and the life of their family.
BEYOND OBEDIENCE
Beyond Obedience is the answer for the seekers of advanced training. If you've tried everything and have been left wanting, try this!
WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT US
Doggy transformations chronicled
Our teaching philosophy relies on the ability for one to "believe it, in order to see it." This can be a challenge for new clients. It is easy to "see it to believe it," but to be the source of positive change, one must believe first. You can help others by sharing your story.
KIM C.
A frictionless approach to understanding and communicating with our dog.
LEON W.
An amazing way to teach dog owners to train dogs that transcends dog training.
SANDY R.
Dog rescue took the dog out of the mill, Your Dog's Best Friend took the mill out of the dog. That's teamwork!
MARCO M.
Dog aggressive to dog impressive, thank you for helping us recover our instincts! Trust, Respect, Loyalty, Love!
RYAN B.
Truly the dog whisperers of Minneapolis, every new situation with our dogs is an exciting new opportunity for me to show them how to succeed!
AMY T.
Learning to train the dogs way in puppy class was amazing. The education we got during puppy socialization was not only useful but also inspiring. If you truly believe dogs are good people, YDBF is for you!
Keep up the great work guys. Thank you for being a part of our pack!
Max Bitterman - Dog Trainer/Founder
WHAT DO WE HELP WITH?
REHABILITATION OF DOG BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS:
Dog Socialization Issues - Dog Aggression - Fearful dogs - Puppy Mill Dogs - Shy Dogs - Rowdy Dogs - Anxious Dogs - Disobedient Dogs - Stubborn Dogs
PREVENTION OF DOG BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS:
Puppy Training - New Dog Introductions - Doggie Match Making (finding the right dog for your family)
WHAT ARE THE RESULTS?
More fun and freedom and trust with the family!
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Therapy
Buster used to be nervous about being touched by new people, sometimes biting, sometimes slinking away. Now Buster loves his hospice visits and his visits with terminally ill dogs. Sometimes a puppy is our first friend but it takes a special puppy to be someone's last friend.
Service
Frodo lost his job as a Seeing Eye dog due to explosive outbursts as trucks and other loud vehicles passed by on the walk. Now he has his job back and not only provides Seeing Eye services but gets to go to Minneapolis schools to show off to the kids how special he is!
Teacher
Buddy holds a notorious title as the most human aggressive dog in the history of Your Dog's Best Friend. That was years ago. Today he spends his days teaching at risk dogs how to follow house rules. He is a perfect example for how dogs should treat humans and their homes.
Coaching
Cajun was a smart, young, happy go lucky pup. He has developed into a pack leader for our new dogs. He helps the timid ones grow their confidence, the reactive ones try a more social approach to relating with other dogs and with his brother Oakland on his team they have served as "first friends" to many rescue dogs as they begin their new life.
Hunting
Duke, the bird dog developed a fear of loud noises. He was forced to sit out hunting weekends for over three years. Now he is back in the field and doing what he loves and was born to do! He is currently training his puppy brother Zipper to become a great bird dog too.
Connect With Us Today!
CONTINUAL EDUCATION
Group classes are a great way to work with other owners, trainers & dogs who are in agreement with how to build trust, respect, loyalty & love with your dog. Learning to understand dog society and train the dogs way is a lifelong journey. We are always here for you as you progress as a pack leader. Our clients have us for a lifetime!
PACK WALK
A mindful and connected experience to bond & build trust with your dog and the community.
Weekly: Inquire For Date/Times
SHY DOG CLASS
Puppy mill dogs, hoarder rescues and dogs that need extra help learning to trust people.
Weekly: Inquire For Date/Times
REACTIVE & ROWDY DOG CLASS
Dogs without boundaries and limits lose privileges, get isolated & often end up at risk. Learn how to set rules, boundaries and limitations that will allow your canine companion to feel proud and confident because they know just what to do!
Weekly: Inquire For Date/Times
DOG RESCUE SEMINARS
Empower your staff - Keep fosters supported - Keep dogs in their homes
We love to help you fulfull your mission!
STOP THE DROP
Preparing rescue volunteers to give struggling dog owners info, resources & belief in a positive outcome to avoid surrendering in the first place.
NEW DOG INTROS
Empowering rescue volunteers to empower fosters and adopters to build a good relationship with new fosters and adopted dogs to maximize successes and minimize returns.
PUPPY STAGES
How to fulfill puppy needs from 2-4, 4-6 & 6-10 months to prevent dog behavior issues.
ENERGY
Talking dog to help traumatized dogs, nurture sensitivity in frustrated dogs and build the ultimate connection and bond with any dog.
OUR TRAINING IS POSITIVE
DON'T YOU MEAN POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT?
NO, IT'S JUST POSITIVE!
EXPLAIN?
Through thousands of hours of studying dogs we have experienced a few "Newton's Apple" moments that have accelerated our science & opened the door to revelations & recognitions that are more inspiring than we would have ever imagined.
Here are the two most valuable findings we have come up with. 1. your dog thinks & operates like the best people you know & 2. your dog is socially brilliant.
Congratulations! These two understandings advance you beyond 99% of dog trainers on the planet as you now have a cleaner lens to observe & learn from dogs with. If you encounter a dog trainer who "idiotizes", "brutizes" or "babyizes" your dog in their "assessment", turn and run!
It turns out many of the things that make us call someone humane: trust, respect, loyalty, love, feeding the sick & the weak, raising kids, mourning the dead etc. are things we share in common with our dogs. Things that make us call someone an animal: cruel, selfish, dishonest etc. are uniquely human. How many episodes of Unlikely Animal Friends can we watch in amazement until we realize that we are the unlikely animal friend? Next time you see a viral video of a dog saving a child from a fire or nursing another animals orphaned babies you can say, "That dog is being an animal." as you watch, not in amazement, but admiration and respect.
Realizing that dogs are better people & better parents than us allow us to get away from following the judgements of dog trainers & into the lessons of their parents. They use intimacy, honest & clarity as they teach their children right from wrong responsively as they go through life. So no need to do strategies at them or around them, you can responsively relate & communicate with them in a meaningful way. In fact, the primary source of serious behavior issues in our dogs comes from taking their babies from them & using classical conditioning as a foundation instead of healthy social etiquette.
So our takeway from all this is, if you take a baby from its mom, replace her with a parent, not an owner. That is why we teach dog raising as a foundation rather than dog training. That is why we teach dog relating for relationship building rather than dog training. This is why we are your dog's best friend.
SOUNDS GREAT BUT WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU?
WELL...
EXPLAIN?
One useful byproduct of our study is that following nature's blueprint makes it super easy for us to help our community raise puppies & find behavior solutions. So feel free to reach out. We are happy to help.
Useful Tip:If you are not sure which company to work with, a great way to select a dog trainer is to ask to meet their dog(s) in an environment that would require them to be well adjusted in a way that you would like your dog to be. The answers you will likely get put on display what makes us most different from our dogs. Humans often live in medicinal perceptions & stories while the other animals live in natures narrative AKA reality. Translation: you will hear some funny excuses. 😉
MEET OUR PACK!
Every member of our team has a unique experience
Click on the trainer's picture to send them a message.
NEIL
In home training - AKC STAR Puppy - AKC Canine Good Citizen - Dog owners with disabilities
Neil Kapphahn is our most experienced trainer and a leader/mentor for our team. He has been working with and training dogs and people for over 10 years. Over the last several years he has taken his knowledge and experience in behavior rehabilitation to the highest of levels. Neil has consistently shown an aptitude for helping rescue dogs who have gotten off to a rough start and need a second chance to become well adjusted, playful and confident canine companions. For solving behavior issues, Neil's approach to understanding what our dogs are going through and responding in a meaningful way is intuitive, fun and transformation for our dogs and clients. He loves the opportunity to teach instinctual dog communication to dog parents so they can experience the frictionless and fulfilling approach of relating to and loving a dog in terms the dog was born to understand.
ADAM
Private Dog Training - Reactive Dog Training - Behavior Solutions
As a life-long dog lover, Adam's professional journey began with the adoption of two powerful bully breed dogs who had failed in previous homes due to severe behavior issues. In rehabilitating his own dogs, Adam began to uncover some of the common misconceptions in dog psychology that make easily avoidable and solvable problems, terminal. Adam served as the Lead Dog Relater for Dog Wellness Club in Minneapolis for over 3 years. He has become an expert in training trainers and has developed an approachable style to helping dog parents see the anatomy of their dog's problems and providing people with actionable solutions.
FREDDIE
Private Dog Training, Dog Families With Children, Private Puppy Training
Freddie began studying inter-species communication early on in life by observing & documenting birds, wolves, dogs, elephants, dolphins, whales & occasionally human beings. In the last five years, he has refined his passion for helping people help dogs by becoming "dog listeners". Rather than training AT them, Freddie can show you how to relate WITH them. Having logged 1,000s of hours at the dog park with his dogs Bubba & Ranger, studying domestic dogs has become the primary focus. Freddie has developed a genuine fluency & competency within dog society. He can help people see through their problems with their dog's problem & help them address their dog's core misunderstandings about how to behave in various situations. It is rare to find someone who learned about dogs from dogs rather than through other people's beliefs about dogs.
DUSTIN
Rescue Classes For Shy & Reactive Dogs, Private Training, Puppy Behavior Solutions
Dustin began learning how to work with dogs as a foster for local rescues. He quickly learned that training was great for teaching our dogs what things mean but relating was key for teaching them how to behave. This made him a serial success in fostering and creating successful adoptions for dogs who previously did not understand how to behave in a way that is conducive to inclusion in a family and society oriented around humans. He has enhanced his understanding of Dog Society and how to participate in a meaningful way at Dog Wellness Club. There he also puts his other passion and professional skills to work as the Social Media Director of the Dog Wellness Club, he provides unique insight into the culture and experience of our dogs for their families. You will find Dustin at the DWC or local rescues helping people save dogs through understanding. If you need behavior solutions coaching Dustin is a great resource.
DANA
Training Class Coordinator
If you have any questions about class times, dates or any of the programs we run: puppy class, AKC STAR Puppy, Canine Good Citizen, Mastering Dog Relating, Dogcentric Workshops etc. Contact Dana!
MAX
Career opportunities
Are you one of us?
Great!
Call me, let's talk about it!
WHAT I LEARNED FROM CESAR MILLAN
When we learn to quiet our mind, trust our instincts and fully submit to the narrative that reality provides us, the person we allow ourselves to be is more comfortable, powerful & impactful than we had ever before dreamed we could be. This is when you become your dog's best friend.
Gracias Cesar, por tu apoyo y orientacion, Max 🙂
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Your Dog's Best Friend