🇨🇦 Best Dog Trainer Schools in Canada: Hustle Up vs. ABC, Karen Pryor & More

Best Dog Trainer Schools in Canada: Hustle Up vs. ABC, Karen Pryor & More

If you're exploring how to become a certified dog trainer in Canada, it's important to look beyond the course titles and dive into what really matters—the quality of the education and the experience behind it. With so many schools offering online certifications and theory-based modules, it can be tough to know who’s truly qualified to prepare you for the challenges of real-world dog training. In this guide, we compare the top dog trainer schools in Canada—including Hustle Up Dog Trainers Academy, ABC, Karen Pryor Academy, Victoria Stilwell Academy, and Ben Kersen's Superdogs—and rank them based on field experience, hands-on training, and long-term career value.

🔵 Karen Pryor

Strengths: Strong in science-based methods and dog behavior theory.
Weaknesses: Lacks in hands-on experience and real-life problem-solving.
Summary: Great for learning theory and positive reinforcement principles, but not ideal for trainers who want to get dirty and work in the real world fast.

🔵 Ben Kersen

Strengths: High hands-on experience, good real-world training.
Weaknesses: Weaker on dog behaviour theory and science-based methods.
Summary: More of a “doer” than a “thinker” program. Good for building practical skills, but may miss nuance in behaviour and science.

🔵 ABC (Animal Behaviour College)

Strengths: Decent mix across all categories but not the best in any.
Weaknesses: Generalist approach—doesn’t dominate in any one category.
Summary: Balanced option, but may leave students wanting more depth or edge.

🔵 Victoria Stilwell

Strengths: Strong in science-based and humane methods.
Weaknesses: Lower in hands-on and confidence building.
Summary: Emotionally aligned with modern dog lovers. Not ideal for someone looking to command a room or handle tough cases.

🔴 Brad Pattison

· Strengths: Exceptional in real-world problem-solving, leadership, and trainer confidence. Brings 30+ years of firsthand experience observing canine and coyote behaviour in natural environments.

· Approach: Unfiltered, intuitive, and direct. Trains humans and dogs with real consequences in mind—not textbook hypotheticals.

· Summary: Ideal for serious trainers who want to lead with strength and clarity. Not a match for those seeking purely academic or treat-only approaches.

📊 Best Dog Trainer School Comparison Chart

Training Academy	Science-Based Knowledge	Hands-On Experience	Dog Behavior Theory	Real-Life Problem Solving	Trainer Confidence
Karen Pryor Academy	✅✅✅✅	✅	✅✅✅✅	✅	✅
Ben Kersen's School	✅	✅✅✅✅	✅	✅✅✅	✅✅✅
Animal Behavior College	✅✅✅	✅✅	✅✅✅	✅✅	✅✅
Victoria Stilwell Academy	✅✅✅✅	✅	✅✅✅	✅	✅
Brad Pattison	✅✅✅✅*	✅✅✅✅	✅✅✅✅*	✅✅✅✅	✅✅✅✅
Hustle Up Academy	✅✅✅✅✅	✅✅✅✅✅	✅✅✅✅✅	✅✅✅✅✅	✅✅✅✅✅

📝 Notes:

✅ represents relative strength. More checks = stronger performance.
Brad Pattison is credited here with deep applied science knowledge and naturalistic behaviour observation (e.g., coyotes, wild dogs, feral rescue dogs, field study).
Hustle Up Academy combines the strengths of all five and adds real-world emergency training, confidence coaching, and community leadership development.

Example of 5 dogs off leash, well behaved, collarless, treat less. The difference is obvious when dogs are taught about respect, manners and more. Evidence of Hustle Up Training

🐾 Comparing Top Dog Training Leaders: Industry Experience & Real-World Impact

If you’re looking to en-roll into the best dog trainer school in Canada—or anywhere—you’ve likely come across names like Karen Pryor, Victoria Stilwell, Animal Behavior College (ABC), Ben Kersen, and Brad Pattison. Each of these trainers and institutions has shaped the industry in unique ways. But how do they really compare when it comes to experience, field credibility, and lasting industry impact?

Let’s break it down. For the best dog trainer schools in Canada

🧠 Karen Pryor: The Clicker Training Pioneer

Strengths: One of the most influential voices in positive reinforcement and operant conditioning. Karen Pryor’s work popularized clicker training and helped shape science-based dog training methods used worldwide.
Limitations: The focus is mostly theoretical, academic, and behaviorist-driven. While her approach is humane and effective in controlled settings, it lacks deep real-world application for high-pressure scenarios or unpredictable environments.
Industry Impact: High influence in academic and pet-positive training communities, less emphasis on human leadership or handling complex dog behavior cases in the field.

🌍 Victoria Stilwell: Media-Friendly, Force-Free Advocate

Strengths: Known for her television work (“It’s Me or the Dog”) and strong voice in the reward-based, fear-free training community.
Limitations: Limited hands-on work in working dog sectors or rescue operations. Her brand focuses more on media visibility and emotional connection than practical leadership development for trainers.
Industry Impact: Advocates for ethical training and pet education. A great figure for public awareness, but not a full-spectrum field trainer.

🎓 Animal Behaviour College (ABC): Structured, Accessible, But Limited

Strengths: ABC offers accessible education across North America with structured online modules and externship options.
Limitations: The program is generalized and often lacks depth in real-world challenges, especially for those wanting to lead in emergency response, protection, or behavioral rehabilitation.
Industry Impact: A solid introduction for hobbyists or beginners but not built for trainers who want to make a serious name for themselves in the industry.

🐕 Ben Kersen: High-Energy, Practical, Fun

Strengths: Best known for his Superdogs shows, Ben Kersen emphasizes fun, entertainment, and off-leash control. His methods are action-based and great for building flashy dog skills.
Limitations: Light on canine behavioural science and not designed for deeper problem-solving or leadership roles in training.
Industry Impact: Great for performers or those who want energetic, show-style training. Limited cross-over into search & rescue, trauma work, or complex cases.

🔴 Brad Pattison: The Real-World Powerhouse

Strengths: Brad Pattison’s resume is unmatched when it comes to real-world experience, leadership, and field-tested behavior knowledge. With 30+ years studying dogs and coyotes in the wild, he’s trained thousands of handlers for real-life situations—not classroom hypotheticals.
Industry Contributions:
- Creator of Six Legs to Fitness
- Founded the first dog daycare in Canada
- Directed RCMP canine documentary
- Host of award-winning TV shows: At The End Of My Leash, Puppy SOS
- International rescue leader: Deploys teams to assist animals after natural disasters, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Haiti and USA
- Author of 4 books, including a national bestseller
- Radio expert & keynote speaker across North America
- Coyote behavior researcher with firsthand wilderness tracking experience
- Teaches Search and Rescue for earthquake preparedness
- Rescue Dog Expert assessments and study, tracking and capture
- Certification Courses dog walkers, dog trainers and dog behaviourist
Limitations: Brad’s direct style isn’t for everyone. He doesn't conform to the treat-only philosophy, and his methods require confidence, clarity, and commitment.
Industry Impact: Massive. He helped build the dog training profession in Canada, from media to hands-on education to public policy.

The logo with meaning. When Dezdamona, a border collie/blue heeler cross, age 21.5 years passed away. This visual come to Brad. Represents the connection and understanding of the bond between Brad and Dez. Meaning if Brad and Dez could have this bond. That means others can too. And so the dog training journey began and continues to this day!

🏆 What This Means for Future Trainers

If your goal is to become a confident, respected dog trainer—one who can work in urban streets, rescue zones, parks, shelters, and family homes—you need more than textbook theory or flashy tricks. You need leadership, grit, and deep canine understanding.

That’s why Hustle Up Dog Trainers Academy is built to combine the proven leadership of Brad Pattison, the humane science of Karen Pryor, and the hands-on excellence of real-world training.

🚀 Hustle Up Academy: Designed for Trainers Who Want to Lead

We don’t just teach theory. We prepare trainers to:

Handle behavior challenges in real homes and real emergencies
Train without treats
Read dog body language and energy like a second language
Lead clients with confidence and clarity
Join real-world missions, community outreach, and leadership roles

With certified instructors in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and across Canada. Our program is built for Canadians who want to rise above the average and become the next generation of elite dog trainers.

About the Author

Written by Brad Pattison, World-Renowned Dog Behaviourist, Dog Trainer & Puppy Trainer

Author of four dog training books, National Best Seller, "Brad Pattison UNLEASHED"

Host of three television shows including, "At the End of My Leash" & "Puppy SOS"

Email us anytime with questions & comments at info@hustleupdogtraining.ca