Puppy School and Dog Training in Sydney

We run puppy school at venues across Sydney, and we train older dogs one to one in your own home, from the eastern suburbs to the lower north shore and the inner west.

See What We Do
No pain. No fear. No force. Training in your own home · Free meet and greet, no obligation
No pain. No fear. No force. Training in your own home · Free meet and greet, no obligation

Dog training in Sydney, the short version

Quick Facts

Where We Work: In your own home, across the eastern suburbs, the lower north shore, the inner west and the city

What We Offer

Council Area

We work across Waverley, Woollahra, Randwick, City of Sydney, North Sydney, Mosman, Lane Cove and the inner west

Nearest Puppy School Location

Puppy school venues in Paddington, Zetland, Alexandria, Marrickville and Neutral Bay

Distance

Most of our clients are within about twenty minutes of a venue

What We Cover

Puppies from eight weeks, teenage dogs, and adult behaviour

Who Does The Training?

Luke Buchanan. Dog Trainer Academy accredited, Red Cross pet first aid, AFP background checked

Puppy school and puppy preschool across Sydney

Venue Name

Venue Name

Paddington, Zetland, Alexandria, Marrickville and Neutral Bay

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Venue Address

Venue Address

Flagship venue: Dogs in Town, 308 Oxford Street, Paddington NSW 2021

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Days & Times

Days & Times

Four weeks, one hour a week. Rolling start, no fixed intake dates

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About The School

About The School

Puppy school, puppy preschool and puppy kindergarten all mean the same thing. Vets tend to say preschool, we say puppy school, and it is the same four weeks either way.

We run puppy school in Paddington, Zetland, Alexandria and Marrickville, and at Neutral Bay on the lower north shore. They are purpose built dog facilities rather than hired halls, fully enclosed and properly cleaned, which matters when puppies are meeting each other for the first time.

Classes are capped at ten puppies and we match them by size, so your puppy is never learning next to a dog four times their weight.

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Where we work across Sydney

What it is like owning a dog in Sydney

What It Is like

Sydney is a hard city to own a dog in, and almost nobody says so out loud. Most of the housing near the water is apartments, most of the beaches ban dogs outright, and the off lead parks run on a different clock in every council.

That is why so much of what we get called about comes down to the same handful of things. A dog with no garden who has never learned to switch off. A recall that was never tested anywhere real. A neighbour who can hear everything.

None of it is a character flaw in the dog. It is a housing problem and a training problem, and both of them are fixable in the place they are actually happening, which is why we come to you.

Popular Landmarks
  • Centennial Park
  • Sydney Harbour
  • Bondi Beach
  • the Bondi to Coogee coastal walk
  • Cooper Park
  • Barangaroo
  • Balmoral
Main Housing Style

Apartments dominate the eastern suburbs, the city and the lower north shore. Gardens are the exception rather than the rule.

Dog obedience and behaviour problems we see across Sydney

Local Challenges

  • Separation anxiety. The single most common call we take, and almost always in apartments with a neighbour on the other side of the wall
  • Recall. Nearly every off lead park we work in is unfenced, and most of them have a road on at least one side
  • Reactivity on narrow footpaths, where there is no room to give another dog space
  • Lift, lobby and stairwell behaviour, which cannot be practised anywhere except your own building
  • Toileting with no garden, which has to be taught deliberately rather than picked up by accident
  • Beaches. Waverley and Randwick ban dogs from their beaches entirely, and most of the harbour foreshore is national park

Common Breeds

  • Cavoodle
  • French Bulldog
  • Labrador
  • Border Collie
  • Staffordshire Bull Terrier

Off Lead Spots

  • Centennial Park, off lead outside Grand Drive, managed by Centennial Parklands
  • Cooper Park, Woollahra, upper section at all times
  • Rose Bay Foreshore, at all times, including in the water
  • Randwick's seventeen off lead areas, all off lead at any time of the day
  • Blackman Park and Turrumburra Park, Lane Cove, both fully fenced dog parks

Busy Streets

  • Oxford Street
  • New South Head Road
  • Anzac Parade
  • Military Road

What we get called about across Sydney, by age

Puppies up to 16 weeks in Sydney

Toileting with no garden

A puppy in a house learns half of this by accident, because the back door is always there. In most Sydney housing near the water there is no back door, so every toilet break is a lift, a lobby and a street.

We build the route before the puppy needs it, so it is boring by the time it is urgent.

Socialisation done in the wrong place

Owners are told to socialise their puppy and take them somewhere crowded. A puppy who has a frightening first month around dogs does not grow out of it, they grow into it, and the window does not reopen.

Puppy school does the controlled version first, and we tell you which streets and hours to use while that is still being built.

Never learning to switch off

In a flat, a puppy is always within reach. One who is picked up every time they whine never learns that being separate is survivable, and that is what turns into separation problems at two years old.

Settling is a taught skill, and it is the single biggest thing you can build in the first four months.

Teenage dogs, 17 to 32 weeks, in Sydney

Recall stops working

The most common adolescent call in every suburb we cover. The recall you built at twelve weeks held right up until the morning it did not, and in Sydney it fails in unfenced parks with roads on at least one side.

We rebuild it on a long line at the distance it actually breaks, rather than in your living room, which is where most people practise it and why most people think it is fixed.

Lunging where there is no room to move

Sydney footpaths are narrow and cars park flush to the kerb. An adolescent who is only just coping is put over threshold several times a walk, and each time makes the next one harder.

We work on your route and your timing first, then close the distance deliberately once your dog can cope with it.

Taking on the whole street as a job

Adolescence is when a dog decides what their job is. Give them a window onto a busy street or a boundary they can patrol, and they will pick that, and then the barking is the report rather than the problem.

We take the job off them rather than trying to stop the noise.

Dogs 32 weeks and older in Sydney

Barking when you leave

The single most common call we take in Sydney, and the one with a deadline attached, because it usually arrives with a letter from strata or a note from a neighbour. Owners have almost always tried a camera, a longer walk and the radio before they ring.

We start inside the home rather than at the front door, because being left is only unbearable when being together was never neutral.

Reactivity on the lead

Plenty of Sydney dogs are perfectly social off lead and impossible on it. That is not two dogs, it is one dog who can create distance in one situation and cannot in the other.

We work out what your dog is actually saying before changing anything, because a frightened dog and a frustrated dog need opposite handling and look almost identical on a lead.

A rescue settling in

A dog who has never lived in a home arrives with no idea what a lift, a staircase or a courtyard means. The first fortnight sets what they think normal looks like, and Sydney housing gives them a lot to decide about quickly.

We come in early rather than after something has gone wrong, so the dog is learning the right thing from the first week.

A man crouching in a studio while holding a Dalmatian puppy. The man is wearing a dark navy polo shirt and blue jeans, and the puppy is white with black spots.

A Sydney call out, start to finish

A composite of the calls we take across Sydney. Details changed, the pattern is real.

The call

A two year old dog in a one bedroom flat. Barking from the moment the door shut, and a note from the building manager. The owner had already tried a camera, a longer morning walk, and leaving the radio on.

What we found

Not boredom. Being alone was unbearable because being together had never been neutral. The dog followed her from room to room, got picked up whenever he got anxious, and had never once been calm and separate in that flat while she was in it. The front door was simply where it became audible to the neighbours.

What changed

We started inside the flat rather than at the door, building tolerable distance while she was home. Departures got boring instead of emotional. Eleven days to the first quiet full morning. The notes stopped at about six weeks.

What owners say, at every age

Absolutely fantastic, we had a 10 week old demanding Labrador puppy, 3 days later he barely lets out a yelp. It seemed expensive to get 1 on 1 help at first, but having him here meant we could remove any doubt about whether we were on the right track. Plus his online course and ongoing support have been a god send.

Mattice, 10 week old Labrador

I'm in Bellevue Hill and I'm struggling with recall and defiance with my 9 month old puppy. He thinks he's the boss. Luke at Toe Beans showed me a series of easy corrections and behavioural skills that my pup responded to almost immediately. He filled in my missing knowledge.

Lesley, 9 month old puppy, Bellevue Hill

I couldn't believe anyone could really have a big impact on a 7-year-old pet but within just one session, I could see a big difference in both of my dogs. They were calmer, more responsive, and Rosie was completely de-stressed around strange dogs.

Adrienne, 7 year old Bordoodle, Mosman

How we train

How We Train

How We Train

Force free, all of it. No shouting, no punishment, no pain, and nothing that works by hurting your dog.

We call it Relational Leadership. It is less a set of commands than a way of behaving around your dog, so that you become the obvious thing to look at when they do not know what to do. A dog that complies because it is worried about what comes next has not calmed down, it has gone quiet, and that comes back later somewhere less convenient.

Luke's Credentials

Luke Buchanan is the owner of The Toe Beans Co and Sydney's Puppy Trainer. He works as a dog trainer and a dog behaviourist, which in practice means the puppy obedience side and the behaviourism side are handled by the same person rather than referred on. He is accredited through the Dog Trainer Academy, Red Cross certified in pet first aid, and AFP background checked. Every session is run by Luke.

Force Free & Ethical. Always.

No pain. No fear. No force. No aggression. That is the whole philosophy in plain terms, and it does not bend for a difficult week or a stubborn dog.

Guarantee

Dog obedience and puppy training across Sydney, in more detail

Sydney is a harder city to own a dog in than anyone admits. Most of the housing near the water is apartments, the off lead parks run on a different clock in every council, and there are very few dog friendly beaches anywhere in the city.

That last one surprises people every week. Waverley prohibits dogs on Bondi, Tamarama and Bronte beaches entirely. Randwick allows dogs on none of its ten beaches, including Coogee, Clovelly and Maroubra, and none of the rock pools either. Mosman prohibits dogs on all public beaches with two exceptions. Most of the harbour foreshore that looks like council parkland, including Nielsen Park, Milk Beach and the Hermitage Foreshore track, is Sydney Harbour National Park where dogs are not permitted at all.

The genuine exceptions are worth knowing. Rose Bay Foreshore between Dumaresq Reserve and Percival Park is off lead at all times, including in the water. Little Sirius Cove and the Spit reserves in Mosman allow unleashed dogs in the water on a schedule. Clifton Gardens allows it east of the jetty only, on weekdays. That is close to the whole list.

Almost everything we get called about traces back to those constraints. A dog with no garden who has never learned to switch off. A recall that was never tested anywhere unfenced. A neighbour who can hear everything. None of it is a character flaw in the dog. It is a housing problem and a training problem, and both are fixable in the place they are actually happening, which is why we come to you.

  • Puppy school and puppy preschool at five venues across Sydney, from eight weeks.
  • Adolescent and puppy obedience training for the seventeen to thirty two week stage.
  • Dog behaviourism for adults, one to one in your own home.

See puppy school, adolescent training and in-home behaviour training. Our busiest areas are Bondi and Paddington.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about dog training in Sydney

Common questions we get about our puppy program.

Common questions about dog training in Sydney

What are the main services you offer?

Our dog training runs in three stages and you pick the one that matches your dog's age.

  • 8 to 16 weeks: puppy school, which includes four weeks of group class
  • 17 to 32 weeks: puppy training, for the stage where most owners feel they are losing the dog they had. There is no group class at this age
  • 32 weeks and older: behaviour training, one to one in your own home

Puppy school currently takes bookings at our Paddington venue and at Neutral Bay on the Lower North Shore. Zetland, Alexandria and Marrickville are venues in our network with no dates open right now, so check the puppy school dates page for what is taking bookings. Everything else happens in your own home, across Sydney.

Which areas of Sydney do you work in?

One to one training happens in your home, anywhere in Sydney within roughly a forty five minute drive of the Harbour Bridge. That covers the:

  • Inner City and City Centre
  • Eastern Suburbs
  • Inner West
  • Lower North Shore
  • Upper North Shore
  • Northern Beaches
  • Hills District
  • Western Sydney
  • South Sydney and St George

Group puppy school runs at fixed venues within about eight kilometres of the Harbour Bridge. See the puppy school dates page for which venues are currently taking bookings.

What are your puppy school locations?

Group puppy school currently runs at two venues: Dogs in Town, 308 Oxford Street, Paddington, and DoggieLove, 71 Military Road, Neutral Bay. We also hold venues at Zetland, Marrickville and Alexandria, and intakes at those three are not open yet.

Your one to one sessions happen at your own address wherever you are in Sydney, so only the group class brings you to a venue.

Does your training use pain, fear, force or aggression?

Absolutely not. If you want a method like that I suggest you call the 1980s, go back there and never get a dog.

We teach The 5 Golden Rules, which is built on calm and consistent communication. The aim is a dog who chooses to look to you when something happens, rather than a dog who has been made to. No pain, no fear, no force, ever, and that is not a marketing line. Anything that works through intimidation gets you a quieter dog for a fortnight and a worse problem six months later.

Is there a dog separation anxiety specialist in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs?

Yes. Luke Buchanan at The Toe Beans Co works with separation anxiety cases across Sydney's Eastern Suburbs including Bondi, Paddington, Surry Hills, and Newtown. The first step is typically a one-on-one assessment to understand the dog's specific pattern and the household dynamic before designing the programme.

Do you do reactive dog training in Sydney?

Yes. The Toe Beans Co runs one-on-one adult dog training in your own home across Sydney, and reactivity is the single most common reason owners get in touch. It starts with an assessment so we can see what is driving the behaviour before any plan is built.

Is there puppy socialisation training available in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs?

Yes. Structured puppy socialisation is built into puppy school, which runs in the Eastern Suburbs at Paddington, and at Neutral Bay on the lower north shore.

The programme works through the socialisation checklist systematically rather than relying on unstructured dog park exposure. Check the puppy school page for current dates.

What is the ethos behind your dog training?

Developing a well behaved dog has 2 parts: dog psychology & dog training. We focus first on understanding your dog and getting them to choose to follow and listen to us. When dogs aren't making all the decisions, they calm down and relax, making them far more receptive to training. To do this, we don’t need to use force, fear or aggression. In fact the opposite. Whether dealing with barking, leash pulling, jumping, or aggression, these behaviours typically stem from dogs being too excited, reactive, and emotional. The key is getting them to turn to you and listen when it matters. Once they're calm and looking to you for guidance, you can effectively show them how to behave.
In short: before you train the dog, you need to win their mind.

How much do dog training classes cost in Sydney?

It depends far less on the trainer than on what is actually included. A group only class and a full programme are not the same purchase, so compare what is in the box rather than the headline number.

Ours is built around four weeks of group puppy school, one to one sessions in your own home, an online course, and ongoing support, across four levels. For dogs over thirty two weeks everything is one to one at your address.

Current prices are on the booking page for each programme.

What is the best way to get in touch?

You can always give us a ring if you have questions or book a complimentary meet and greet by following this link: Book Now

Dog Training In Nearby Suburbs

Not sure where to start with your dog?

Come and speak with us about puppy school, teen puppy training or adult dog behaviourism. Book a 15 minute call, it's free and no obligation

Book a free meet and greet Pick A Puppy School

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