Dogma Training

Calgary's heating up and holding and that's exactly when heat stroke sneaks up on dogs.

It doesn't always look dramatic at first. Watch for:
🔴 Rapid panting
🔴 Bright red tongue or pale/red gums
🔴 Thick, sticky saliva
🔴 Agitation or restlessness
🔴 Weakness, dizziness, or vomiting

If you see these signs, get your dog out of the heat immediately, cool them gradually with lukewarm (not cold) water, and head straight to the vet.

Full breakdown of symptoms and summer safety tips on on the blog.

Summer Safety Tips Summer is a wonderful time of year! The days are longer, the weather is warmer, and you get to spend more time outdoors. However, things get busier, we can get distracted and there are new hazards for our dogs. With a few extra precautions and a bit of training, you can ensure your canine family mem...

Twenty years in, we've never offered anything like this. Here's exactly what each 20th anniversary promo option gets you and what you save compared to paying as you go.

🖤 Member for Life: $360 one time
Your $30/month membership rate, locked in for life. No matter what our pricing looks like in 2027, 2030, or beyond, your rate never changes. And we have some big plans for this membership and substantial upgrades over this next year.

💙 Charter Member: $1,995 for 12 months
Unlimited group classes, including our new YYC Dog Training & Lifestyle program. Membership included.
À la carte value upwards of $3,360. You save $1,365.

❤️ Founding Member: $7,495 for 12 months
Twice-weekly day school plus unlimited group classes for a full year. Membership included. The complete Dogma experience.
À la carte value: up to $12,900. You save nearly $5,000.

All three are prepaid, tied to our 20th anniversary, and gone after July 31, 2026.

Charter and Founding spots are capped at 20 each with some are already claimed.

If you've been thinking about it, now is the time.

👉 https://www.dogmatraining.com/20-Years to learn more and secure your spot!

By 2009 I had been mentoring trainers for a few years through an external program. The curriculum was basic, the hands-on experience was limited, and I watched student after student invest their time and money and then not feel prepared to start a career.

I felt like I was part of what was contributing to their failure.

The industry gave you limited options, and once you were done, you essentially had to start your own company. Then Cesar Milan came on the scene, and a Canadian TV-trainer version launched right here in Calgary, certifying people as dog trainers in three weekends and using harsh methods.

We needed to do better.

So I built our first program through Dogma Academy - for people to become professional dog trainers. The first program of its kind in Canada, it launched with the goal of giving students the hands-on experience and depth of knowledge to become and be successful as professional trainers.

I wanted four students for our first intake. We got nine.

Students came one Sunday each month for twelve months for a full lecture and hands-on workshop. They had a complete curriculum, observed classes, private training and day school, and worked through leading a group class under guidance from senior trainers. Testing was intensive: multiple choice, written, hands-on, and verbal.

I wanted them ready, not just certified.

Since then, the program has grown significantly. We now have students from across Canada, Mexico, and the UK. We've expanded into a foundation course and a dog behaviour program. We've added mentorship and ongoing support because the industry can be isolating and we wanted our grads to feel connected and never alone.

I've taken heat for it locally. Some trainers have told me I'm creating their competition. I disagree with the framing. Qualified trainers in the industry are good for dogs, good for families, and good for all of us. Our grads are sought after. The growth in our industry is growth for everyone.

There are big things coming in Canada for our profession. I'm glad to be part of building what comes next.

More on the tv trainer and competition conversation soon.

📸 Some of our early Academy graduates!

Force doesn't train dogs. It silences them.

At Dogma, we have been force-free since day one - not because it's trendy, and not just because the evidence supports it. Because dogs deserve to learn without fear, pain, or intimidation. That is an animal welfare position, and it's one we hold without exception.

Every trainer on our team is certified and chose to be here because they believe this too. It's not just a policy we enforce. It's who we are.

They deserve that. And so do the people who love them.

👉 Swipe through to understand what force actually does to dogs and what we do instead.