SpiritDog Training gets mentioned in a lot of dog training circles, and it kept coming up when I was putting together my comparison of the best dog training courses. I had already been through Brain Training for Dogs with my border collie mix Milo, so I decided to actually go through SpiritDog’s material before writing about it. This is what I found.
What SpiritDog Training Is
SpiritDog is an online dog training platform founded by Steffi Trott, a professional dog trainer based in New Mexico. The platform offers individual courses rather than one bundled program. You buy what you need: there are courses for puppies, recall training, leash reactivity, agility foundations, and more. At the time of writing, the library has over 20 courses.
The pricing model is different from competitors. Most courses are priced individually, typically between $47 and $97, though they run sales frequently. There is also a subscription option that gives access to the full library.
What the Training Approach Looks Like
Steffi uses positive reinforcement throughout. No corrections, no dominance theory, no prong collar references. The methodology is marker-based: you click or use a verbal marker when your dog does what you want, then reward. Standard force-free training.
What sets SpiritDog apart from a lot of other online courses is the quality of the video production and the depth of the explanations. Steffi is thorough. She explains why each step works, not just what to do. That matters if you have a dog that doesn’t respond the way the video expects, because you understand the principle well enough to adjust.
She also trains sport dogs competitively, so the upper-level material is legitimately advanced. If you want to get into agility or competition obedience, the content goes there.
Courses Worth Highlighting
The Ultimate Puppy Program is probably SpiritDog’s strongest offering. It covers everything from the first week home through basic obedience, socialization, and preventing common problem behaviors before they start. The structure is better than most puppy content I’ve seen online.
The Rocket Recall course is specifically for dogs that don’t reliably come when called. It uses a systematic approach to building a strong recall even with distractions present. If recall is your main problem, this course addresses it more directly than a general obedience program.
The Leash Reactivity course is one of the few online options that takes this problem seriously. Reactivity is complicated and most online programs either skip it or give vague advice. SpiritDog’s approach is methodical and realistic about timelines.
Pros
- Large course library covering specialized topics most programs ignore
- High production quality, clear demonstrations
- Trainer has genuine credentials and competes with her own dogs
- Individual course pricing means you only pay for what you need
- Strong puppy and sport dog content
Cons
- No single bundled program, so you need to know what problem you want to solve
- The à la carte model can get expensive if you end up buying multiple courses
- Less focused on behavioral problem-solving than Brain Training for Dogs
- The community and support are less prominent than some competitors
Who SpiritDog Is Best For
SpiritDog works best if you have a specific problem to solve and want deep, well-produced content on that exact topic. The puppy program is excellent for new owners. The reactivity and recall courses are among the better options available online for those issues specifically.
If you want one comprehensive program that addresses behavioral root causes and works through a structured progression with your dog, Brain Training for Dogs has a better format for that use case. SpiritDog is more of a reference library than a step-by-step system.
If you already have a dog with a specific, named problem and you want a focused course on it, SpiritDog is worth looking at.
Final Verdict
SpiritDog Training is legitimately good. The instruction quality is high, the trainer knows what she’s doing, and the library is deep enough to cover most problems you’ll run into. The main drawback is the pricing model: if you end up buying three or four courses to cover your needs, the cost adds up quickly compared to a single bundled program.
For specialized topics, especially puppies, recall, and reactivity, it competes with anything else out there. For general behavior modification and obedience as a package, I’d still put Brain Training for Dogs ahead of it for most owners.
Not sure which course is right for your dog? See my full comparison of the best dog training courses, where I ranked everything I tested by what actually produced results.
Affiliate disclosure: Links in this post may earn us a commission at no cost to you. See our full disclosure here.
If you want a program with a stronger focus on cognitive games and mental stimulation alongside training, my Brain Training for Dogs review covers a course that approaches behavioral problems from a completely different angle.
I have also compared SpiritDog against the other major programs in my best dog training courses guide if you want a direct ranking.