Butler Dog Training Association

I signed up for this group puppy class primarily to give my 8-month-old dog experience being around other dogs in a new environment—something we already do successfully at Lowe’s and weekly doggy daycare. I was upfront about our goals when registering. Unfortunately, the experience fell far short of expectations. Classes were canceled for a full month due to weather, which we understood and were flexible about. Week 1 felt chaotic: The class was overcrowded with too many dogs (especially larger ones) for the space available. The instructors seemed overwhelmed and unsure how to manage the group effectively, making it hard to focus on training. Week 2 was better—fewer big dogs meant more space and structure. My pup did really well, followed cues nicely, and I left feeling excited and hopeful about continuing. Week 3 brought everyone back, and things regressed to the earlier chaos. My dog was interested in playing with others (typical puppy behavior) and performed averagely on the exercises—not the best, but certainly not disruptive or worse than several others in the class. At the middle of Week 3, we were informed that our dog (or possibly another) would not be invited back for future sessions. No specific reason was given beyond a vague implication of behavior issues, and I genuinely don’t understand why we were singled out when multiple dogs were showing similar or more reactive/playful behavior. It felt unfair and inconsistent. Overall, the overcrowding made it difficult for anyone to get proper attention or progress, and the lack of clear communication or fair handling left a very bad taste. We won’t be returning and wouldn’t recommend this program to others looking for structured, supportive group training—especially for young or social puppies. There are better options out there for socialization and basic obedience. 1 star (only because my dog did make some progress in the better weeks despite the issues).