Best Dog Training Apps: A Dog Trainer’s Picks

Dog training apps can be genuinely useful. They can give you a training plan, demonstrate exercises, remind you to practise and — in some cases — give you access to an actual trainer.

But as a dog trainer, I care much less about how slick the app is than who wrote the training and what they’re teaching you.

If you want the short version, my current shortlist is:

App	Best for	My take
Pupford	Broad training library	A useful all-round option with puppy basics, leash walking, recall, body language, enrichment and more.
Dogo	Feedback and structure	More interesting if you want to submit training and get feedback rather than simply watch lessons.
Puppr	Tricks and visual learners	Strong step-by-step demonstrations, with puppy content and access to trainer chat for subscribers.
GoodPup	People who really want a trainer	Closer to virtual dog training delivered through an app than a self-guided app.

My overall pick depends on what you need. For a library of self-guided training, I’d look at Pupford. If the feedback element matters, Dogo becomes more useful. If you’re primarily interested in tricks and clear demonstrations, Puppr is worth a look. And if what you actually need is a person, I’d skip the giant content library and choose proper virtual coaching instead.

For puppies specifically, I’ve written a separate guide to choosing a puppy training app, because I think the criteria are a little different when you’re dealing with sleep, biting, toilet training, socialisation and all the other chaos that arrives with a puppy.

What makes a dog training app good?

Before I care about streaks, progress charts or how many tricks are in the library, I want to know who created the training.

Dog training is an unregulated industry in many places. An app saying its content is “expert designed” doesn’t tell you very much. I want real names, meaningful experience and a clear training philosophy.

I also want reward-based training that helps you understand why your dog is doing something. I’m not interested in apps teaching dominance, pack-leader theory, punishment for normal behaviour or corrections dressed up as communication.

If you want a primer on the approach I use, start with my guide to positive reinforcement dog training.

1. Pupford — best all-round training library

Pupford is probably the first app I’d look at if what you want is a large, structured library rather than individual coaching.

Its Academy includes courses covering things such as leash walking, potty training, recall, crate training, dog body language, enrichment, separation anxiety and tricks. Pupford says its courses use positive-reinforcement methods.

That’s considerably more useful to me than an app that’s essentially 100 variations of “teach your dog a cute cue.”

Best for: owners who like working through courses independently and want a broad library in one place.

Less useful for: situations where the real problem is that you can’t tell whether your timing, setup or interpretation of your dog’s behaviour is right.

2. Dogo — best if you want feedback

Dogo is more interesting because it doesn’t stop at pre-recorded exercises. Its current Premium offering includes training programs plus trainer feedback and a trainer helpline.

That matters. One of the biggest weaknesses of learning dog training from any self-guided resource is that you can understand the instructions perfectly and still be doing something quite different in practice.

Being able to get another set of eyes on what you’re doing makes an app substantially more useful.

Best for: people who want app convenience but also value some human feedback.

Watch for: what level of support is included in the particular subscription you’re being offered. App pricing and offers change, so check the checkout terms rather than relying on an old review.

3. Puppr — best for tricks and clear demonstrations

Puppr is particularly good at making exercises easy to follow. It has more than 100 lessons, from basics through to advanced tricks, and its paid membership includes live chat with its training team.

It also now includes a weekly puppy guide, although Puppr notes that some features aren’t currently available on Android.

I like it most as a skills-and-tricks resource. Training tricks isn’t frivolous, either: done well, it’s great for communication, reinforcement skills and simply having fun together.

Best for: visual learners and people who want a lot of individual skills to work through.

Less useful for: complex behaviour problems that need someone to assess the whole dog and environment.

4. GoodPup — when you actually want a trainer

GoodPup sits in a slightly different category from a traditional training app because the appeal is the human coaching.

And sometimes that’s exactly what I’d choose.

If you’re repeatedly searching an app library because something isn’t working, more videos may not be the answer. A competent trainer can see your dog, see what you’re doing, ask questions and adapt the plan.

That’s particularly valuable when generic advice doesn’t quite fit the dog in front of you.

What dog training apps are actually good at

• Showing you what an exercise should look like.
• Giving you ideas when you don’t know what to train next.
• Breaking skills into manageable steps.
• Reminding you to practise.
• Tracking progress.
• Making short training sessions easy to fit into normal life.

That last one shouldn’t be underestimated. The training resource you actually use is considerably more valuable than the theoretically perfect course you bought six months ago and haven’t opened.

Where dog training apps fall short

An app doesn’t automatically understand the dog in front of it.

It may not notice that your dog has become stiff, worried or overwhelmed. It can’t necessarily tell that you’re increasing difficulty too quickly. It may interpret your questionnaire answers as a neat category when the behaviour itself is much messier.

That’s why I wouldn’t use a generic app as my primary help for aggression, significant fear, resource guarding, separation problems or a sudden behaviour change.

For straightforward training skills? Absolutely, an app can help. For behaviour where you’re worried about safety or welfare, get appropriate individual help.

How to choose a dog training app

1. Find out who created the training. Look beyond “expert approved.”
2. Check the methods. I want reward-based training, not dominance or punishment.
3. Decide whether you need information or feedback. They’re not the same product.
4. Look at the actual curriculum. Don’t be impressed by “500 lessons” if 480 of them aren’t useful to you.
5. Check the current subscription terms. Prices, trials and included features change frequently.
6. Know when the app isn’t enough. Good education should have limits.

Do you need a dog training app?

No.

An app is a delivery system. It isn’t the thing that makes training good.

You can learn excellent dog training from a good trainer, class, book, course, website or app. You can also get dreadful advice through every one of those formats.

If an app makes it easier for you to practise consistently and its training is good, use it. If you hate learning through apps, you’re not disadvantaging your dog by skipping one.

My verdict

For most owners looking specifically for a dog training app, I’d start by comparing Pupford, Dogo and Puppr.

Choose Pupford if you want a broad course library. Choose Dogo if access to feedback is the feature you’re most likely to use. Choose Puppr if clear demonstrations and tricks are your priority.

But don’t outsource your judgement to an app. Watch your dog. Adjust the difficulty. Reinforce generously. And if the problem in front of you needs an actual professional, spend your money there instead.

If you’re starting with a puppy, head to my best puppy training app guide next. You may also find my guides to online vs in-person dog training and dog training methods useful.