Bark 4 Joy Dog Training, LLC

Bark 4 Joy Dog Training, LLC Learn to train proactively! We’ve been voted Best Dog Trainer in MT 2022, 2023, and 2024! Schedule a call to learn more about our program offerings today!

We provide holistic training that ensures the best welfare for your pup. We train basic manners, behavioral issues, and service/therapy/facility dogs. portal.busypaws.app/customers/bark-4-joy-dog-training-llc

Calling all dog owners with pups 10 months and younger 🐾We are hosting Dog Socialization and Play drop in classes twice ...
01/08/2025

Calling all dog owners with pups 10 months and younger 🐾

We are hosting Dog Socialization and Play drop in classes twice this month!

For only $20, you can join us to let your pup play while you learn about dog behavior and play styles 🛝

👉🏻 We will split the area into two play groups to ensure dogs have the opportunity to play with others their own speed!

Interested? Drop a comment below! ⬇️

01/07/2025

In honor of National Train Your Dog Month, we are releasing our next class of the year 😍

Obedience and Manners - The Sequel

This has been a class requested for some time now, so we are excited to finally announce it!

🧨 This class is built for anyone who has previously completed an obedience class with us… OR if your dog has a solid foundation of basic obedience but needs assistance mastering the skills

🧨 We will meet every Monday of February from 4:30-5:30pm

🧨 Class is $225 and will include access to our virtual library

Sign up to join us for the first Obedience and Manners- The Sequel Class 🤩

Our first group class of 2025 🥳🥳Our AKC STAR puppy class covers Socialization, Training, Activity, and Responsibility. Y...
01/07/2025

Our first group class of 2025 🥳🥳

Our AKC STAR puppy class covers Socialization, Training, Activity, and Responsibility. Your dog is now eligible to become Fido, STAR Puppy 😎

🧑‍🏫 Join us for 6 weeks to learn basic obedience, socialization, and relaxation training! This class is for dogs 8 weeks to 1 year old.

We will be meeting Wednesdays from 6-7pm. Notice that there is no class on February 12! $350 for the course PLUS you get access to our virtual training library!

Ready to join!?

Drop a comment below for the sign up link 🤩🥳

Potty training is a hard topic, so it has landed our 5th day of National Train Your Dog Month 🥳When you first bring a pu...
01/05/2025

Potty training is a hard topic, so it has landed our 5th day of National Train Your Dog Month 🥳

When you first bring a puppy (or new dog) to your home, we recommend taking your dog out every 30 minutes for the first few weeks to prevent accidents and reduce frustration 😤

Are you potty training a dog right now? 😱

On the 4th day of National Train Your Dog Month…🧸 Enrichment is such a big topic with dogs, but do you know how to prope...
01/04/2025

On the 4th day of National Train Your Dog Month…

🧸 Enrichment is such a big topic with dogs, but do you know how to properly provide enrichment?

This can include play time with your dog, training, a puzzle toy, or games for your dog to play! 🙂

What is your dog’s favorite enrichment?

Day 3 of National Train Your Dog MonthTip  #3 😄Socialization is often thought to be just introducing your dog to the oth...
01/03/2025

Day 3 of National Train Your Dog Month

Tip #3 😄

Socialization is often thought to be just introducing your dog to the other dogs in your home, but it is so much more than that‼️

Your dog, especially between 6-13 weeks of age, should be exposed to places, people, objects, sounds, animals, handling, and textures.

🧐Do you have a puppy in this age range currently?

Day 2 of National Train Your Dog Month 🐕People enjoy providing their dog off-leash freedom but with freedom comes great ...
01/03/2025

Day 2 of National Train Your Dog Month 🐕

People enjoy providing their dog off-leash freedom but with freedom comes great responsibility.

👉🏻If your dog is going to be off-leash, consider teaching the following commands-

🦴 A strong recall

🦴 Emergency stop command

🦴 Heel

Does your dog know any of these? 😇

January is National Train Your Dog Month!! Here is our Day 1 training tip 🥳It is crucial to keep communication short, so...
01/02/2025

January is National Train Your Dog Month!!

Here is our Day 1 training tip 🥳

It is crucial to keep communication short, so we recommend 1-2 word commands. It’s easiest for your dog, and they are probably only listening to 1-2 words anyways 😜

What type of 1-2 word commands does your dog know?

NEW Vaccine Update‼️The American Animal Hospital Association has recommended that all dogs, regardless of location or br...
01/01/2025

NEW Vaccine Update‼️

The American Animal Hospital Association has recommended that all dogs, regardless of location or breed, should be vaccinated against Leptospirosis.

How does this affect you?

🐶 This vaccine was not required in Montana before, but now (as of late 2024) it is recommended as a core vaccine everywhere.

🐶 Your dog should receive the lepto series beginning at 12 weeks of age.

Contact your vet for more information!

https://www.aaha.org/wp-content/uploads/globalassets/02-guidelines/2022-aaha-canine-vaccination-guidelines/resources/leptospirosis-handout.pdf

https://24051120.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/24051120/Guidelines%20PDFs/Canine%20Vaccination/CanineVaccineGL_321Sheet_Digital-new.pdf

12/31/2024

What can we say but, wow 😱

2024 has been a year of change, adjustments, and growth.

We have built amazing partnerships with Alpine Animal Clinic and Barking Mad Grooming and Bakery in Helena as well as Andy's Crafthouse in Bigfork. We’ve also continued to receive incredible support from Scenic Brew and Gem Doodles Montana.

Audrey opened the Bigfork chapter of Bark 4 Joy in May and has been killing it! Amazing reviews from clients and connections with the community have allowed her to make waves in that part of the state.

We’ve worked incredibly hard to build new programs and opportunities. Last year, the breeder we gained a lot of clientele from retired. This left us searching for new ways to work with clients! While we are still hoping to build a plentiful board and train program with another breeder, we have enjoyed the push towards group classes!

Thank you to everyone who has purchased our services, shared our posts, recommended us to a friend, and shared kind words. We are going into our 8th year, and we could not be more appreciative of the support we’ve received from the community 🥰

Pumpkin and Kira finished up a 3 session program today 💙💜In the time we spent together, they learned proper recall, pred...
12/30/2024

Pumpkin and Kira finished up a 3 session program today 💙💜

In the time we spent together, they learned proper recall, predation substitute training, and gained additional skills to help hiking be easier with their mom!

These two were so much fun, and their mom has put in the work 💪🏻 She noted their improvement with recall as well as overall sense of calmness 🧘‍♀️

Are you ready to be our next success story? 😌

Want to get started with a dog training program that will provide results? 😱🧙‍♀️Are you ready to change your dog for the...
12/29/2024

Want to get started with a dog training program that will provide results? 😱

🧙‍♀️Are you ready to change your dog for the better?

Our membership programs are a perfect way to accomplish these goals. Start and end 2025 with training guidance from a professional dog trainer! 🐕

We have 3 membership levels that provide training opportunities for every dog owner.

If you’re interested, please drop a comment below!

WELCOME 2025 🍾🥂We are so close to the new year, and we wanted to let you know that January is National Train Your Dog Mo...
12/28/2024

WELCOME 2025 🍾🥂

We are so close to the new year, and we wanted to let you know that January is National Train Your Dog Month!

As you create your New Years Resolutions, we recommend adding Dog Training 🐾 Yes, we know we are biased… But, what if 2025 was the year that you and your dog grew closer?

🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒The year where you aren’t embarrassed for friends and family to visit?

🥾The year you and your dog can go hiking with no fear that your dog will run off?

An easy way to get started is with our group classes! 🐩 Check out the classes below and let us know which one you’re most interested in! These classes will vary in timing (I.e., some may start in early January and some may start in February or March).

#2025

Phew 😮‍💨 Is anyone else exhausted from the holidays? Today was the first day we spent more than a few hours with the pup...
12/27/2024

Phew 😮‍💨

Is anyone else exhausted from the holidays? Today was the first day we spent more than a few hours with the pups and animals!

We hope everyone had a happy holiday 🥰 Give your dog an extra long hug for surviving the busy schedules, extra visitors, and long nights!

Merry Christmas from the Bark 4 Joy crew!We hope you have a wonderful holiday with food, family, and fun! 🥰
12/25/2024

Merry Christmas from the Bark 4 Joy crew!

We hope you have a wonderful holiday with food, family, and fun! 🥰

Merry Christmas Eve 🎄We hope you have a safe and happy holiday!
12/24/2024

Merry Christmas Eve 🎄

We hope you have a safe and happy holiday!

Are you in need of a last minute gift? 🎁 Until Monday December 23rd at 5pm, if you purchase a gift voucher, you can rece...
12/22/2024

Are you in need of a last minute gift? 🎁

Until Monday December 23rd at 5pm, if you purchase a gift voucher, you can receive 10% off one of our services (some exclusions apply)!

Nitty Gritty:
🎁 The 10% off must be claimed before January 31st, 2025.
🎄The gift voucher must be $100 or larger to receive the 10% off.
🎁 Board and trains of 7+ days, 6 or 8 day training packages, and our Joyful Puppy Program are NOT eligible for 10% off.
🎄You can purchase the gift voucher for yourself and receive 10% off.

Send us a message to receive your gift voucher!

12/21/2024

👀👀

As the new year approaches, we are designing our group class schedule!

We’ve been offering our Obedience and Manners class for months, but we’ve never done a follow up class! 😱

While our first class provides a brief overview of behaviors, this sequel allows us to dive deeper into those behaviors (and teach a few new ones, too)!

Would you be interested in this class? 😏

Address

Helena, MT
59601

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 4:30pm
Thursday 9am - 4:30pm
Friday 9am - 4:30pm

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A little more about Bark for Joy

Madie Sanford is a dog lover, just like you!

She is among the first few hundred people in the United States to receive a Bachelor’s in Anthrozoology. She studied horses and dogs and had the opportunity to train in many disciplines. Trish, one of Madie’s dogs, was trained in her undergraduate program. There, Trish learned narcotics detection, tracking, and an array of therapy/service tasks. Madie also worked with a friend to fully train a psychiatric service dog in just six months. While training the service dog, Madie assisted in rewriting Montana’s service dog law and testified as a proponent for the bill on two occasions.

Madie owns two dogs of her own: Trish (or Patrisha) and Sherman. Trish, who came from a shelter, is a Border Collie/Cattle Dog mix. Sherman was recently adopted from a rescue out of Fort Worth, TX called SPIN. Madie enjoys working with her dogs to help keep her training skills sharp.

Bark for Joy Dog Training was founded in 2018, the summer before Madie’s senior year at Carroll. She has been professionally training dogs ever since. She specializes in PTSD/psychiatric service dogs, but also does basic obedience, scent work, therapy training, and trick training. Currently, Madie is preparing to take her CPDT-KA exam. She also is earning her master’s degree in Companion Animal Science. Her thesis is on the environmental effects on canine olfaction.