Barks and Rec. Animal Training and Behavior

Barks and Rec. Animal Training and Behavior We are Northern Michigan’s premier destination for dog training and behavior services.

Join us at our Traverse City facility for obedience classes, reactivity training, puppy socialization, CGC and therapy dog testing, agility, nosework, rally, and more!

12/05/2024

Another snow day! Classes today are cancelled thanks and see you next week

12/04/2024

Classes are cancelled due to weather today stay home and warm we will see you all next week ❤️

Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃 We are so grateful for all of the families who share their pups with us; trust us with their dog t...
11/29/2024

Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃 We are so grateful for all of the families who share their pups with us; trust us with their dog training and behavior needs; choose to train with compassionate methods; and support our small business. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for being a part of the Barks and Rec. community! ❤️

🔔 Reminder: there will be no group classes at Barks and Rec. from Wednesday, November 27, to Saturday, November 30. 🍁 We...
11/27/2024

🔔 Reminder: there will be no group classes at Barks and Rec. from Wednesday, November 27, to Saturday, November 30. 🍁 We’ll see you next week!

🔔 HOLIDAY WORKSHOP ALERT! 🎄 Whether you have a new puppy, are hosting loved ones during the holidays, or simply need som...
11/24/2024

🔔 HOLIDAY WORKSHOP ALERT! 🎄 Whether you have a new puppy, are hosting loved ones during the holidays, or simply need some tips to manage the excitement and busyness of the holiday season, Barks and Rec. is here to help.

There are three ways to participate in our holiday workshop:
🎁 Attend our 3-week course
🎁 Attend our 1.5-hour session (with your dog)
🎁 Attend our 1.5-hour session (without your dog - perfect for people with reactive dogs, very young puppies, or those who just want to watch)!

Register online at: https://www.barkranger.net/book-online?category=78c9fff1-e60b-46d5-847a-9286008b3156.

Every day we celebrate the dogs and people who entrust Barks and Rec. with their training needs – but today, we’re celeb...
11/22/2024

Every day we celebrate the dogs and people who entrust Barks and Rec. with their training needs – but today, we’re celebrating the person who makes it all possible. 🐾 Please help us congratulate Alicea Howell, owner and lead trainer at Barks and Rec., on being named a 2024 Influential Woman of Northern Michigan by the Traverse City Record-Eagle!

Alicea founded Barks and Rec. in May 2019 after relocating to Traverse City from Indianapolis. Since then, she has helped hundreds of Northern Michigan families use positive reinforcement training to improve life with their dogs at home, at the veterinary office, and in the competition ring. Alicea sees clients for everything from puppy socialization to behavior modification for anxiety, aggression, and compulsive disorders.

While Alicea’s clinical and academic successes are nothing short of impressive, her proudest achievements are the moments spent with her training clients. ❤️

Read more about Alicea’s training journey and her passion for helping pets (and their people) here: https://record-eagle-cnhi.newsmemory.com/?special=Influential%20Women

Congratulations to our newest Pup Scouts graduates: Kona, Dexter, Archie, Rudy, and Willow! 🎓 These adorable pups have b...
11/11/2024

Congratulations to our newest Pup Scouts graduates: Kona, Dexter, Archie, Rudy, and Willow! 🎓 These adorable pups have built a great foundation for lifelong manners. 🎉

Wahoo to Yuki and Francis Sue!! 🎉 These two Bark Ranger graduates have both passed their Community Canine and Urban Can...
11/07/2024

Wahoo to Yuki and Francis Sue!! 🎉 These two Bark Ranger graduates have both passed their Community Canine and Urban Canine Good Citizen tests. We are so proud of their dedication to training and all the hard work that went into preparing for these tests. Congratulations! 🎓

Here are our top 4 tips for a stress-free Halloween!Tip #1: Leave your dog home when you go out. Scary yard decorations...
10/31/2024

Here are our top 4 tips for a stress-free Halloween!

Tip #1: Leave your dog home when you go out. Scary yard decorations, costumes, and crowds of people at night can be too much for many dogs.

Tip #2: Pass out candy on your porch, in your yard, or in your driveway to limit the number of times your dog has to hear the doorbell or knocking on your door. You can also leave a bowl of candy outside with a sign requesting visitors not ring the doorbell or knock.

Tip #3: Set up a baby gate in your entryway to make sure your dog can’t sneak out the door! If your dog is an escape artist or unsure of guests, you may wish to put them in their crate or another room during trick-or-treating.

Tip #4: Many Halloween goodies - are toxic to dogs. Keep candy away from your dog and give them their own special treat to help keep them occupied during Halloween festivities!

Need help navigating the upcoming holidays with a dog? Sign up for a class or private training session today!

On Sunday, two of our Bark Ranger students took their Community Canine and Urban CGC tests. Congratulations to Dublin a...
10/30/2024

On Sunday, two of our Bark Ranger students took their Community Canine and Urban CGC tests. Congratulations to Dublin and Sadie on passing both! 🎉🏆🎓 These test require plenty of practice and consistency with advanced obedience skills. They worked hard for this achievement, and we are so proud!

Not pictured from class: Francis Sue and Yuki.

We are so thrilled to introduce our newest Canine Good Citizens, Bianca and Sage! 🌟 These star students and their humans...
10/29/2024

We are so thrilled to introduce our newest Canine Good Citizens, Bianca and Sage! 🌟 These star students and their humans have mastered the 10 training concepts established by the that demonstrate they are polite members of society. Congratulations on this amazing accomplishment! 🎉

Are you ready to take the next step in training your dog? Head to our website to sign up for classes today!

One of our most requested training services at Barks and Rec. is help with polite greetings. We know how frustrating it ...
10/29/2024

One of our most requested training services at Barks and Rec. is help with polite greetings. We know how frustrating it can be to have a dog that jumps on guests or pulls toward people during walks! 😩

These graduates of our Four Weeks to Better Greetings classes now have the skills to be Very Polite Dogs out in the real world. 🎓 Congratulations to Ralphie, Ella, Yuki, Bennie, Scout, Addie, Coco, Bruce Almighty, Maple, Rocky, and Chip! Keep up the great work. 🎉

Three cheers for these three Junior Scouts graduates! Georgy Girl, Luna, and Obi have built awesome foundations in obedi...
10/28/2024

Three cheers for these three Junior Scouts graduates! Georgy Girl, Luna, and Obi have built awesome foundations in obedience. Great work! 🎉 🎉 🎉

This weekend was a big weekend of class graduations at Barks and Rec! Pictured here are our five newest Pup Scout gradua...
10/28/2024

This weekend was a big weekend of class graduations at Barks and Rec! Pictured here are our five newest Pup Scout graduates from Saturday morning: Nova, Ellie Mae, Zoe, Darcy Rose, and Stella. Congratulations, pups and parents! 🎓

Congratulations to Thursday evening’s Pup Scouts graduates: Ricky, Mia, and Tucker! Classmates Bitsy, Dune, and Layke we...
10/27/2024

Congratulations to Thursday evening’s Pup Scouts graduates: Ricky, Mia, and Tucker! Classmates Bitsy, Dune, and Layke weren’t able to join us for their ceremony, but we’re proud of them just the same. 👏 Keep up the great work, all!

Cheers to our newest Agility Fundamentals students! 🎉 These pups and their humans worked hard to learn new skills, impro...
10/17/2024

Cheers to our newest Agility Fundamentals students! 🎉 These pups and their humans worked hard to learn new skills, improved their ability to work together as a team, and had so much fun over the past 6 weeks. Great job, agility superstars! ⭐️

Thank you to everyone who joined us at The Village at Grand Traverse Commons for the second annual Contigo Dogs Fall Fid...
10/12/2024

Thank you to everyone who joined us at The Village at Grand Traverse Commons for the second annual Contigo Dogs Fall Fido Fest! It was a pleasure seeing familiar faces and meeting some new ones.

We hope everyone enjoyed trying out our agility course. 🐾 If you took any photos or videos, we would love to see them - be sure to tag us to be featured on our page!

P.S. There’s still space in our upcoming agility classes! Register today at www.barkranger.net.

Address

1859 Southpeak Drive
Traverse City, MI
49685

Telephone

+12315907497

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Videos

Is your dog’s nose always getting them into trouble? If you said yes, then you might need to give our Intro to Nosework class a try! 👃
Is your dog’s nose always getting them into trouble? If you said yes, then you might need to give our Intro to Nosework class a try! 👃

Does your dog’s nose get them into trouble? If you said yes, then you need to try our Intro to Nosework class! 👃 This fun dog sport encourages your dog to use their best asset - their sense of smell - to find hidden treats or scents. Why do we love Nosework so much? Letting your dog sniff: ▪️…is mentally stimulating and can help tire out active dogs. ▪️…teaches your dog focus and problem-solving skills. ▪️…can help lower anxiety and arousal for many dogs. ▪️…is a fun activity for dogs of all breeds, ages, and sizes. ▪️…provides an outlet for your dog to “be a dog!” Learn more and sign up today at www.barkranger.net.

We’re still in party mode from our 5th birthday yesterday! 🥳 But the fun doesn’t have to end here - visit our website to sign up for classes!

Learning Appropriate Door Manners
Learning Appropriate Door Manners

Boone is an adorable yorkie who used to struggle with appropriate greetings. Like many dogs, Boone ran to the door barking when guests would arrive. Boone’s family worked with trainer Alicea to teach Boone an alternative behavior. Now, Boone can relax comfortably on his mat when someone comes to the door! We’re so proud of Boone’s progress. Keep up the great work, pup!

Socializing your puppy at a young age is one of the most important things you can do to set them up for success later in life. ⭐️ We recommend ensuring your puppy has lots of positive experiences meeting new people, other animals, and experiencing new sights, sounds, environments, and more. A well-socialized puppy will become a happier, more confident dog! #BarkRangerTC #traversecitydogtraining #puppylove #puppysocialization #positivereinforcement

Not even basketballs or buzzers can break Maverick’s focus. 🏀 Keep up the great work, Maverick and family! #BarkRangerTC #TraverseCityDogTraining #keepupthegreatwork #rewardyourdog

When inclement weather hits, it’s not always easy (or safe) to get our dog outside for exercise. But did you know that enrichment activities can be just as effective as a game of fetch? Enrichment activities provide physical and mental stimulation, prevent boredom, and can even reduce anxiety. Some of our favorite enrichment activities include: ⭐️ Food Puzzles ⭐️ Snuffle Mats ⭐️ Lick Mats ⭐️ Filled Kongs or Toppls ⭐️ Trick Training ⭐️ Flirt Pole ⭐️ Nosework Be sure to follow our page for more dog training and enrichment tips! #BarkRangerTC

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Barks and Rec. provides Pup Scout Classes, Bark Ranger Classes, Behavior Modification, Cooperative Care Training, Agility and Behavior Evaluation to the Traverse City, MI area