Haggerty Dog Training

Haggerty Dog Training The Haggerty Family has been training dogs since 1962! Babette is carrying the legacy her dad began in 1962.

She has been Training Everyday People to Have Once in a Lifetime Dogs full time since 1989! Few trainers are born to be trainers, but Babette Haggerty was born into a family of trainers, breeders, and handlers. Her dad was Captain Haggerty, who is considered the pioneer in the field of dog training. It was said that he “made it a respected profession” and that “he did for dog training what the Be

atles did for rock n roll.”


After spending her childhood working in the family dog training school, training, walking, cleaning up p**p as well as answering the phones, Babette moved to Florida and built the most respected dog training school in Palm Beach County. She has now returned to her roots to New Jersey where she is helping families to have once-in a-lifetime dogs. Her articles have appeared in Dog Fancy and Dog World, and she has authored three books and co-authored three others, all on training. She has served on the board of the IACP and the Alliance of Purebred Dog Writers. Not just a trainer, she has presented seminars to AKC Judges on the German Shepherd and Belgian Malinois and bred and shown Belgian Malinois to their championship,as well as developed training programs for Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control. She volunteers her time to rescue groups such as Garden State German Shepherd Rescue. She has appeared on different levels of press, radio and tv, such as the LA Times, Martha Stewart and the Today Show. When she is not training the dogs of Seth Meyers, Jack Nicklaus, Jimmy Buffet or the late Senator Lautenberg, she is at home with her two children, a German Shepherd, a Standard Poodle, a Pug and a Norfolk Terrier.

Always check the dates of your dog food!
08/19/2025

Always check the dates of your dog food!

A Westmoreland County woman says her champion show dog died after eating a new shipment of dog food.

08/12/2025

It has been a while since I got one of these phone calls and it made my morning! "Hi! We met a long time ago and ran around dog shows together. My parents were *** and they were friends with your Dad. They all knew each other from the Bronx County Kennel Club. I need a dog trainer so I put Captain Haggerty into google and you came up. I got so excited. My dad is smiling down right now knowing that I am going straight to the source and having you train my dog!" I remember him and his parents. We were little and it was more years than I care to admit but it is awesome that I get to work with him and train his dog!

Rocket Man rocking his five minute down stay watching the bunnies go by.
08/09/2025

Rocket Man rocking his five minute down stay watching the bunnies go by.

I love it when Puppy Chow dresses up for school!
08/08/2025

I love it when Puppy Chow dresses up for school!

Baby’s Favorite Skill. “Rub my belly”!
07/31/2025

Baby’s Favorite Skill. “Rub my belly”!

planet
07/26/2025






planet

Even trainer’s dogs go to training workshops. Captain is waiting our turn at the IGP training weekend.
07/26/2025

Even trainer’s dogs go to training workshops. Captain is waiting our turn at the IGP training weekend.

planet
07/23/2025




planet

This so clearly explains why so many owners struggle with loose leash walking.
07/23/2025

This so clearly explains why so many owners struggle with loose leash walking.

Loose lead isnt natural. It’s a skill that has to be learnt. Biomechanically, dogs are built to move faster than us. Dogs choose to shift to a natural trot and on average walk at 2.5 - 4 mph (Hildebrand, 1966) where us naked monkeys on the otherhand average 2-3 mph walking (Kirtley, 2006). Do you know what 2.5 feels like? You should!

Because the mismatch alone creates tension — physically with the lead and emotionally in the relationship. Infact Dogs Trust found 30% of owners considered it a reason to rehome.

Now add in breed differences with research by Fischer & Lilje (2011) suggesting that Different breeds have different locomotive profiles based on original function. Malinois and Vizslas who are bred to move, track, cover ground; hearding breed like kelpies and collies who are bred to arc out infront; scent hounds like Beagles and Bloodhounds - designed to follow their noses with purpose, drive and speed; and of course breeds like Huskies who are literally bred and built to pull - it’s in the actual job description.

Its not a suprise that Rooney & Cowan (2011) found Lead tension and restricted gait was specifically a negative welfare marker for working breeds.

So when we expect all dogs to plod beside us through a park at human pace, ignoring smells, distractions, and natural instinct…we’re arent asking for a behaviour: We’re asking for the dog to restrain their pace, suppress their instincts, and constantly self-regulate.

In my opinion loose lead is one of the three essential skills I believe every dog pro needs to understand in depth - gait, drive, motivation, mechanics, assessment, different technique and exercise, consequence gradients and all.

Because when you understand what you’re really asking for,
you stop calling it stubbornness
and start training it like the advanced skill it actually is. And this leads to way better pet dogs with way happier relationships. ###

planet
07/21/2025




planet

Just another reminder why I train dogs for awesome dog owners! I’m so grateful for the wonderful owners I have had the...
03/04/2025

Just another reminder why I train dogs for awesome dog owners! I’m so grateful for the wonderful owners I have had the privilege to serve since 1989!

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West Palm Beach, FL
33417

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Monday 10am - 7pm
Tuesday 10am - 7pm
Wednesday 10am - 7pm
Thursday 10am - 7pm
Friday 10am - 7pm
Saturday 9am - 4pm

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+15617895628

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Training Everyday People to Have Once in a Lifetime Dogs

Few trainers are born to be trainers, but Babette Haggerty was born into a family of trainers, breeders, and handlers. Her dad was Captain Haggerty, who is considered the pioneer in the field of dog training. It was said that he “made it a respected profession” and that “he did for dog training what the Beatles did for rock n roll.” After spending her childhood working in the family dog training school, training, walking, cleaning up p**p as well as answering the phones, Babette moved to Florida and built the most respected dog training school in Palm Beach County. She has now returned to her roots to New Jersey where she is helping families to have once-in a-lifetime dogs. Her articles have appeared in Dog Fancy and Dog World, and she has authored three books and co-authored three others, all on training. She has served on the board of the IACP and the Alliance of Purebred Dog Writers. Not just a trainer, she has presented seminars to AKC Judges on the German Shepherd and Belgian Malinois and bred and shown Belgian Malinois to their championship,as well as developed training programs for Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control. She volunteers her time to rescue groups such as Garden State German Shepherd Rescue. She has appeared on different levels of press, radio and tv, such as the LA Times, Martha Stewart and the Today Show. When she is not training the dogs of Seth Meyers, Jack Nicklaus, Jimmy Buffet or the late Senator Lautenberg, she is at home with her two children, a German Shepherd, a Corgi, French Bulldog and Norfolk Terrier.

About Haggerty Dog Training: Everyone dreams of having that perfect, once-in-a-lifetime dog. But too often, the dream doesn’t match reality. Maybe your dog barks constantly, jumps on you or chews your things. Perhaps he has severe behavior issues such as anxiety or aggression towards other dogs or people. Maybe he pulls on the leash, lunges at other dogs or completely ignores your commands. Or maybe you just have a new puppy and want to make sure that none of these things ever happens to you! Regardless, if any of these sound familiar, Haggerty Dog Training can help give you the dog of your dreams.

Serving Midland Park, Oakland, Wyckoff, Fair Lawn, Paramus, Franklin Lakes, Waldwick, Allendale, Ridgewood, Mahwah

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