Best Buddy Dog Training

(401) 536-7982


Mon-Fri: 8am - 6pm, Sat: 9am - 5pm, Sun: Closed

Dog Training in Rhode Island

We train dogs out of Warwick, which puts every corner of Rhode Island inside a forty-five minute drive. That is not a small detail. Obedience that only works in a training hall is not obedience - it is a trick your dog performs in one building. We teach your dog in your kitchen, on your street, and in the places you actually walk, which in this state we can reach and be back from in an afternoon.

Best Buddy Dog Training is Shawn Hines. No treats, no shock collars, no prong collars, no clicker. Your dog learns to look to you because you have become worth looking to - and that transfers to the leash, the front door, the car and the beach, because it was never dependent on what was in your pocket.

Great Dane and Portugese Water dog in a downstay in a park during an in-home training session in Providence, Rhode Island

Where We Train in Rhode Island


In-home sessions and board-and-train pickups run statewide. Towns we work in regularly:

  • Kent County - Warwick, West Warwick, East Greenwich, Coventry, Apponaug, Hillsgrove
  • Providence County - Providence, Cranston, Johnston, North Providence, Smithfield, Lincoln, Manville, Cumberland, Woonsocket, Pawtucket
  • Washington County - Narragansett, South Kingstown, Wakefield, Richmond, Charlestown, Westerly, Hopkinton
  • Newport County - Newport, Middletown, Portsmouth, Tiverton, Little Compton, Jamestown
  • Bristol County - Bristol, Warren, Barrington

If you're on Block Island or somewhere we haven't listed, call anyway. In a state this size we almost certainly come to you.

Three dogs holding a down-stay on the steps of the state capitol in Providence, Rhode Island

The Rhode Island Dog Problems We See Most


Where you live often shapes what goes wrong. These are the situations Rhode Island owners call us about, over and over:


Leash reactivity on narrow sidewalks

Blackstone Boulevard, the East Side, Federal Hill, downtown Bristol - sidewalks where an oncoming dog passes within four feet and there is nowhere to step aside. A dog that lunges here isn't aggressive so much as unprepared, and no amount of crossing the street teaches it otherwise. We work the actual sidewalks, at the actual distance.


Recall that fails at Goddard and Colt

Goddard Memorial State Park and Colt State Park are full of off-leash dogs, horses, geese and open ground. A recall that works in the yard and fails in an open field was never a recall. We build the version that holds when your dog is already running.


Summer crowds

Narragansett Town Beach, the Newport Cliff Walk, the East Bay Bike Path in July - bikes, strollers, kids at eye level, other dogs at close quarters. Dogs that are fine in April come apart in the season, and owners stop going out. That's the wrong fix.


Apartment and triple-decker living

Barking at hallway footsteps, charging the door, losing it at the buzzer. In a Providence three-decker your dog's behaviour is your neighbours' problem too, and it escalates. This is a settle-and-threshold problem, and it responds quickly.


Roger Williams Park

Geese, joggers, loose dogs, ducks on the path. It is the most useful training environment in the state precisely because it is so busy - we use it deliberately.


In-Home Dog Training in Rhode Island


Four private sessions with Shawn, in your home and your neighbourhood. We start with a free phone consultation to hear what's actually happening, then build a plan around your dog and your household - not a curriculum.

  • 4 personalized in-home sessions with our head trainer
  • Customized obedience and behavior modification plan for your dog
  • Lifetime follow-up support by phone and video, at no additional charge
  • One flat price covering up to 5 dogs in the same household
  • No hidden fees - if you've followed the plan and need more sessions, they're included

Rhode Island in-home program: $2,000. One price, whether we're in Warwick or Westerly.


Board and Train for Rhode Island Dogs


Some dogs need more than weekly sessions. Our board-and-train is four to six weeks of full-time work — your dog lives with us, trains daily in real environments rather than a kennel run, and comes home with obedience that has already been tested in public. We prefer to pick up and deliver ourselves so we can see the household dynamic first-hand, and three reintegration sessions at your home are included, along with lifetime follow-up support.

It's the right call for aggression, resource guarding, severe leash reactivity, chronic anxiety, and dogs that haven't responded to anything else. Read how the board and train program works →


What Rhode Island Owners Say

... inspired by Shawn's calm demeanor, natural confidence and his ability to connect.

- Jenn M., Warwick, RI

We were ready to give up a couple of times... Shawn was the one that kept us going.

- Deb L., Smithfield, RI

We tried many group training classes that focused on positive reinforcement. Nothing seemed to work for us until we found Shawn.

- Jalyn D., Cumberland, RI

Shawn is really just simply amazing. He is kind, fair, direct, and honest to both owners and their dogs alike."

- Leanne F., Richmond, RI

Shawn has been patient and encouraging with me; calm, kind and affectionate with Teal. She has great respect and liking for him :)

- Zi K., Warren, RI

Would definitely recommend his services to people who are serious and committed to training their dogs.

- Mollie C., Providence, RI

Common Questions from Rhode Island Owners


Do you cover the whole state?

Yes. We're based in Warwick and travel to all five counties at no extra charge - Woonsocket to Westerly, Newport to Burrillville.

Do you use treats or an e-collar?

Neither. No treats, no shock collars. We build obedience on leadership your dog can read.

My dog has bitten someone. Will you take him?

Usually, yes - aggression is a large part of what we do. Say so on the phone consultation so we can plan properly rather than discover it in your living room.

How soon can we start?

In-home sessions in Rhode Island usually begin within one to two weeks. Board-and-train runs on a waiting list — call early if you have a date in mind.

Do you train therapy and service prospects?

We build the obedience and public-access steadiness a therapy dog needs. Certification itself is handled by the registering organisation, and we'll tell you honestly whether your dog is a realistic candidate.


Start with a Free Phone Consultation


Call (401) 536-7982 and tell Shawn what your dog is doing. No sales script - a real conversation about whether we can help and which program fits. We don't run a training facility and you don't come to us: every session happens at your home, and for board-and-train we collect your dog and bring them back. Based in Warwick, serving all of Rhode Island. Phone hours Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat 9am-5pm. IF there's no answer, please leave a message.



Rhode Island Dog Training Program Details and Pricing

In-Home Dog Training: $2,000

  • 4 personalized in-home sessions with our head trainer
  • Customized obedience and behavior modification plan tailored to your dog
  • Lifetime follow-up support at no additional charge
  • One flat price covering up to 5 dogs in the same household
  • No hidden fees - if additional sessions are needed and you've followed the training plan, they're included