The 5 Best Options for Dog Training Businesses in 2026
Let me be transparent about what this list looks like: one platform with a real training module, and four other options that trainers commonly use despite not being built for them. The training software market has a massive gap, and this guide reflects that honestly.
1. Animal Friends OS
Only Dedicated Training Module
$45/month flat — training, grooming, boarding, daycare all included
Animal Friends OS is the only pet care platform that treats dog training as a first-class service, not an afterthought. The training module lets you schedule private sessions and group classes, track progress notes per dog per session, manage training packages (like a 6-session obedience course), and send automated reminders. After each session, you can log what was worked on, what the dog struggled with, and what homework the owner should practice. Those progress notes are visible to the pet parent through the client portal, which builds trust and demonstrates value. For trainers who also offer boarding, daycare, or grooming, everything lives in one system. A dog that comes in for daycare three days a week and training on Saturdays has one unified profile — staff notes from daycare inform the trainer, and training progress is visible to daycare staff so they can reinforce commands. At $45/month with unlimited staff, it is less expensive than most trainers' current patchwork of separate tools.
Pros
- $45/month flat — the only real training module at any price
- Private session and group class scheduling
- Per-dog progress tracking with session notes
- Training package management (multi-session bundles)
- Client portal where owners see training progress
- Automated SMS reminders for sessions
- Unified with grooming, boarding, and daycare
- Use your own payment processor
- Built-in payroll for training staff
- Online booking for training sessions
Cons
- Newer platform — smaller community than Gingr
- No native mobile app yet (responsive web works on all devices)
- No video lesson hosting for virtual training
Best for: Any dog training business, period. Whether you are a solo trainer doing private sessions, a facility running group classes, or a multi-service operation where training is one of several offerings. This is the only platform that actually understands what trainers need.
2. Gingr (with workarounds)
$125+/mo
$125+/month — no dedicated training module
Gingr does not have a training module. That said, many facilities that use Gingr for grooming and boarding also offer training, and they make it work by treating training sessions as a custom service type on the calendar. You can schedule "Training - Private" or "Training - Group Class" as appointment types, and manage the basic logistics. What you lose is everything training-specific: there is no progress tracking, no session notes tied to a training curriculum, no package tracking for multi-session bundles, and no way for clients to see their dog's training progress. If you are already on Gingr for grooming and boarding and training is a small side offering, this workaround is acceptable. If training is a significant part of your business, Gingr will frustrate you.
Pros
- Can schedule training as custom service types
- Strong grooming and boarding features alongside
- Mature platform with good support
- Large user community for general pet care
Cons
- No dedicated training module — just calendar workarounds
- No progress tracking or session notes
- No training package management
- $125+/mo for a platform that does not support your core service
- Forced payment processing
Best for: Facilities already using Gingr for grooming/boarding where training is a minor add-on service, not the primary offering.
3. Acuity Scheduling + Spreadsheets
$16–50/mo total
$16/month for Acuity + free spreadsheet + manual work
This is what most solo dog trainers actually use. Acuity Scheduling (owned by Squarespace) handles appointment booking and basic payments. You set up service types for different training offerings, clients book online, and Acuity sends confirmation and reminder emails. For everything else — progress tracking, client notes, vaccination records, package management — you are on your own. Most trainers keep a Google Sheet or Notion database alongside Acuity. It works for a solo trainer doing 10 to 20 sessions per week, but it breaks down as you grow. There is no unified client profile, no pet health records, no SMS (just email), and no connection to grooming/boarding/daycare if you expand your services.
Pros
- Low cost at $16/month
- Clean, professional booking page
- Built-in payment collection via Stripe/Square
- Easy to set up and learn
- Good for solo trainers with simple needs
Cons
- No pet-specific features at all
- No progress tracking — requires separate spreadsheet
- No vaccination tracking
- No SMS reminders (email only)
- Cannot scale to group classes easily
- Zero integration with grooming/boarding/daycare
Best for: Solo dog trainers just starting out who need basic scheduling and are comfortable managing everything else manually.
4. Time To Pet (with workarounds)
$99+/mo
$99+/month — pet sitting focus, training as workaround
Time To Pet was built for pet sitters and dog walkers, but some trainers use it because it has pet profiles, client management, and scheduling. You can create "training" as a service type and schedule sessions through the platform. The mobile app is good for field-based trainers who do in-home sessions. However, like Gingr, there is no dedicated training workflow. No progress tracking, no curriculum management, no session notes tied to training goals. You are paying $99/month for a pet sitting platform and using it sideways. It is better than a spreadsheet but worse than a purpose-built solution.
Pros
- Pet profiles with health records
- Good mobile app for field-based trainers
- GPS tracking for in-home visits
- Client communication tools
Cons
- No training-specific features
- $99+/mo for a platform not designed for training
- No progress tracking or session notes
- No group class management
- Built for pet sitting, not training
Best for: Trainers who also offer pet sitting or dog walking and want one platform for both. Not ideal if training is your primary service.
5. Google Calendar + Square Invoices
Free–$30/mo
Free to $30/month — the duct tape approach
This is the most common setup for dog trainers who are just getting started or who have given up on finding real training software. Google Calendar handles scheduling, Square or Venmo handles payments, a notebook or Google Doc tracks progress, and your phone handles client communication via text. It costs almost nothing and it works when you have 5 to 10 clients. It stops working when you have 30+ active clients, multiple training programs, group classes, and you cannot remember which dog is working on what. There is no automation, no online booking, no vaccination tracking, and no way for clients to check their dog's progress without you manually texting them.
Pros
- Free or very low cost
- Everyone already knows how to use Google Calendar
- Complete flexibility — no software constraints
- No learning curve
Cons
- No automation of any kind
- No online booking
- No client portal or progress sharing
- No vaccination tracking
- Data scattered across 4+ tools
- Does not scale past 15 to 20 active clients
- Unprofessional appearance for a growing business
Best for: Brand new trainers who are still building their client base and cannot justify any software cost yet. Upgrade to a real platform once you hit 15+ regular clients.
The Verdict
The dog training software market has a clear gap. Animal Friends OS is the only platform with a real, purpose-built training module — and it costs $45/month. Every other option on this list is either a pet care platform that ignores training (Gingr, Time To Pet), a generic scheduling tool (Acuity), or a collection of free tools duct-taped together (Google Calendar + Square). If you train dogs professionally and you want software that actually supports your workflow, there is really only one choice in 2026.