We have spent many, many years working and living with dogs, and are rarely surprised by any trainers, products, or training philosophies.

As you know, we regularly critique advice from “experts” out there and have really heard it all. However, sometimes we are surprised. We would like to talk about one of those products that surprised us, Brain Training for Dogs.

What is Brain Training for Dogs?

Brain Training for Dogs is an entirely online training program. While Jolly Paws Gazette typically advises against online training programs, this one is different. Many online training programs fail, well, its difficult. Admittedly, there are so many subtleties to human and dog interactions, it’s pretty ambitious to guide someone virtually.

We couldn’t deny the many glowing reviews we were seeing. So, we decided to give it a try. What we found, after purchasing the program, is worth talking about. So, let’s get to it!

Who is Brain Training for Dogs For?

I’d be hard-pressed to find a dog owner that wouldn’t benefit from what this course has to offer. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just brought home your first puppy, there’s something for everyone in these modules. The basis of the program is the fact that an intelligent, mentally stimulated dog naturally behaves better.

Just like with people, dogs require exercises to build their intelligence. A bored and lonely pet is one that will develop behavioral problems. If you don’t challenge your dog’s mind, you can’t expect them to be responsive and engaged throughout daily life.

Providing mental stimulation expands your dog’s mind and boosts development. By going through the activities in this course, you can strengthen the bond you already have with your dog.

With that solid base, you can expect your dog to have:

    • An increased attention span
    • A deeper capacity to bond
    • Improved health
    • A better temperament
    • The desire to behave and willingness to learn

Who doesn’t want that kind of foundation with their dog? Additionally, if you’re currently stressing about a behavioral problem, you can rest assured it’s tackled within this course.

Does your dog do this?

    • React fearfully or aggressively to other dogs at the park?
    • Jump up on guests when they walk into your home?
    • Whine and/or bark excessively?
    • Chew everything, even when you’ve thoughtfully provided toys for that purpose?
    • Seem unable to control any impulse?
    • Tear around the house at an uncontrollable speed?
    • Dig holes everywhere?

Any of those sound familiar? They are certainly all issues I have seen with various dogs in the past.

Where many novice trainers go wrong in solving these problems is that they do a “band-aid approach.” Instead of going back to the basics and building a foundation for success, they give you a quick fix solution. While that may offer temporary relief, it won’t create long-term success.

To truly say goodbye to these behavioral issues, you have to establish an authentic and trusting relationship with your dog. Does that sound like a tremendous goal for an online course to offer?

I thought so, too! Let me introduce the woman behind the program.

Who is Adrienne Farricelli?

What do you look for in a dog trainer?

Word of mouth referrals are great, but they can be hard to come by. Apart from steering clear of anyone who trains by force or punishment, it’s tricky to narrow down exactly what to look for in a premium trainer.

We consider the following questions great when picking a dog trainer:

1. Do they have genuine experience handling a wide variety of dogs?

Until a trainer has tested their techniques against all kinds of different dogs, their ideas are not proven.

2. Have they been formally trained and certified by a credible organization?

There are plenty of “training certifications” out there that don’t provide real education. An authoritative, esteemed program has a required number of hands-on hours with regulated examinations.

3. Have they been successful for many years?

The trainers who offer superficial, quick fixes tend to be “found out” and quickly lose popularity. I’m interested in someone who has stood the test of time.

4. Do they apply science-backed techniques?

If they can’t provide evidence-based support for their training theories, it’s not worth pursuing.

Adrienne Farricelli meets and surpasses all of these points

A certified trainer and behavior consultant, she has spent over a decade working with dogs. Adrienne’s qualifications include:

    • CCPDT-KA Certification (Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed)
    • APICC Certification (Italian Association of Dog Training Instruction and Canine Consultants)
    • Work featured in USA Today and Every Dog Magazine
    • Contributions to eHow and All Experts
    • Running a cage-less board and train business
    • Training service dogs for military veterans

Adrienne began her career with animals working at a veterinary hospital and is certified in pet first aid. It’s clear that working with and bettering the lives of animals is an honest passion. In Adrienne’s words …

“I’ve been helping people to eliminate bad behaviors in dogs and train well behaved, obedient, loving pets … by showing them how to bring out the ‘hidden intelligence’ inside their dog. Every dog, without exception, has a hidden intelligence inside.”

Clever Pup Using Laptop

What’s the Science Behind Brain Training for Dogs?

I mentioned earlier that I always look for training philosophies rooted in science. The idea behind Brain Training for Dogs is that a dog’s brain, just like a human’s, can always mold and adapt to learn new behaviors. Since a dog’s brain is impressionable in this way, we have to be careful with what we model and teach. If we provide transformative mental stimulation, we allow them to become more willing and receptive to new behaviors.

Basically, we can create the temperament and behaviors we want to see in our dogs by consistently using proven techniques. Your dog will be attentive and open to learning new things.

What’s Included in the Complete Brain Training for Dogs?

At this point, you’re probably wondering how all of this information is presented within the program. There are seven modules to cover. It’s important to go through each step of every module, as skipping ahead can leave critical knowledge gaps.

All the lessons are broken down into 10-15-minute sessions, which is ideal for fitting into a busy schedule as well as for appealing to a dog’s limited attention span. Here’s a peek at each module …

Module 1: Preschool

Don’t let the name deceive you. Everything in this part of the class is essential. Without this foundation, nothing in the later lessons would be possible. This section includes guidance on how to get your dog to focus on you, regardless of what else is going on.

Module 2: Elementary School

Here’s where you and your dog will really have fun. Tap into your dog’s senses by playing scent-related games and completing challenges. You’ll learn how to manage your dog’s energy, a must for those with high-energy pups.

Module 3: High School

In the high-school level, it introduces the real nuances of communication. Patience and impulse control are taught through games like The Airplane Game, keeping your dog interested throughout the session. There’s even a “bobbing for treats” water challenge, a favorite for any highly treat-motivated pup.

Module 4: College

The concentration basics at the beginning of the program are further developed in “college,” where your dog’s motor skills are honed. Games in this section include more scent work, agility, and controlling anticipation.

Module 5: University

All the skills your dog has learned up to this point are combined to complete more advanced training. It covers impulse control, separation anxiety, and confidence-building. For those with dogs who bark inappropriately, there’s a useful “look at that” game.

Module 6: Graduation & Module 7: Einstein

In these modules, your dog basically learns how to be a real show-off. Challenges include leg-weaving, serpentines, piano-playing (yes, you read that right!), and the ability to pick out toys by name. These may sound like party tricks, but they do an incredible job of boosting your dog’s cognitive ability.

If that kind of trick training sounds appealing to you, there are also seven instructional videos on the topic. Your dog can learn:

    • Take a Bow
    • Cover his Eyes (‘Shame on You’)
    • Play Dead
    • Dance
    • Shake Hands
    • Howl
    • Roll Over

In addition to the above coursework, the Brain Training for Dogs program includes:

Obedience 101 Training

Inside this session, the much-needed essentials of obedience are explained. You learn how food rewards can be used in a positive way and strategies for basic obedience commands. It’s worth taking the time to master these elements, or else you’ll end up having to come back to them later.

Polishing Up Your Training

Building on the blocks of Obedience 101, these instructions explain how to refine your techniques. You’ll learn how to maintain your dog’s attention with or without food lures. Hand signals, verbal cues, and fading continuous rewards are broken down and explained.

Adrienne’s Archive

When you’ve been working in this field for as long as Adrienne, you build a treasure chest of resources. This course comes with access to that archive, which includes over 100 articles covering every behavior problem you might encounter. For those with new puppies, there’s a section entirely devoted to topics such as potty training, crate training, socialization, and nipping.

Cute Puppy Staring at Camera

The Member’s Area

One thing I appreciate about Brain Training for Dogs is the user-friendly experience. Online classes can be confusing and unnecessarily complicated. With this class, I can easily switch to any section from the navigation bar, whether I use my phone or my computer.

The format is logical to follow, so I didn’t have to waste time trying to figure out the website. My earlier reservations about an entirely online course were eased when I saw the video and photo examples throughout the coursework. I didn’t want to do an entirely video-based course, as I like to go at my own pace.

At the same time, it’s useful to see actual examples when you need to. Once you log in, there’s a page detailing all the materials you’ll need throughout the course. You probably won’t already have all these items, but there are suggestions for household alternatives.

Other features of the Member’s Area include:

Case Studies: These real-life examples offer you a chance to see firsthand how Adrienne handles obstacles such as separation anxiety and jumping. She also explains the root problems behind these kinds of behaviors.
The Private Forum: This is my favorite bonus. The forum provides an outlet for you to talk with other members about your dog training journey. It’s handy to be able to discuss issues with other dog-lovers learning the same techniques as you.

Disclaimer: Our goal here at the Jolly Paws Gazette is to educate doggy parents, and help in creating as many lasting bonds between people and their dogs as possible. In order to keep the JPG running and keep serving dog lovers just like you, we do occasionally post affiliate links within our content. In the interest of being transparent you should know that the link below leading to Brain Training for Dogs is an affiliate link. This simply means that if Brain Training for Dogs is right for you and you decide to make a purchase through our link, we’ll receive a commission – at no extra cost to you.

This does not impact the nature of this review, Adrienne has released a solid product which is why we feel confident in recommending it to you.

Is It Worth It?

As you can see, this program provides a substantial amount of resources. When I looked at all that was offered, I figured the only way it’s inferior to an in-person coach is that you won’t have a professional looking at your specific dog.

However, with all the possible scenarios outlined within the program, I believe you could find an answer to any unique situation you have with your dog.

I have to say that I would 100% recommend Brain Training for Dogs to any dog owner.

Could you achieve the goal of a well-rounded and behaved dog without this program? Yes. You don’t need this program, but I recommend it for the same reason I recommend any expert. Let me explain … you know the “10,000-hour rule?” It’s the theory that to become a world-class expert in any field, you have to commit to 10,000 hours of practice. But what if, instead, you went straight to someone who was already an expert? Learn from their mistakes and apply their lessons to your life. How much would that saved time be worth to you?

Thanks to today’s technology, it’s more possible than ever to do just that. This is exactly what Adrienne Farricelli has provided with her program. It’s a simply explained guide to tapping into your dog’s true potential.

How much does it cost?

Brain Training for Dogs is currently priced at only $47, including absolutely everything detailed in this review. When I heard the cost, it sealed the deal for me that this program is worth it. I’ve paid more than that for a single session with a dog trainer. Having all of this knowledge ready at the click of a mouse is real value. Like anyone confident what they are selling is worth buying, Adrienne has a risk-free preview trial. If you decide within 60 days that it’s not for you, you get all of your money back.

If you’re like me and struggle to make any decision without a pro and con list, I’ve got your back …

PROS

    • Created by a CCPDT-KA trainer with over a decade of experience
    • Easy and accessible user experience
    • Science-based, force-free methods
    • Bonus features including case studies, a 100+ article archive, and more
    • Access to a member’s only private forum
    • Brings you from basic obedience right up to genius, trick-training level

CONS

    • Requires you purchase some items for certain games
    • Less personal interaction than you would receive with an in-person trainer

While there are a couple of cons, the advantages of Brain Training for Dogs certainly outweigh the downsides. When you consider there’s a 60-day money-back guarantee, this purchase is just about irresistible.

Final Thoughts

Many dogs today are bored and under-stimulated. This leads to anxiety and destructive behaviors, creating tension and strife in the house. Without the knowledge of how to avoid this, even wonderful dog owners can fall into this painful cycle. I’m thrilled there’s a program like Brain Training for Dogs so easily available to dog owners. I hope as many dogs as possible benefit from the training, courtesy of Adrienne Farricelli.