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Dog Training

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At Alcala Country Pet Resort, we understand that your dog is not just a pet, but a member of your family. It’s never too early OR too late to get professional assistance with dog training in Encinitas, CA. We work towards bringing out your pet’s best behavior while reducing and resolving undesirable behavior. Our certified professional dog trainers are here to help establish clear expectations and create a roadmap targeted at achieving your specific dog training goals.


Our training programs support dogs at every level, from foundational skills like attention, sit, down, and recall, to intermediate manners such as leave it, drop it, stay, door manners, and loose leash walking. For dogs ready for more challenge, our advanced training reinforces these skills around distractions and in real-world settings. We also offer behavior-focused support for jumpy greetings, cooperative handling, leash reactivity, resource guarding, and aggression, which is addressed through private lessons only.

 

Dog Training in Encinitas & Carlsbad, CA

At Alcala Country Pet Resort, we know your dog is more than a pet — they’re a cherished member of your family. Whether you’re seeking dog training in Encinitas, CA, or need support with specific behavioral challenges, it’s never too early or too late to get professional guidance. Our goal is to bring out your dog’s very best while addressing unwanted behaviors in a compassionate, effective way.

Our certified professional dog trainers bring decades of combined experience and specialize in a wide range of training and behavior services for dogs in Carlsbad, Encinitas, and surrounding areas.

Building a Strong, Lifelong Relationship With Your Dog

There is no better time than now to strengthen the bond you share with your dog. Our training philosophy is rooted in developing resilient, confident, and emotionally secure dogs who live harmoniously with their families.

Our trainers work collaboratively with pet parents to:

  • Identify and meet each dog’s unique emotional, physical, and behavioral needs.
  • Implement effective management strategies to prevent unwanted behaviors.
  • Teach desirable alternative behaviors through positive reinforcement.
  • Build trust through clear communication, predictability, and compassion

We proudly practice Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive (LIMA), science-backed training methods. We do NOT use tools or techniques designed to suppress behavior through fear, pain, intimidation, or discomfort.

Take the First Step – Schedule Your Free Training Evaluation Now!

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In Facility Day Training/Puppy Training Preschool

Want to make the most of your dog’s daycare time? Our In-Facility Day Training programs are a top choice for busy pet parents in Encinitas and Carlsbad, CA who want professional support reinforcing manners, obedience skills, and everyday behavior. This convenient, all-in-one service blends play, enrichment, and expert training—so your dog learns while you take care of your day.

Our trainers work with your dog throughout their daycare stay, focusing on practical, real-world skills that help create better behavior at home and in public. Whether your dog is just starting training or struggling with jumping, barking, leash pulling, or other challenges, our Day Training programs provide hands-on support and consistent practice.

In Facility Day Training/Puppy Training Preschool

Puppy Training Preschool

Give your puppy the strongest possible start with our Puppy Training Preschool, the most comprehensive early-learning program in Encinitas and Carlsbad, CA. Perfect for puppies 10 weeks and older (with at least two rounds of Distemper/Parvo vaccines), this program provides the essential skills and social experiences that shape confident, well-adjusted adult dogs.

Our Puppy Training Preschool focuses on:

  • Safe and structured socialization with people, dogs, environments, sounds, and surfaces

  • Confidence building through crate training and gentle independence exercises

  • Foundational life skills such as polite greetings, settling on a mat, name recognition, and basic obedience

Early training sets the foundation for lifelong success—and helps prevent common behavior problems later on.

Dog Training Program Pricing

10 Days + 2 Private Lessons: $2,595
20 Days + 3 Private Lessons: $4,895
30 Days + 4 Private Lessons: $7,195

Add-On Private Lessons: $175/hour

Book Your Free Dog Training Consultation!

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One-on-One Private Dog Training Lessons

Private lessons are the perfect choice for dog-savvy owners looking for personalized, results-driven support. Whether you’re addressing specific behavior concerns or strengthening foundational skills, our one-on-one sessions give you the tools, guidance, and confidence to achieve meaningful, lasting change. We typically recommend meeting every 1–2 weeks to maintain steady progress and consistent improvement.

During each lesson, you and your dog will work directly with one of our professional trainers to practice customized strategies that fit naturally into your daily routine. You’ll receive step-by-step coaching, practical handling techniques, and ongoing support between sessions. After each appointment, we’ll send a detailed follow-up email with exercises, activities, and video demonstrations to help reinforce your training at home.

One-on-One Private Dog Training Lessons

What’s Included in Private Lessons

Initial Consultation & Goal Setting

A thorough Q&A to understand your dog’s behavior, your training goals, and your household dynamics.

Behavior Analysis

Observation and interpretation of your dog’s body language, triggers, stress signals, and learning style.

Custom Training Plan

Personalized strategies using positive reinforcement, counter-conditioning, and desensitization to help your dog learn safely and effectively.

Safety & Management Guidance

Proactive tips to prevent unwanted behaviors, reduce risk, and create a structured, supportive environment.

Recommended Supplies

Trainer-approved suggestions for tools and equipment that support your goals and set your dog up for success.

Consistency & Routine Support

Guidance on building predictable daily routines and habits that promote long-term behavior change.

Follow-Up Lessons

Review progress, refine techniques, and schedule future lessons to keep your dog moving forward.

Pricing

Initial Consultation (90 minutes): $250
6-Pack of One-Hour Private Lessons: $1,125
12-Pack of One-Hour Private Lessons: $2,125
traning program

BOOK YOUR FREE TRAINING EVALUATION OR INQUIRY PHONE CALL TODAY!

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Training enrichments

Give your dog an enriching experience during their daycare or boarding stay with our A La Carte Add-On Training Sessions. Each 30-minute session is led by one of our certified trainers and designed to support your dog’s mental well-being while they’re in our care.

These personalized sessions are ideal for:

  • Reinforcing important life skills your dog already knows

  • Practicing fun new tricks or skills

  • Providing training tune-ups for dogs who have completed an Alcala program

  • Adding extra enrichment, focus, and confidence-building exercises to your dog’s day

Because these sessions are customized to each dog’s needs, availability is limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Booking & Availability

Ask our front desk team about availability when scheduling your dog’s next daycare or boarding reservation.

Every session includes:

  • A brief trainer report card

  • Photos or video of your dog enjoying their activity

Give your dog a little extra enrichment, learning, and one-on-one attention during their stay!

Training enrichments

Meet your trainers!

COURTNEY roberts

After graduating from Tarleton State University in 2011 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Wildlife Management, Courtney began building a diverse and immersive foundation in animal care and behavior. She volunteered with In-Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue and Education Center in Wylie, TX, as well as The Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary in McKinney, TX. She then completed a six-month internship at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, LA, followed by 10 months of hands-on experience at the Dallas Zoo.

In 2014, Courtney transitioned into professional dog training, starting as a Dog Trainer with Petco. Her natural leadership and training abilities quickly moved her into a district-leading role where she mentored new trainers. She later joined the expert team at All Fur Fun Training & Event Center, providing day training and board-and-train services, assisting with marketing and events, and expanding her education through in-person seminars with respected industry leaders. She also had the privilege of shadowing Karen Deeds (CDBC) in Reactive Integration classes and gaining insight into competitive dog sports including agility, obedience, scent work, and rally.

In 2017, Courtney founded her own business—Wag Works Behavior & Training. During this time, she volunteered and fostered for the SPCA of Texas and other rescue organizations, and created the Home for Hounds program, teaching shelter dogs and inmates at the Dallas County Jail valuable life skills. Her passion for collaborative, humane dog care later led her to a Dog Trainer role with Camp Bow Wow, where she educated teams on canine body language, safe playgroup management, and modern handling practices.

Her extensive background opened the door to a leadership opportunity in 2018 with a new concept Petco location in Southern California, integrating Fear Free veterinary care, daycare, grooming, and training under one roof. She continued to expand her collaborative approach as the Training Manager at Dogs Abound from 2019–2021, working alongside owner Liz Randall to grow a team that specialized in everything from foundational puppy skills to complex aggression and reactivity cases.

COURTNEY, CPDT-KA

Today, Courtney enjoys life in sunny Southern California with her partner, four dogs, and her newest adventure—her son, Sage, born in February 2022. Passionate about ethical and effective training, she dedicates countless hours to learning and practicing Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive (LIMA) methods. She regularly attends seminars, workshops, conferences, and webinars to stay current with the latest research-backed behavior and training techniques.

Courtney holds multiple professional certifications, including CPDT-KA, Fear Free Certified Professional, AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator, and Certified Trick Dog Instructor. She has also completed advanced continuing education such as Behavior Explorers’ Shaping Skills with Mary Hunter, Pet Harmony’s Enrichment Framework for Behavior Modification MasterClass, and the Resilience Rainbow seminar through Behavior Vets.

She brings her signature group classes—Fantastic Foundations, Rapid Recall, and Confidence Course—to Alcala and looks forward to expanding the training menu with new, enriching, and science-based services.

Lana Falke

Lana holds the CPDT-KA certification and is a Fear Free Certified Professional, AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator, and member of the Pet Professional Guild. 

With a lifelong passion for canines, Lana has dedicated her career to enhancing the bond between humans and their four-legged companions. As a teen, you could find her with her Rough Collie, Iris, competing at conformation shows across Germany. She has always had a big heart for homeless pets, and at the age of 10, she started visiting the local animal shelter on weekends to walk the rescue dogs and give them a break from their kennels.  

Soon after moving to the U.S. in 2012, Lana signed up to volunteer at the San Diego Humane Society. During her 5 years with the organization, she took on a variety of roles and responsibilities with shelter dogs. She apprenticed with Lindsey Lieberman, CBCC, Fear Free CPDT, who was the Behavior & Training Coordinator. During her time as a Behavior & Training shelter volunteer, Lana became acquainted with a variety of dog personalities, temperaments, and behavioral concerns, and it greatly shaped how she approaches training and behavior modification, particularly in the most challenging cases. 

If you are seeking assistance with manners training or behavior modification, Lana can help you and your dog build a relationship based on trust and cooperation while maintaining the highest standards of animal welfare by utilizing scientifically proven, force-free methods that ensure the animal’s physical and emotional safety and well-being. She believes that all dogs are precious and works with each dog to bring out their unique strengths, and she’s dedicated to making training a positive and productive experience for both you and your dog. 

Lana is also passionate about teaching her own dogs and cat fun tricks because she found that learning tricks helped her rescue pups build confidence and strengthen the human-animal connection. Aside from working with dogs, Lana practiced refining her skills in handling and training young horses for over a decade.

Whenever she is not training her clients’ dogs, Lana pours her heart into her two shepherd mixes, Pollux and Fern, and her kitty, Antares. She’s also a certified yoga instructor and enjoys bouldering, being creative, and spending quality time with family.

Lana Falke

Cydney Litt

Cydney Litt grew up surrounded by animals, spending her early years riding horses and volunteering at stables. In 2017, she moved to Los Angeles and adopted her first rescue—a two-and-a-half-year-old Lab mix with big feelings and bigger challenges. Helping her new companion inspired Cydney to pursue formal dog training education. She enrolled in Animal Behavior College and, by 2018, graduated with honors and earned her ABCDT certification. Shortly after, she moved to Hawaii and joined Petco’s Dog Training team, becoming a Canine Good Citizen Evaluator while teaching private lessons and group classes focused on obedience and in-home problem solving. During that time, she rescued her second dog, Korben, a playful Catahoula mix from Oahu.

Cydney Litt

Following the pandemic, Cydney returned to her hometown of San Diego and took on a unique opportunity teaching matwork to families struggling with separation anxiety in their dogs. Eager to expand her skills, she joined Alcala Country Pet Resort in 2021 as a full-time trainer. Within six months, she earned her CPDT-KA certification, and by 2022, became Pet First Aid and Fear Free certified. In 2023, she broadened her knowledge of pet nutrition working at Carlsbad Pet and Feed while also providing enrichment, walks, and pet-sitting care through Dogs on the Run. She rejoined Alcala Country Pet Resort in September 2024 and is thrilled to continue her training journey with a team she loves.

Cydney uses positive reinforcement and a Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive (LIMA) approach to help dogs learn safely and confidently. Her training style focuses on setting dogs up for success, encouraging engagement, and making learning fun. She welcomes questions from clients and is passionate about helping people understand canine communication to strengthen the bond they share with their dogs.

When she’s not training, Cydney enjoys relaxing with her pups, getting lost in a good book, playing Dungeons & Dragons, and attending Renaissance Fairs with family and friends.

Aly Yoo

Alyson Yoo (they/them) began their career in animal welfare by volunteering at an animal sanctuary dedicated to rescuing animals previously used in laboratory research. There, they gained hands-on experience caring for more than 17 species, rebuilding and managing the volunteer program, and supporting major fundraising efforts. Inspired by the meaningful work and the nonprofit world, Alyson continued their path by joining a small municipal shelter in Norco, California as a part-time kennel aide while attending community college.

After transferring to the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), Alyson moved to San Diego and accepted an Adoption Counselor position at San Diego Humane Society’s (SDHS) San Diego Campus. This role strengthened their customer service expertise and deepened their understanding of animal welfare, shelter operations, and the vital role animal service organizations play in communities. From 2020 to 2025, Alyson served as a Humane Safety Trainer (HST), where they taught staff about canine and feline behavior, development, and safe handling practices—skills essential for supporting animals in a shelter environment. During this time, Alyson also volunteered with the veterinary medical team and Project Wildlife, expanding their knowledge across species.

Their work in adoptions and safety training ignited a strong passion for behavior and behavior modification, leading Alyson to become an Animal Trainer at SDHS’s Escondido Campus. In this position, they focused on sharpening their training mechanics, deepening their understanding of canine and feline ethology, and developing the interpersonal skills necessary to thrive in a demanding nonprofit environment. While completing their undergraduate degree, Alyson earned their CPDT-KA certification and later graduated from UCSD with a Bachelor of Science in General Biology.

Before joining Alcala Country Pet Resort, Alyson served as an Animal Services Supervisor at SDHS, caring for and handling a wide range of species and supporting both animal care and admissions teams. They specialized in shelter behavior, behavioral assessments, decision-making, and defensive handling and restraint. After years in the sheltering field, Alyson transitioned to Alcala with the desire to work more closely with owned pets and to support the people who love them.

Outside of work, Alyson is pursuing a master’s degree in anthrozoology. They enjoy horseback riding, playing Dungeons & Dragons, and listening to audiobooks in their downtime.

General FAQ

Dogs and cats must be at least 16 weeks of age to join us. They need to have received their final round of puppy or kitten shots, including their first rabies vaccination.

If your dog is over 7 years of age and cat is over 10 years, we require their veterinarian to complete the below Veterinary questionnaire within 6 months of any boarding stay in order for us to ensure they are in good health to stay with us.

Veterinary Questionnaire

Dogs who aren’t spayed or neutered are more than welcome to stay and play with us. They’ll receive one-on-one play sessions with a caregiver. For the safety of all our guests, we can’t accept females approaching, in, or recently out of a heat cycle.

The following vaccinations are required for dogs:

  • Rabies (1- or 3-year duration)
  • Distemper & Parvo (1- or 3-year duration)
  • Bordetella* (Must be given within 6 MONTHS prior to visit)
  • Canine Influenza (This is not a required vaccine but is highly recommended)

         *May be administered on-site for $50.00*

The following vaccinations are required for cats:

  • Rabies (Once in cat’s lifetime, does NOT need to be current as of boarding dates)
  • FVRCP (1- or 3-year duration for all cats under 10 years of age)
  • Feline Leukemia OR FELV Test (Yearly)

Shot records may be uploaded directly to your client account. They may also be sent to our office email address, alcalacountrypetresort@gmail.com, or submitted in person. We must have vaccination records in-hand when your pet arrives, or they will not be permitted to check in.

Dogs from the same household may share accommodations; please let us know if they need to be separated at mealtime. Cats from the same household may be lodged together as long as they are able to eat in the same space. If cats cannot eat together, they will need to be housed separately. Multiple cats that are sharing a space will need to be booked into a mid-size or larger suite.

Our cattery features different size suites at different price-points. Most spaces feature three levels for your cat(s) to enjoy, and all have a built-in window; unit width and shelf area may vary from one class of accommodation to the next. If you have not been to our facility before, we recommend stopping in for a tour so you can determine what kind of space is the best fit for your cat(s) and your budget. Please keep multiple options in mind as some suite-types may be unavailable for your dates.

We provide Purina ProPlan Lamb & Rice kibble for our dogs, and we do keep a small supply of canned food on hand (usually chicken or beef). We use Blue Buffalo kibble at our cattery, as well as canned Friskies in assorted flavors. Pets that are not finicky eaters and have no food allergies or dietary restrictions are more than welcome to eat our food. If your pet has special dietary needs, experiences tummy upset with changes in diet, or is simply disinclined to eat when out of their regular environment, we recommend providing the food they are accustomed to eating at home. Food from home should be measured out per individual serving to ensure we have enough to last the duration of their stay. Please include a couple of extra meals just in case your pet needs to stay longer than initially planned. 

We have cold storage for any food that needs to be frozen or refrigerated. If your pet eats raw, fresh, or homemade food, please portion it out so we are able to thaw a couple of meals at a time while keeping the rest frozen until it is needed.

It is not necessary to bring anything else as we provide dishes, blankets, and beds for our canine and feline guests, as well as litter and boxes for cats. 

In most cases we can administer oral and topical medications (eyedrops, eardrops, creams, ointments, sprays). We do not administer any medication that is given by injection. Please bring prescription bottles or original packaging in case we have questions about what is being given or the proper dosage.

Our office is open from 7:00am to 6:00pm on weekdays, 9:00am to 5:00pm on Saturdays, and 12:00 noon to 5:00pm on Sundays. Some services are only available for certain windows within our public hours.

General Daycare: Pets may arrive anytime after we open and leave anytime before closing

Boarding Check-Ins: 8:30am – 430pm Monday – Saturday; 12PM – 430 Sunday

Boarding Check-Outs*: 8:30am – CLOSE on Monday – Saturday; OPEN – CLOSE Sunday

*Please come after NOON if your pet is receiving an exit bath

Orientation for New Dogs: 11:00am – 4:00pm, Tues – Thurs & Sat 

Touring: 12:00PM to 3:00PM, Monday – Saturday 

For the safety of our guests and staff, please leave your pet at home while you visit.

Training Consultations & In-Person Lessons: By appointment with Courtney, our Training Manager.

BOOK YOUR FREE TRAINING EVALUATION OR INQUIRY PHONE CALL TODAY!

Discount subject to availability and cannot be combined with any other offers.
Applies to first-time boarding customers only.

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