Quick answer: Brain Training for Dogs is a self-paced, force-free course from CPDT-KA certified trainer Adrienne Farricelli. It teaches through short games that build focus, impulse control and problem solving. It fits owners who can practice 10 to 15 minutes a day at home. Expect weeks of work before you see a real shift, and look elsewhere if your dog has serious aggression.
Brain Training for Dogs shows up on almost every list of online dog training courses. Most of those lists are written by people who never opened it. We did. We bought the course ourselves and used it as our starting point when we began training our own dog, long before the PawMastery channel reached 175,000 subscribers. Much of the impulse control work in our training videos traces back to what we learned from it.
That history is the reason for this review, and also the reason you should read it with a little skepticism, since we earn a commission if you buy through our link. Below you will find what is inside the course, how a lesson works, where it falls short, what to check before you pay, and who should skip it.
What Is Brain Training for Dogs?
It is a digital course you work through at home. The core is a written program of games, supported by short video demonstrations and a library of extra articles. There is no live trainer and nobody watching your dog, so you read a game, try it, and adjust based on how your dog responds.
Instead of drilling commands over and over, the course asks your dog to think. A game might ask your dog to find a treat under a cup, wait before taking something, or work out how to open a simple puzzle. Obedience skills come along for the ride, but the main goal is a dog that can focus and settle when something exciting is happening.
| Material | What it contains | How you use it |
|---|---|---|
| Main Brain Training for Dogs book | Step-by-step games organized by level | Read a game, then follow the practice steps |
| Behavior Training for Dogs book | Reference guidance on common problems such as barking, chewing, jumping, digging and whining | Look up one concern without working through the main program |
| Demonstration videos | Short clips showing how selected games are set up | Watch the setup before you try it with your dog |
| Article library | Extra training articles | Optional reading when a question comes up |
Page counts, the number of videos and the bonus list change from time to time, so check the current sales page for exact figures before you buy. Everything is digital. If you hate reading on a screen, plan to print the pages you use most.
Who Created It
The program was built by Adrienne Farricelli, a CPDT-KA certified professional dog trainer (Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Knowledge Assessed). The credential means she passed an exam run by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, an outside body, instead of simply declaring herself an expert. It is worth knowing that dog training is unregulated, so a credential like this is one of the few checkable signals you get. We cover how to weigh them in our guide on how to choose a dog trainer.
Her approach is force-free from start to finish. The course uses no prong collars, no shock collars and no dominance-based corrections. It rewards the behavior you want and builds from there, which matches the position the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior has taken on humane training methods.
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Brain Training for Dogs
The program we personally used to build our own dog’s foundation. Force-free, game-based and self-paced, with a money-back guarantee you should read before you buy.
Check out Brain Training for Dogs here · We earn a commission at no extra cost to you. See our affiliate disclosure.
How the Lessons Work
A typical game asks you to reward a small behavior you can actually see: your dog turning toward you, waiting for a second, nosing the right object. You mark the moment, hand over a treat, toy or bit of praise, and then make the task a little harder. Nothing in the process depends on correcting mistakes.
Three habits make these games work, and the course leans on all of them:
- Timing. The reward has to land while the dog is doing the thing you want. A treat that arrives two seconds late rewards whatever happened in those two seconds.
- The right difficulty. If your dog keeps failing, the game is too hard. Make it easier, remove a distraction or change the reward. If your dog succeeds with no effort, raise the difficulty a notch.
- Short repetitions. A few clean tries beat a long session that ends with a bored or frustrated dog.
The troubleshooting notes attached to the games are useful when a step stalls. They cannot see your dog, though. A game that works for a confident Labrador may need heavy adjusting for a nervous rescue, and a game cannot help a dog who is scared. A worried dog needs more distance from whatever worries them and a plan, which is a different job from enrichment.
The Five Stages of the Curriculum
The course names its stages after school levels, which gives you an easy way to see where you are. Roughly, the progression runs like this:
| Stage | Rough focus |
|---|---|
| Preschool | Attention and simple introductory games |
| Elementary | Early cues and basic obedience practice |
| High School | Sensory games and more involved tasks |
| College | Patience, motor skills and added difficulty |
| Einstein | Advanced games and problem-solving challenges |
Treat the stages as a guide and ignore any sense of a deadline. A dog that needs three weeks on an early game should take three weeks. The later games are optional, and plenty of dogs get more out of repeating simpler ones than rushing toward a hard puzzle. The advanced work says nothing about how smart your dog is.
Because the early games build attention and self-control first, the course makes the most sense for a dog who already knows a few basics and still acts on impulse: jumping on guests, grabbing food, pulling toward every distraction. Impulse control sits underneath many behavior complaints that look unrelated, which is why this angle is worth taking seriously. Our piece on tiring out a dog without walking more explains why mental work wears a dog out faster than most owners expect.
How to Get the Most Out of It
The course will not do the practice for you. These are the habits we would build from day one:
- Start with 10 to 15 minutes a day. That is our suggestion, not a requirement from the course. Short sessions keep your dog interested, and you can always do two in a day.
- Stay on a game until it feels easy. Our own rule of thumb, not a published standard: move on when your dog gets it right most of the time without help.
- Quit while it is going well. Walking away, sniffing the floor and yawning mean your dog is done. Stop, then try again later.
- Keep the setting boring at first. Practice in a quiet room, then add distractions slowly.
- Be honest about the timeline. Habits form over weeks. Our guide on how long it takes to train a dog has realistic ranges.
Does Brain Training for Dogs Work?
For owners who practice, the structure is sound. Reward-based methods are the ones that veterinary behavior groups recommend, and the games reward calm, thoughtful behavior instead of punishing mistakes. We go through the research in our look at what the evidence shows about training methods.
You will see star ratings for this course on several review sites, and we have chosen not to quote them. The numbers differ from site to site, the sample sizes are small, and people who leave a review are not a random group. A rating tells you that some buyers were happy. It cannot tell you whether your dog, with your schedule, will improve. We also have no controlled data on this specific course, and we would rather say so than invent a figure.
What we can tell you is what we saw. The step-by-step structure was easy to follow as first-time trainers, and the impulse control focus carried over directly into the methods we now teach.
The One Honest Caveat
The sales page leans on language about eliminating behavior problems quickly. In our experience, and from what users report, that is not realistic. Real change in impulse control and anxiety-driven behavior takes weeks to months of consistent practice. That is true of every legitimate training method, and this one is no exception.
If you buy expecting a quick fix, you will be disappointed. If you buy expecting a structured system that pays off when you practice daily, it delivers.
Puppies, Senior Dogs and High-Energy Breeds
Puppies can start with the early games, but keep sessions very short and skip anything that needs long focus. Pair the course with a basic routine, such as the one in our puppy training schedule by age.
Senior dogs can enjoy mental games well into old age, but choose gentler movements and a comfortable surface. If a senior dog suddenly loses interest or struggles with tasks that used to be easy, rule out pain and illness first. Our guide to senior dog behavior changes covers what to look for.
High-energy and working breeds are often the best candidates, since physical exercise alone rarely satisfies them. See our notes on training Border Collies, Huskies and similar breeds.
When a Self-Guided Course Is Not Enough
Some problems need a person in the room. Do not rely on a course for:
- Aggression toward people or other animals, including bites or serious snapping
- Guarding food, toys or space with growling, stiffening or lunging (see resource guarding in dogs)
- A sudden change in behavior, which can have a medical cause
For those, start with your veterinarian to rule out pain or illness, then bring in a certified trainer or a veterinary behaviorist who can watch your dog directly. We are not a veterinary practice, and nothing in a course or in this review replaces that kind of help.
Price and Money-Back Guarantee
Brain Training for Dogs has been sold as a one-time payment instead of a subscription, which keeps it well below the cost of even a single private session with a trainer. You may see different prices listed on different sites, and offers change, so we are not going to quote a number that could be out of date by the time you read this.
Before you pay, check three things on the current checkout page:
- The total, and whether it is a single payment
- What “lifetime access” covers, if that wording appears
- The guarantee: how long it lasts, what conditions apply, and how you request a refund
A guarantee lowers the risk of trying the course, but only if you understand it. Start the first games in the first few days so you can judge your dog’s response while the refund window is still open.
Pros and Cons
What we like:
- Built by a certified trainer with checkable credentials, not an anonymous course creator
- Force-free from start to finish
- Level-by-level format that is easy to follow for a first-time owner
- Focuses on impulse control, which sits underneath many unrelated-looking behavior problems
- Affordable one-time cost compared with private training
- Includes a separate reference book for common behavior concerns
What to keep in mind:
- The marketing overstates how fast results come
- It needs daily consistency, and skimming it once will not do much
- Everything is digital, with no live feedback on your dog
- Dogs with severe aggression or safety concerns still need an in-person professional
Brain Training for Dogs vs. Other Options
| Option | Format | Best for | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brain Training for Dogs | Self-paced games at home | Dogs that know the basics but act on impulse | No live observation of your dog |
| The Online Dog Trainer | Video lessons across a large library | Owners who want general obedience taught by video | Broader and less game-focused |
| Group class | Scheduled lessons with other dogs | Practicing around distractions | Less individual attention; can overwhelm a nervous dog |
| Private trainer | One-on-one, in person | Specific problems and safety concerns | Higher cost and scheduling |
None of these is objectively better. The right pick depends on whether your dog lacks basic training, lacks self-control despite knowing commands, or needs hands-on help with something specific. Plenty of owners combine a course with a class.
Who This Program Is Right For
Brain Training for Dogs makes the most sense if:
- Your dog knows basic commands but still acts impulsively (jumping, pulling, grabbing food, reacting to triggers)
- You want a force-free method and are uncomfortable with correction tools
- You prefer working at home on your own schedule
- Your dog is high-energy and needs more mental stimulation than walks provide
It is probably the wrong fit if your dog has serious aggression, if you want someone to coach you live, or if you cannot realistically set aside a few minutes most days.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I practice each day?
Ten to fifteen minutes is a sensible starting point. Adjust to your dog’s attention. If your dog seems tired, confused or frustrated, stop and try again later.
How long until you see results?
It varies by dog, but expect weeks of consistent practice before a meaningful shift, not days.
Is Brain Training for Dogs suitable for puppies and senior dogs?
Yes, with adjustments. Puppies need very short sessions, and senior dogs may need gentler movements. Pick games that match your dog’s ability and comfort.
Can it fix food aggression or severe aggression?
No. Do not rely on a self-paced course for aggression or safety risks. Get your dog checked by a veterinarian, then work with a qualified professional who can see your dog in person.
Do you need special equipment?
Not usually. Most games use everyday household items, toys and treats. Check each game’s instructions before you start, and remove anything unsafe from the area.
Is it a subscription?
It has been sold as a one-time purchase, but terms can change. Confirm the payment type and what access includes on the current checkout page.
Is this a replacement for in-person training?
For general behavior and mental stimulation, it can be. For serious aggression or safety-related issues, work with a certified in-person behaviorist instead.
Final Verdict
Brain Training for Dogs earns its reputation. A credentialed trainer built it, it stays force-free throughout, and it goes after impulse control instead of surface-level obedience. It is no magic fix, and anyone who says otherwise is not being straight with you. For owners who will practice a little every day, it is one of the more useful structured programs at this price, and it is the one we credit as our own starting point.
If it sounds like a fit, check the current price and guarantee terms first, then start the early games right away so the refund window works in your favor.
Affiliate recommendation
Brain Training for Dogs
See the full program and current terms here: Brain Training for Dogs · We earn a commission at no extra cost to you. See our affiliate disclosure.
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