The spcaLA Patricia Gorham Training Center operates as the training arm of a nonprofit animal welfare organization that dates back to 1877, though their dog training program launched in 2000. According to their site, they employ a roster of credentialed instructors—several hold CPDT-KA certifications, and their nose work team includes nearly a dozen CNWI-certified specialists. Classes run at multiple locations across Los Angeles County, with the Burbank facility serving as a primary training site.
Their approach, as they describe it, relies entirely on positive reinforcement, avoiding prong, choke, and shock collars in favor of reward-based methods. Group sessions are kept intentionally small—four to eight dogs per class—which they frame as offering more individualized attention than typical large-format group training.
Beyond standard obedience and puppy classes, spcaLA lists an unusually broad menu of activities: nose work, agility at various skill levels, flyball, parkour, scent tracking, and even dog dancing. They also offer a Reactive Rover class specifically for dogs with reactivity challenges, though they note on their site that dogs showing aggression toward people or other animals may be dismissed. As a nonprofit, they state that class fees support their shelter work—something worth knowing for owners who prefer their training dollars go toward animal welfare rather than a for-profit operation.
