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What A Good Dog! LA is a dog training business in Los Angeles, California offering private lessons and in-home training, working by traveling to clients. They describe their approach as reward-based training, take aggression cases by assessment, and publish pricing from $800 per course to $1,500 per course.
Los Angeles, CA • Mobile / travels to you • 4.9 ★ (44 Google reviews)
Last reviewed: Sep 5, 2026
96 / 100
Highly transparent
How clearly this listing publishes the details owners need. See our methodology.
Based on what the business publishes about itself
Dianne V. Lawrence, the trainer behind What A Good Dog! LA, came to dog training through rescue work. According to her site, she began rescuing dogs in the 1980s and has since placed over 75 dogs into homes. Her advocacy background is notable: she describes leading a campaign that contributed to Los Angeles passing an ordinance banning full-time backyard dog tethering.
Lawrence describes her training philosophy as focused on building the relationship between dog and owner, with an emphasis on what she calls "leadership", being firm without anger, loving while commanding respect. She states that she avoids prong collars, choke chains, slip leads, and shock collars in her leash work. Her site lists separation anxiety and leash reactivity among her specialties, claiming she can address pulling and lunging behaviors quickly through her approach.
The business offers private lessons and in-home training throughout the Los Angeles area, working with puppies and adult dogs. Lawrence notes that she handles most behavioral issues but refers out serious aggression cases, offering a free evaluation to help owners determine fit. Her site also mentions flexible payment options and no rescheduling fees.
Private lessons and in-home training are the focus here, with six-session packages covering basic obedience, leash skills, and separation anxiety. What A Good Dog! LA also offers an add-on for households training a second dog, extending to eight two-hour sessions.
$1,300 per course
This package covers six training sessions held at the trainer's location, working through obedience commands and any behavioral issues the owner reports.
The client brings the dog to the trainer for each of the six sessions.
Best for: Dog owners able to bring their dog to the trainer's location.
Duration: 6 sessions
Focus: Basic obedience, Leash training, Separation anxiety
$800 per course
An add-on package for training a second dog in the household, delivered across eight two-hour sessions that include both dogs.
Both dogs are trained together across the eight sessions.
Best for: Households with two dogs who want both trained together.
Requirements: Add-on for households training a second dog alongside the first, with longer 2-hour sessions.
Duration: 8 sessions
Focus: Basic obedience, Leash training
$1,500 per course
This package covers six in-home training sessions where the trainer comes to the client's home to work on obedience commands, leash walking, and other behavior issues. Sessions run about 1.5 hours each.
The trainer travels to the client's residence for each of the six sessions.
Best for: Dog owners who prefer training to happen at their own home.
Duration: 6 sessions
Focus: Basic obedience, Leash training, Separation anxiety
In-home training runs $1,500 for six sessions, while lessons at the trainer's location cost $1,300 for the same package. Adding a second dog is $800 for eight sessions.
| Program | Price | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 6 SESSIONS You come to me | $1,300 per course | 6 sessions |
| ADD A 2ND DOG - 8 SESSIONS | $800 per course | 8 sessions |
| Program | Price | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 6 SESSIONS I come to you | $1,500 per course | 6 sessions |
The program explicitly identifies as force-free, avoiding aversive tools and techniques. Aggression and reactivity cases are evaluated individually rather than accepted or declined outright.
Their public materials state they do not use e-collars, prong collars, slip leads, and choke chains. Which tools they do use is not specified, so ask the trainer directly.
As described in the business's own materials
According to their site, began rescuing dogs in the 1980s, later trained under a professional trainer, and has rescued and placed over 75 dogs into homes. She also led a successful campaign that resulted in an anti-backyard-tethering ordinance in Los Angeles.
What A Good Dog! LA is a mobile trainer based in Los Angeles, CA, traveling to clients rather than hosting them, offering private lessons and in-home training at the client's home.
Their site says they dog owners throughout the Los Angeles area, training puppies and adult dogs of any breed, either in the client's home or at the trainer's location.
Sessions at the trainer's location take place near West Adams in the 90018 zip code. For in-home training, the trainer travels to you.
Barklen analysis
Barklen analysis based on 22 published Los Angeles listings (51 with published pricing). These comparisons are computed by Barklen, not claims made by What A Good Dog! LA.
Price: entry price above the published Los Angeles range for private lessons ($800–$1,300 vs. $80–$220); entry price above the published Los Angeles range for in-home training ($1,500 vs. $62–$266).
Reviews: 4.9★ from 44 Google reviews, among 22 published Los Angeles programs.
Transparency: 96 out of 100 (highly transparent), with 100% price transparency and 85% program clarity. 4 of 22 Los Angeles listings show certifications; this business does not list any.
| Program type | What A Good Dog! LA | Los Angeles range | Barklen read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private Lessons | $800–$1,300 | $80–$220 across 5 Los Angeles programs | Entry price above the published Los Angeles range |
| In-Home Training | $1,500 | $62–$266 across 3 Los Angeles programs | Entry price above the published Los Angeles range |
Generated from what their public materials leave open
2215 W 25th St, Los Angeles, CA
Barklen reviewed What A Good Dog! LA against the business's public materials and published this listing. That is not a check of licenses, insurance, or certifications. See our methodology for what a verified listing does and does not mean.
Details the public materials do not address (owner visits during programs, progress updates, overnight staffing, insurance, guarantee, certifications, and others) are turned into the questions above rather than filled in.
Last reviewed by Barklen: Sep 5, 2026
Contact What A Good Dog! LA directly by phone or through their website, or request a quote through Barklen and we will pass it along.
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