What does The Natural Dog charge for dog training?

The Natural Dog in Oakland, CA publishes dog training programs from $40. See the program table on this page for each package.

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The Natural Dog

The Natural Dog is a dog training business in Oakland, California offering In-Home Training and Board and Train, with published programs from $40.

Oakland • CA • Home-based trainer • 5.0 ★ (10 Google reviews)

Last verified: Sep 6, 2026

Transparency Score

66 / 100

Moderately transparent

How clearly this listing publishes the details owners need. See our methodology.

Price transparency: 100%
Method transparency: 35%
Program clarity: 43%

About this program

What they say about themselves

The Natural Dog is a family-owned Oakland business operated by husband-and-wife team Paul and Nora Oliphant. Paul established the business after working with another dog company in 2013, and Nora joined him in late 2014. Their background is based primarily on hands-on dog handling, structured pack walking, and personal experience rather than published professional dog-training certifications. The current website continues to identify the business as operating since 2013.

The main behavior-focused service is Off-Leash Trail Adventures throughout the East Bay Regional Park District. Packs contain up to six dogs, with hikes lasting at least 60 minutes and total pickup-to-drop-off time ranging from about 1.5 to four hours. The Natural Dog describes these outings as structured pack walks that combine physical exercise, mental engagement, social-behavior expectations, and gradual off-leash privileges. A two-day-per-week minimum applies.

The company's philosophy uses pack-leadership language and emphasizes calm leadership, trust, respect, boundaries, limitations, structure, love, and patience. Paul describes his goal as helping dogs reach a calm and "balanced" state, but the site does not explicitly identify its methodology as balanced training. The Natural Dog also provides home boarding in Oakland's Montclair District. Boarding is a care service rather than a training program and excludes dogs with aggression issues while generally declining dogs with separation anxiety.

What does The Natural Dog charge for board and train?

The Natural Dog's primary structured dog-handling service is Off-Leash Trail Adventures, combining pack walking with social-behavior guidance, physical exercise, mental stimulation, and gradual off-leash work. Dogs are picked up from home, hike for at least 60 minutes, and return the same day. A two-day weekly minimum applies. The business does not publish conventional Private Lessons or Board and Train.

Off-Leash Trail Adventures cost $40 per adventure hike. Home boarding is listed at $80 per night for multi-night stays and $85 for a single night, with a $40 late-pickup daycare fee and holiday surcharges. Boarding is a care service and is excluded from standardized training-program pricing.

Board and Train

Boarding — $80 per program

Best for: Dogs must be at least 18 months old, current on shots/flea-tick meds, no aggression issues, generally no separation anxiety, dogs under 3 must be crate trained (with exceptions), no high/puppy energy, must be house trained and nondestructive

Focus: Basic obedience, Socialization

Board and Train pricing at The Natural Dog in Oakland, CA
Program	Price	Duration
Boarding	$80–$85 per program	—

In-Home Training

Off-Leash Trail Adventures — $40 per session

Best for: 2 day per week minimum required; no short term walking requests

Focus: Recall & off-leash, Socialization, Basic obedience

Duration: 1 sessions

In-Home Training pricing at The Natural Dog in Oakland, CA
Program	Price	Duration
Off-Leash Trail Adventures	$40 per session	1 sessions

What training methods does The Natural Dog use?

The Natural Dog emphasizes calm pack leadership, structure, trust, respect, boundaries, limitations, physical activity, and patient handling. The site repeatedly discusses helping dogs reach a natural or balanced state, but it does not explicitly describe its methodology as balanced training or publish specific training tools.

Method: Method unclear

Their website describes their approach in general terms without specifying which methods or tools they use.

How do we verify The Natural Dog?

Certifications: Not specified on their website

Verification still pending or not yet requested. See our methodology for what verification does and does not mean.

Trust & facility details

The Natural Dog states that it is licensed by the City of Oakland, permitted by the East Bay Regional Parks District, insured, and Pet CPR certified. Trail-adventure packs are capped at six dogs, and the company publishes clear boarding eligibility and safety requirements.

Facility: Home-based trainer

Owner visits: not specified on their website.

Video updates: not specified on their website.

Overnight staffing: not specified on their website.

Insurance: Yes

Guarantee: not specified on their website.

Waitlist: not specified on their website.

Dogs per trainer: not specified on their website.

Booking: Contact form

How does The Natural Dog compare in Oakland?

Price: Published board & train pricing is still limited among other Oakland programs, so a midpoint comparison is not available yet.

Reviews: The Natural Dog shows 5.0★ from 10 Google reviews among 5 published Oakland programs.

Transparency: This listing scores 66 out of 100 (price 100%, program clarity 43%). 2 of 5 Oakland listings show certifications; this business does not list certifications.

What to ask The Natural Dog

Ask which certifications their trainers hold and who issued them.
Ask how many dogs each trainer handles at once.
Their site describes their approach in general terms — ask which specific methods and tools they use.
Ask whether you can visit during the program.
Ask if anyone is on-site overnight.
Ask for a written outline of daily structure, skills covered, and what follow-up support looks like after the program.
Ask about current availability and whether there is a waitlist.

Location & hours

The Natural Dog is based in the Montclair District of Oakland, California, with contact information listing Colton Blvd., Oakland, CA 94611. Off-Leash Trail Adventures take place throughout the East Bay Regional Park District.

Colton and, Gaspar Dr, Oakland, CA

Hours: Not specified on their website