Pat Rohde has been training dogs since 1972 and founded Rav'n Dog Training in 1990. She holds certification as a Professional Dog Trainer and serves as a mentor for the Animal Behavior College program. Her team of six instructors brings decades of combined experience across obedience, rally, agility, scentwork, and trick training—several have earned competition titles and one, Christina Ehlers-Woelk, has qualified for the AKC Rally National Championship multiple years running.
The program operates from two indoor facilities on the San Francisco Peninsula and serves everyone from first-time owners to handlers pursuing advanced titles. According to their site, they use positive, reward-based methods that they describe as "play-training"—starting with luring techniques and progressing to reinforcement as dogs build skills. Classes span puppy basics through Utility-level competition obedience, with additional tracks for rally, recreational agility, scentwork, and trick training including Canine Good Citizen preparation.
What stands out in their Redwood City operation is the depth of their competitive pathway. Most trainers offer beginner classes; fewer can walk someone from a first sit-stay through AKC Excellent and Master level rally courses. The instructors' own competition backgrounds—titles in agility, obedience, field work, and conformation—suggest they're teaching skills they've actually used in the ring.
