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Top Dog SF is a dog training business in San Francisco, California offering board and train, in-home training, and group classes, working from a dedicated training facility. They describe their approach as reward-based training, take aggression cases by assessment, and publish pricing from $35 per session to $2,015.
San Francisco, CA • Training facility • 4.9 ★ (104 Google reviews)
Last reviewed: Sep 6, 2026
93 / 100
Highly transparent
How clearly this listing publishes the details owners need. See our methodology.
Based on what the business publishes about itself
Natalie Tondelli Walsh started Top Dog SF in 2004 while attending SFSU, initially walking dogs part-time before completing certification through the SPCA's Dog Training Academy in 2009. After spending roughly five years as a police officer in San Mateo County, she returned to lead the business in 2024. Her team includes trainers with credentials from the Karen Pryor Academy, Animal Behavior College, and similar programs, and the company states its staff holds CPDT-KA certifications.
The San Francisco operation runs group puppy classes and in-home private sessions, with their site emphasizing force-free, reward-based techniques throughout. According to their materials, puppies completing their preschool and kindergarten curriculum can earn the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy designation, and they offer preparation for the Canine Good Citizen evaluation as well. One notable feature mentioned on their site: a dedicated daycare program for dogs weighing under 25 pounds, run from their Sunset District facility with what they describe as small enrollment numbers and higher staffing ratios than typical operations.
The business also offers something less common in urban areas, transported outings to private ranch acreage for off-leash play, which they position as an alternative to busy public dog parks. Their site indicates they maintain consistent pricing across San Francisco neighborhoods rather than varying rates by location.
Puppy programming dominates the offerings here, with AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy classes split into Preschool (8 weeks to 5 months) and Kindergarten (5 months to 1 year), plus drop-in puppy socials for younger dogs. Top Dog SF also runs private sessions, a 6-session package for deeper behavior work or multi-dog households, and a 4-week Puppy Head Start board-and-train for dogs 2–6 months old. Small Dog PlayCare provides daycare-style socialization for dogs under 25 pounds.
$1,525–$2,015
An all-day daytime program for puppies covering socialization, basic obedience, play, crate/alone time, and potty training over four weeks.
Best for: Puppies between 2 and 6 months old.
Requirements: For puppies 2–6 months
Duration: 4 weeks
Focus: Puppy training, Socialization, Basic obedience
$700 per course
A six-session in-home training package designed for more involved behavior issues or households with multiple dogs.
Six in-home private training sessions delivered over time by the same trainer.
Best for: Households needing deeper behavior work or with multiple dogs.
Requirements: For deeper behavior work or multi-dog households
Duration: 6 sessions
Focus: Basic obedience, Leash reactivity
$125 per session
A single 60-minute in-home training session delivered anywhere in the client's neighborhood, covering real-world manners like loose-leash walking, recall, and polite greetings.
The trainer comes to the client's home for a one-hour, one-on-one session.
Package: $600 for a 5-session package
Focus: Basic obedience, Leash training
$300 per course
This is a five-week group class combining basic training with structured puppy socialization. Classes are capped at six to eight puppies and run fifty minutes, including one puppy social and materials like a clicker and treats.
Puppies and owners attend weekly 50-minute sessions together, with week one being a humans-only orientation.
Best for: Puppies between 8 weeks and 5 months old.
Requirements: Ages 8 weeks to 5 months
Duration: 5 weeks
Focus: Puppy training, Socialization, Basic obedience
$300 per course
This class continues training and socialization begun in preschool, for slightly older puppies. It runs five weeks with small group sizes and includes a small-dog social required for certification.
Puppies attend weekly group sessions with their owners, working on continued obedience and socialization skills.
Best for: Puppies aged five months to one year.
Requirements: Ages 5 months to 1 year
Duration: 5 weeks
Focus: Puppy training, Socialization, Basic obedience
$35 per session
A weekly 50-minute drop-in social event held on Saturdays for young puppies to interact and socialize under supervision.
Puppies attend a single weekly session focused on supervised social play.
Best for: Young puppies under 18 weeks (small breeds) or 16 weeks (large breeds).
Requirements: For puppies under 18 weeks (small breeds) or 16 weeks (large breeds)
Focus: Puppy training, Socialization
$48 per day
A small-group daycare program exclusively for dogs under 25 lbs, offering supervised play, leashed walks, enrichment activities, and rest breaks throughout the day.
Dogs are dropped off and spend the day in supervised indoor/outdoor play with structured rest and walk breaks.
Best for: Small dogs under 25 lbs seeking socialization in a low-enrollment setting.
Requirements: Small dogs under 25 lbs
Package: $750 for a 10-class package
Focus: Socialization
Group puppy classes run $300 for a 5-week course, with puppy socials at $35 per drop-in. Private sessions cost $125 each or $600 for a 5-session package, while the 6-session package is $700. The Puppy Head Start board-and-train ranges from $1,525 to $2,015 for four weeks, and Small Dog PlayCare is $48 per day ($750 for 10 days).
| Program | Price | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Puppy Head Start (4-week) | $1,525–$2,015 | 4 weeks |
| Program | Price | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 6-Session Package | $700 per course | 6 sessions |
| Private Session (60 min) | $125 per session$600 for a 5-session package | Not stated |
| Program | Price | Length |
|---|---|---|
| AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Preschool 101 | $300 per course | 5 weeks |
| AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Kindergarten 201 | $300 per course | 5 weeks |
| Puppy Socials | $35 per session | Not stated |
| Small Dog PlayCare | $48 per day$750 for a 10-class package | Not stated |
The site explicitly describes the approach as force-free. Aggression and reactivity cases are evaluated individually rather than accepted or declined outright.
Their public materials mention clickers. Barklen has not verified how or when they are used, so ask the trainer directly.
As described in the business's own materials
According to their site, started the business part-time in college walking dogs, became a certified trainer in 2009 through the SPCA's Dog Training Academy, later worked as a police officer in San Mateo County for about five years before returning to the business in 2024.
Credentials listed on their site: Certified trainer (SPCA Dog Training Academy, 2009). Barklen has not independently verified these.
According to their site, a Bay Area native who offers private, positive-reinforcement-based training focused on building trust between dogs and owners.
Credentials listed on their site: Graduate of Karen Pryor Academy's Dog Training Foundations program. Barklen has not independently verified these.
According to their site, moved to San Francisco in 2014 and manages day-to-day operations and social media while working toward becoming a professional trainer.
Credentials listed on their site: Completed certifications with Dog Walker University, Karen Pryor, and Trish King. Barklen has not independently verified these.
According to their site, an SF native who joined the team in February 2024 after a prior career as a touring musician and band manager; became a professional trainer in 2020 after owning dogs for nearly 20 years.
Credentials listed on their site: Animal Behavior College Certified Dog Trainer, AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator, Top Dog University Certified Dog Walker, and Pet CPR and First Aid Certified. Barklen has not independently verified these.
According to their site, grew up in San Francisco surrounded by pets and previously volunteered with the SPCA caring for small animals; recently joined the PlayCare team.
Top Dog SF operates from a dedicated training facility in San Francisco, CA, offering board and train stays at their facility, group classes, and in-home training at the client's home.
Their site says they dog owners throughout San Francisco and the Bay Area, including puppy owners, small-dog households, and residents of specific neighborhoods such as Pacific Heights, the Sunset, Richmond, Mission, Marina, and Noe Valley.
Classes and small dog PlayCare are run out of a Sunset District location, with a separate private off-leash ranch used for adventure outings.
The Taraval Street facility in San Francisco's Parkside neighborhood operates as a dedicated training space. Parking and accessibility details aren't published.
Barklen analysis
Barklen analysis based on 13 published San Francisco listings (46 with published pricing). These comparisons are computed by Barklen, not claims made by Top Dog SF.
Price: entry price below the published San Francisco range for in-home training ($125–$700 vs. $133–$172); entry price below the published San Francisco range for group classes ($35–$300 vs. $294–$378).
Reviews: 4.9★ from 104 Google reviews, among 13 published San Francisco programs.
Transparency: 93 out of 100 (highly transparent), with 100% price transparency and 70% program clarity. 5 of 13 San Francisco listings show certifications; this business lists CPDT-KA.
| Program type | Top Dog SF | San Francisco range | Barklen read |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-Home Training | $125–$700 | $133–$172 across 4 San Francisco programs | Entry price below the published San Francisco range |
| Group Classes | $35–$300 | $294–$378 across 20 San Francisco programs | Entry price below the published San Francisco range |
Generated from what their public materials leave open
2121 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA
Barklen reviewed Top Dog SF 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, overnight staffing, guarantee, dogs per trainer, and waitlist) are turned into the questions above rather than filled in.
Last reviewed by Barklen: Sep 6, 2026
Contact Top Dog SF directly by phone or through their website, or request a quote through Barklen and we will pass it along.
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