Mary Dormody founded Mary's Angels Dog Training in 2017 after earning a degree in Animal Biology from UC Davis and interning with veterinary behaviorist Dr. Sophia Yin. She holds a Karen Pryor Academy certification, a six-month program focused on learning science and hands-on training methods. A second trainer, Heidi, brings over twenty years of experience working with dogs and certification through Animal Behavior College.
The San Rafael facility structures its group classes differently than most, sessions are capped at four dogs, which the business describes as offering a "semi-private feel" with more individual attention. Rather than requiring owners to commit to lengthy multi-week courses, they offer subject-specific classes targeting particular skills like recall, leash walking, or reactivity. According to their site, this format lets people work on what their dog actually needs on a flexible schedule.
Beyond group work, the business provides private coaching sessions, behavior consultations, and a day training option where the trainer works directly with the dog and transfers skills to the owner afterward, aimed at people with limited time. Puppy owners get free 30-minute socialization sessions and complimentary phone consultations. The program list also includes specialty offerings like rattlesnake avoidance training and introductory agility classes.
