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Mary's Angels Dog Training is a dog training business in San Rafael, California offering Group Classes and Private Lessons, with published programs from $160.
San Rafael • CA • Training facility • 4.9 ★ (21 Google reviews)
Last verified: Sep 5, 2026
77 / 100
Moderately transparent
How clearly this listing publishes the details owners need. See our methodology.
What they say about themselves
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.
Consultations and evaluations before you commit to a program.
A required human-only orientation session that introduces the training approach, clicker mechanics, and safety guidelines before joining other classes.
Best for: New students who have not previously taken classes.
Duration: 90 sessions
Focus: Basic obedience
A one-time introductory session combining an assessment of the dog, development of a personalized training plan, and a hands-on training session with the owner.
Best for: New clients starting out, or existing clients wanting an as-needed refresher.
Duration: 1.5 sessions
Focus: Basic obedience
A 45-minute human-only educational talk covering a puppy's first year including house training, crate training, socialization, and developmental stages.
Best for: People planning to get a puppy or who recently got one.
Duration: 45 sessions
Focus: Puppy training, Socialization
Best for: For puppies 6-18 months old
Duration: 45 sessions
Focus: Puppy training, Basic obedience
Puppy owners can start with a free socialization class for dogs 10 weeks to 5 months old, or enroll in a 6-week Puppy Kindergarten. Mary's Angels Dog Training also offers subject-specific group classes covering leash skills, recall, and reactivity, though new students must complete Orientation and Foundations first. Private options include Coached Training for hands-on guidance and Day Training where staff works with the dog and transfers skills back to the owner.
Puppy socials are free. Private sessions for Coached Training and Day Training run $160 to $170 each, structured as 4-week programs. Group class pricing for Puppy Kindergarten and subject-specific courses isn't listed on the site.
One-hour private sessions where the trainer teaches the owner directly how to train their dog, with daily homework required between sessions to prepare for the next lesson.
The owner attends weekly one-hour sessions with the trainer and dog, completing homework between sessions; recommended twice weekly.
Best for: First-time dog owners or those unfamiliar with positive reinforcement-based training.
Focus: Basic obedience
Duration: 4 weeks
The trainer works one-on-one with the dog without the owner present, then holds separate transfer sessions weekly or biweekly to teach the owner the trained behaviors.
The dog trains with the trainer alone during sessions, with periodic handoff sessions to teach the owner the skills.
Best for: Owners with hectic schedules who cannot maintain daily training homework.
Focus: Basic obedience
Duration: 4 weeks
Includes: Owner handoff sessions
| Program | Price | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Coached Training | $160–$170 per session | 4 weeks |
| Day Training | $160–$170 per session | 4 weeks |
This is a small-group puppy class covering socialization, life skills, and manners equivalent to several subject-specific classes combined, including foundations, recall, leash walking, polite greetings, and drop it.
Puppies attend weekly group classes for six weeks, learning skills alongside up to four other dogs.
Best for: New puppies aged 5 months or younger.
Focus: Puppy training, Socialization, Basic obedience
Duration: 6 weeks
A free, short group session where young puppies can explore new sights, sounds, and textures while playing with other puppies in a controlled setting.
Puppies attend a single 30-minute drop-in play and exposure session.
Best for: Puppies between 10 weeks and 5 months old.
Focus: Puppy training, Socialization
Duration: 30 sessions
A series of single-topic group classes covering recall, leash walking, polite greetings, drop it, door dashing, calm behavior, and overcoming distractions, each built in progressive levels. Classes can be repeated and are chosen individually based on what the dog needs.
Owners attend small group sessions focused on one skill area, progressing through levels 1 to 3 as needed.
Best for: Dogs and owners who have completed Orientation and want targeted work on a specific skill.
Focus: Basic obedience, Leash training, Recall & off-leash, Leash reactivity
| Program | Price | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Puppy Kindergarten | Not published | 6 weeks |
| Free Puppy Socials | Free | 30 sessions |
| Subject-Specific Classes | Not published | — |
The program explicitly identifies as force-free, using positive reinforcement-based techniques. They evaluate aggression and reactivity cases individually rather than accepting or declining them outright.
Method: Reward-based
Uses rewards and positive reinforcement only, without corrections or aversive tools.
Certifications: KPA-CTP, ABCDT
Verification still pending or not yet requested. See our methodology for what verification does and does not mean.
Staff hold KPA-CTP and ABCDT certifications, and the business has operated for about 8 years. Day training maintains a ratio of 4 dogs per trainer. Insurance coverage, guarantees, and owner visitation policies aren't addressed on the site.
Facility: Training facility
Owner visits: not specified on their website.
Video updates: not specified on their website.
Overnight staffing: not specified on their website.
Insurance: not specified on their website.
Guarantee: not specified on their website.
Waitlist: not specified on their website.
Dogs per trainer: 4
Booking: Phone only
Price: Mary's Angels Dog Training does not publish board & train pricing. Across San Rafael, 6 programs publish prices from about $160 to $3,500.
Reviews: Mary's Angels Dog Training shows 4.9★ from 21 Google reviews among 3 published San Rafael programs.
Transparency: This listing scores 77 out of 100 (price 60%, program clarity 81%). 1 of 3 San Rafael listings show certifications; this business lists KPA-CTP, ABCDT.
Training takes place at a dedicated facility on Simms Street in San Rafael. The site doesn't mention parking availability or accessibility features for the space.
41 Simms St Ste c, San Rafael, CA
Friday: Closed
Monday: 9AM-6PM
Sunday: 9AM-6PM
Tuesday: 9AM-6PM
Saturday: 1-6PM
Thursday: 9AM-6PM
Wednesday: 9AM-6PM
Reach out directly or send a quote request through Mary's Angels Dog Training.
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