It’s not What We Train. It’s How.

At The Canine Academy, Less is More.

For years, the prevailing opinion of canine training and behavioral experts was that dogs respond best to force and the more training tools you can use to achieve compliance as fast as possible, the better. Prioritizing training speed over the health and mental well-being of the dog. However, over the past two decades studies, research, and countless hours of active training in the field have proven the opposite. We now know that over-utilized “force” training methods not only fail to work, but they can actually cause great harm physically and psychologically.

At The Canine Academy, we adhere to the now widely-followed LIMA (Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive) principals. This training methodology and approach means using the least intrusive, minimally aversive strategy out of a set of humane and effective tactics likely to succeed in achieving a training or behavior change objective. It means always trying all options/ideas before moving on the next one, never jumping to conclusions, and above all always paying extremely close attention to the dog, their cues, and their body language to ensure they are always engaged in the training in a positive way and are never nervous, anxious, disassociating, or operating out of a place of fear. This approach has proven over years of implementation to be the most successful method in not only achieving your immediate goals, but also attaining long term retention, success, and the healthiest long term mental and behavioral results in your dog.

  • “The Canine Academy literally changed our lives. My dog is a 1 and a half year old pit/lab who got really scared anytime anyone came near her, especially men. Knowing she is a rescue, Ben was so kind and yet so authoritative with her, helping her understand her role as a dog as opposed to just "punishing" the barking. I could not say enough good things about Ben's training. He is kind, collaborative, research backed, and so helpful. We met and surpassed my dog's goals by the first official session and then came up with more that she also accomplished. I hands down recommend Ben for training your pupper!!”

    Rachel H. - Nashville, TN

  • "Ben at The Canine Academy is the best! Truly a dog whisperer. My girl, Trudy, is, now, an absolute angel. At one point it looked like there was no solution for Trudy’s anxiety and aggressive behavior. Trudy now plays with cats and rabbits and isn’t triggered by squirrels. She’s so well trained that she lowkey trained her little brother to be just as gentle, kind, and well-behaved as her. Ben will not only change your dog’s life but also yours."

    Santiago S. - Nashville, TN

  • “I adopted Nash after he came to the shelter as a stray and quickly realized once we got home that he had severe crate aversion, reactivity/aggression toward other dogs, and no basic training to speak of. After a week of being frustrated, I stumbled onto TCA's website and contacted them hoping for a miracle. Well, I got one…and then some! Within 5 minutes of Ben working with Nash, he was following basic commands. It is evident in the way Ben trains that he loves what he does and I am beyond impressed with how much Nash has learned in our short time with him. As others have mentioned here, he is truly a “dog whisperer” and 1,000% worth the investment!”

    Gillian W. - Russellville, KY

  • "Having two dogs, we’ve experienced all types of dog training settings and trainer styles. But nothing, I repeat, nothing compares to The Canine Academy! Ben’s approach is backed by research and his personality is magical. All of our family and friends know about Ben, “the dog whisper,” because he was that instrumental in helping with our two spirited dogs. He can help with whatever your unique needs are."

    Sarah L. - Nolensville, TN

  • "You will not find a better bang for your buck! The Canine Academy is THEE BEST. They will help you understand your dog and correct any type of behavior big or small. Ben is on call 24/7 and he really means it! The Canine Academy is the best quality training out there!"

    Kayla L. - Goodlettsville, TN

  • “Ben was very helpful and so good with my fur baby! Not only did he help improve the behavior of my dog, but he helped me become a better owner and understand my dog’s needs. He’s also very reasonable and accommodative. Would definitely recommend The Canine Academy!”

    Hope H. - Burns, TN

  • “My pup and I had an amazing experience working with The Canine Academy. Ben helped us overcome her separation anxiety, and she learned so much in just a few sessions! Thank you so much for everything!”

    Melanie B. - Nashville, TN

  • "We adopted a 6 year old border collie with more energy than we knew what to do with in the middle of the pandemic. Luckily for us, Ben was offering a promotion and worked with us virtually for a couple months. In that time, we learned SO much about how to keep our dog safe and happy. Ben was around for questions even when we weren't actively in a session and was always willing to accommodate for our ever changing schedule. We are so impressed with how quickly our dog picked up (and how well he's maintained) basics and then some. Would highly recommend Ben and will gladly go to him again should we decide to take on some more advanced training!"

    Mary S. - NYC, New York

  • "Ben helped me tremendously with my one year old golden retriever! He not only trained her but also me! He helped with everything from sharpening her basic commands, to place training, to drastically changing her leash walking behaviors. Ben helped make her so much more enjoyable and responsive! He was a pleasure to work with and I’d highly recommend him to any friends needing dog training. I really loved his positive reinforcement techniques, reliability, and responsiveness to any and all questions and concerns I had. He was truly a joy to work with and I’m so happy I found him!"

    Jenna D. - Nolensville, TN

  • "Ben was so helpful with our new puppy. He had her following commands immediately and provided us with a lot of great advice for working with her on our own. Our pup was always excited when Ben came for training. I will definitely choose to work with Ben again in the future!"

    Darci L. - Nashville, TN

  • "Ben was wonderful with our dogs! We adopted a new rescue who was found on the streets with 0 training. He can now sit, come, lay, stay and wait with just a hand motion. He also helped our older rescue learn the same commands and hand signals to stay in sync. Ben was extremely responsive and really went above and beyond to help us with our babies. I was skeptical of how dog training would work over zoom, but it was great! He is 150% worth the investment."

    Lauren B. - Tyler, TX