Live a Happier Life with Your Furry Friend
Certified
balanced trainers you can trust
Since 2005
helping families nationwide
Lifetime Support
to keep training on track
National Network
of local trainers near you
Free Evaluation
to start your dog’s training
How It Works
We offer a wide range of dog training programs designed to fit your goals, whether you need board and train, private lessons, puppy training, or group classes. Each program is led by certified trainers, with flexible scheduling and lifetime support after graduation.
Free Evaluation
We assess your dog’s needs and create a personalized plan that fits your lifestyle.
Customized Training Plan
Certified trainers guide you and your dog through proven, positive methods for behavior improvement.
Hands-On Training
Choose from in-home, mobile, or facility-based programs designed for lasting results.
Ongoing Support
Receive tools, guidance, and follow-ups to maintain progress and reinforce skills at home.
Our Dog Training Programs
and Services
Meet Your Dog Trainers
Every dog trainer on the The Dog Wizard Clayton team is extensively trained and experienced in balanced training techniques that address a range of behavioral issues to help your dog reach their full potential.
Scott and Gale Templeton
Owners
Scott and Gale Templeton both had successful careers in corporate America prior to focusing their skills in the pet industry. Scott was a division manager for 7-Eleven and held senior operating and marketing positions with Tosco, Phillips 66, Conoco Phillips, Shell UK and Mobil. He did consulting work on four continents for Shell International, Exxon Mobil and ERG Petroli. He did strategic marketing work for GTech and Intellimat, an $18-million Virginia start-up. He started his professional pet career in 1993 with Petropolis, a $2-million-a-year, 22,000 square-foot facility, capable of boarding more than 300 pets daily. Over the years, he has designed, built or operated nearly 20 professional pet facilities, including the Rowan County Animal Shelter and the Boyd County Animal Shelter. In his career, he has supervised more than 260,000 pet stay days.
Gale Templeton began her professional career with grocery facilities. She worked for Kroger and other grocery companies in a retail, wholesale and vendor role. While at Kroger, she served as a store manager and moved into a corporate merchandising role. She also worked in sales and marketing in the staffing industry and the food service and supply industry. In 1994, Gale joined Petropolis in a management and marketing role, overseeing nearly 10 PetCare Advisors on staff, the Grooming Academy School and Hidden Fencing Division.
Her dog Asa (ASCA CH, ATCH Shalako's Windchaser) is a ASCA Hall Of Fame Sire. He has direct off-spring that have garnered more than 22 advanced titles in five competitive disciplines. Her dog Yuma (Asa's son) is a North American Dog Agility Council Hall of Fame Competitor, with six Champion Agility titles to his credit. Gale has 16 and counting agility championships to her credit.
Gale has competed in conformation (U.S. and U.K.) and titled in competitive obedience, rally, herding, barn hunt, dock dogs and agility. Gale has qualified and participated in ASCA Nationals and NADAC Championships 10 times. Over the years, Gale has put more than 100 titles on the dogs. She has been conducting training classes at Tin Woof Inn since 2007.
Chris Hrivnak
Co-owner & Lead Trainer
In addition to being the son of Dog Wizard franchise owners Scott and Gale Templeton of Tin Woof Inn (Frankfort, Morehead, and Ashland KY, respectively) Chris has been a resident and business professional in the St. Charles and St. Louis county area since 1984 and knows this area well, having watched its growing development as its population has grown and seen its communities needs change over that 35+ years. Personally located in St. Charles city close to Highway 70 with facilities for boarding, training, and pet development, Chris has extensive entrepreneurial experience in customer service in the real estate, and finance industry in addition to being a loving and caring pet owner his whole life who is conscientious of pet owners concerns and how to answer any pet owners questions they may have. In this regard, we look forward to serving our community and welcoming you to the Dog Wizard family!
Amanda Gain-Meyer
Operations Manager
Amanda has been behind the scenes at The Dog Wizard STL since our beginning. She's always loved animals''especially of the canine variety?and has never been without at least one pup in all her years. Together, she and Chris share 4 incredible dogs. Her family dog, Chewie, the Chow-ChowWheaten Terrier and 2 Russian Blue felines, Dudley and Phoebe live in the STL metro with her mom and brother. After a 20-year career in floral design and small business management, Amanda made a wholesale change and ventured into the dog industry. She has years of education in business and marketing with a degree-in-progress at Lindenwood University. movie; antiquing and shopping, cuddling with her pups, and adventuring with her other half, Chris.
See What Other Dog Owners are Saying
Thanks for sending her to me and Ansel.
When we contacted Kendall at Dog Wizard, she took Bailey and did several weeks of training and taught Bailey some behavioral changes, using the Dog Wizard training tools and methods. When she came home, the transformation was remarkable. She was calm and loved standing by the door ready to go on her walk!
Our walks are now a pleasure, with a controlled and even pace, yet she can still do all of her sniffing that makes it fun for her as well! Best part is that I feel safer going on walks with her...regardless of encountering other dogs and deer! We are so pleased to have had Kendall and her Dog Wizard methods transform our walks into fun outings!
Kendall provided a thorough consultation and gave me three options for Henry's training.
I figured the training was as much for me as it was for Henry so I chose private classes so that he could get undivided one-on-one attention and I could be present every step of the way.
Kendall worked with our very busy schedules and around holidays to ensure that Henry was getting the training he needed.
She sent videos each week so that we would be prepared for the upcoming training and came to us with all of the tools that we would need.
It was simply amazing to see all the progress that Henry would make each and every week. She stressed that it was important to end on a win and we continue that every time that we fit in a bit of continuous training.
We are so satisfied with Henry's training and the opportunity to utilize additional resources, as his training with the Dog Wizard has just completed.
I am so happy that we found Kendall and the Dog Wizard, I just wish we had done it sooner instead of spending months trying to go it alone. I can't recommend Kendall enough!
About The Dog Wizard Clayton
Our dog training goes beyond basic commands like Sit, Come, and Down. Our approach focuses on helping your dog make better choices and respond to you instead of their impulses.
We cover all the essential obedience commands you need to communicate effectively with your dog. But more importantly, we teach your dog to stay engaged and follow through with these commands, even in the most distracting environments.
Our goal is to enhance your dog’s understanding of obedience, making it a natural part of their behavior, not just a few tricks they perform when they feel like it.
Why Choose The Dog Wizard
Magical Methodologies
All of our trainers use balanced training techniques that are proven to be effective in and out of the classroom.
Everywhere Dogs Are
With over 100 locations — the majority of them being mobile — we have the ability to bring balanced dog training right to you.
Trained to Transform
Our knowledgeable trainers complete a rigorous dog training curriculum through The Dog Wizard Academy that teaches them methods that truly work
A Lifetime of Support
Those who complete our obedience programs have access to indefinite group class training support.
