The Dog Institute of Williamsburg Williamsburg, New York

The Dog Institute has been taking care of our pup for 9 years! He loves staying and training with them, and doesn’t suffer from separation anxiety whenever we are away for extended periods. Elizabeth and her team are awesome, reliable and genuinely care about the well-being of our little guy! We highly recommend their services.

TDI was a lifesaver for me and my family. I was overwhelmed with my energetic puppy and Elizabeth (and Roshni, Julia, Allie, Masami and Maria) taught me and my kids how to take care of and train her. I can’t say enough about how loving, responsive and thoughtful they all were to our beloved Eliot. Over a year later and she is perfectly behaved and well trained. Elizabeth was very patient with us over zoom and Eliot simply loved the in person Play & Train sessions with the other puppies and the staff. I cannot recommend Elizabeth and her team highly enough.

We love the Dog Institute! From the very beginning, we wished our eight-week-old puppy came with a user's manual; virtual training sessions with Elizabeth turned out to be even better than that, starting with the absolute basics and progressing through more advanced skills. Our puppy also loved Play and Train sessions during the week, so much so that she starts jumping for joy anytime we get within a block. We've also left our dog overnight (and longer) at the Dog Institute, and there's no one we'd trust more. They truly care about all of the dogs they look after, and it shows.

I’m sure this is a fine place for doggy daycare but I’ve had a bad experience. I’ve paid and signed up for virtual puppy training sessions but Elizabeth was incredibly difficult to get in touch with, was late to every call we scheduled every single time. Initially when I didn’t hear back from them for a few days, I asked for a refund. Only then she reached out and did the first session. Then, nothing again. I must say I wish they hadn’t taken my payment so I didn’t have to go through this trouble. It’s okay not to take on clients if you don’t have the capacity to do so. Also, from the one single session I had, I thought that instructions weren’t crystal clear to me in a way that I couldn’t understand why I’m doing certain training with my puppy and there wasn’t much explanation other than we will tackle those later. I simply do not understand all the glowing reviews from my perspective.

We brought our little JoJo here for the first time today and they did an incredible job!!! Sent photos every 20-30 min and made us feel super reassured he was ok. Love them!!

Elizabeth is a life savor! Nico has been to puppy camp since he was 12 weeks old and she continues to watch him a year later when I’m in a pinch. He learned so many key skills and baby puppies are his favorite because of the dog institute. Could not recommend enough!! ????????????

This is long overdue and I felt it was important to share.  The best decision we made after rescuing our dog  Amber from Barc Shelter was to take her to the Williamsburg Dog Institute.  Elizabeth has made owning a dog so much more pleasurable.  First off the facility has a great atmosphere and looks like a nursery school for kids. Most importantly the techniques and lessons learned are invaluable. As much as you train your dog during these sessions Elizabeth is training you and her methods work almost immediately.  We did group sessions and it was impressive to see how she was able to keep each dog focused even with multiple puppies in the same room.  Try doing that on your own...  Now when I am comparing the control I have over my dog and her own self-discipline out in public it's extremely noticeable who invested in dog training and who did not.  If your dog isn't focused on you and is focused on every distraction possible on the streets it becomes a nuisance.  I highly recommend the Williamsburg Dog Institute for  getting educated on your dog's psychology, house and obedience training, as well as going above and beyond.  Elizabeth's techniques on getting your dog to do tricks is pretty cool.  Make the investment early in your dog and it will be paid back many times over. Thank you Elizabeth!!

We had such a good experience with Elizabeth and the whole crew at the Dog Institute. Our lessons started this spring as virtual lessons and by the end we were able to do some in-person training which was really helpful. Elizabeth was consistently flexible with our schedule and just generally great to work with. She gives you a great foundation of skills that you can incorporate into your own routine. It was great for our pup to get to go to a few drop-off sessions at the Institute to socialize with other dogs. Highly recommend!

Liz and the dog institute are the A team. My bulldog puppy absolutely loves the institute. The trainers and care team are kind, loving, responsible, fun and firm. Liz helped teach my puppy key techniques after she was having issues walking on the leash and obeying commands. Using positive reinforcement and a disciplined method she had my puppy doing both in no time. My favorite part is the puppy play and train where puppies get to cuddle and play in a cozy room under observation. They also do boarding and it’s such a relief to know she’s happy in their care. She has made so many friends here. I can’t thank the dog institute enough!

The team at The Dog Institute for Williamsburg were essential for my pup's training and development. We learned basic commands, impulse control, crate and tethering best practices, and learn to walk outside on a lead. The most interesting training we did was the use of a "clicker" to help calm and focus our dog. The results are amazing. The services that DIW have to offer are great too. Our dog loved the Play and Train sessions where he got to play with other dogs his age. Highly recommended.

COVID-19 Updates Edit Contact the business for more information about recent service changes. Review Highlights “Elizabeth is really incredible, and we cannot express enough of our gratitude and how much we recommend her.” in 42 reviews “We just finished the puppy classes and will be staying on for the teen dog classes, as well as day training.” in 10 reviews “In each class we learned foundation skills that we still use today (think potty training, chewing, impulse control).” in 4 reviews Location & Hours Map 125 Roebling St Ground Fl Williamsburg, NY 11211 b/t 6th St & 5th St Williamsburg - North Side Mon 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM Tue 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM Open now Wed 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM Thu 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM Fri 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM Sat 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM Sun 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM Edit business info Other Pet Training Nearby Sponsored Sharon Mear’s Training Cats and Dogs 15 Ben P. said"After calling several places I went with Sharon as she was the only one that asked about my situation and the dogs needs first, before saying how they go about their training. I also preferred Sharon's approach to the training.…"read more in Pet Training Jabir’s Dog Training 2 Leash aggression, obedience of all ages, separation anxiety health, crate training and many more relating to behavior issues. By using a reward based system, we will be able to strengthen your bond with your dog Because of the…read more in Pet Training Smylish Dogs 2 1.7 miles away from The Dog Institute of Williamsburg Convenient In-home and in-person training with positive reinforcement. Purchase a bundle and get $25 off. Plus, enjoy $10 off first boarding or house sit.read more in Pet Training Ask the Community Ask a question Yelp users haven’t asked any questions yet about The Dog Institute of Williamsburg. Recommended Reviews Your trust is our top concern, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more. Search within reviews Search within reviews Yelp Sort Emma K. Atlanta, GA 04 2/24/2021 As a first time puppy owner, I felt like I was in way over my head and constantly stressed out. I didn't feel like I had the proper tools or resources to adequately train my puppy and spent hours watching YT videos/researching how to train puppies to no avail. That's when DIW came into the picture. Elizabeth and the DIW saved my life (kind of exaggerating but not really)! Elizabeth taught me the proper tools, techniques, and most importantly how to restructure my puppy's and my daily schedules to make life more manageable. I really appreciated how encouraging Elizabeth was during our virtual training sessions and how quickly she responded/provided appropriate feedback based on how my puppy and I were interacting. Elizabeth is truly an amazing and knowledgable trainer who not only knows her stuff but is also sensitive to the needs of each dog/owner. The DIW play and train sessions were also the most amazing thing that happened to my puppy and me. I love that my puppy gets to have the time of her life socializing with other pups while refining the skills that she's been learning with superstar trainers at DIW. Knowing that my puppy is in good hands at the DIW frees up my mind to also enjoy the time off I get on those days! I also love that the DIW provides cute and high quality videos/photo updates of my puppy during her time at play and train sessions. Overall, I highly recommend the DIW and Elizabeth!

We've been using the Dog Institute since we got our puppy at 3 months old in October. He's 8 months now and has developed some really great habits! Thanks to Elizabeth and everyone at the institute, Hendrix is shaping into quite the good boy! We were lucky to have their guidance through everything and the puppy homework was very useful. It was helpful to be able to go into detail about any and all of our worries. If we felt we needed to work on something, we made a list and brought it up with Elizabeth. Even though the pandemic has prevented us from having our lessons in person, it's been good to have the drop off Play n Trains with the puppies for socialization! Thank you Elizabeth and thank you everyone at the Dog Institute for being there for us and our little Henny.

We can’t say enough great things about The Dog Institute. Elizabeth has created an amazing “baby puppy” program that laid a wonderful foundation for our pup. We had a great experience with the virtual sessions, and our pup absolutely loved going to “school” for play & train sessions with Roshni, Julia and Allie. If you want to teach your puppy confidence, excellent manners, how to walk well on a leash in the city, and of course how to properly socialize with other dogs, we highly recommend enrolling here. It has made all the difference for us, and we couldn’t be more pleased. Looking forward to staying in this special community!

We did a virtual training session for our dog Dandy. We were a little worried about virtual at first but Elizabeth was patient and made it so easy! Elizabeth is super knowledgeable and really fun. We had some issues with Dandy not really wanting to work with the chew toys we prepared but Elizabeth was able to quickly change course and find another way forward that was suitable for him and us. We’re still training with Dandy but have made a ton of progress and We are so glad we were able to work with our dog and The Dog Insitute! I can’t recommend them enough!

The Dog Institute of Williamsburg was a game changer for my puppy, Ford! I was nervous about how impactful virtual dog training would be, but it's been great. Elizabeth is super knowledgable and patient, and because her sessions are 1:1 you have the opportunity to focus on specific behaviors depending on your pup's needs! The homework she provides is also really clear and easy to follow. My sessions with Elizabeth were a really great foundation to building a relationship with my puppy! I also cannot say enough good things about the play & train sessions. The space is super clean, there aren't too many dogs, and the staff is incredible! It's been a great way to socialize Ford, practice being apart from each other, and reinforce behaviors we are learning at home. It is Ford's favorite place!

Bought a pack of puppy classes and group play sessions just before the pandemic hit. The class itself was really helpful for 2 new pup parents who were looking to learn as much as possible. It was also nice to socialize our dog with other puppies and in a private setting. Dog parks are not ideal for socialization. I’m not sure what kind of trainers they would consider themselves, but they seemed more positive only (where you focus on rewarding the positive behaviors only). Not suggesting that this is good or bad, just sharing what my observation was for anyone that is curious. The reason I am giving 3 stars is because I have emailed Elizabeth twice without any reply as to the status of my class package, and aside from a class cancellation email in March 2020 have not gotten any emails addressing the status of my package or if they’re open again or what I can do with my classes, if anything at this point, as my dog is 1 year+ now. I emailed the first time on Jan 12 and the second on Jan 23, and now a third time just now. Totally get these are tough times but very confused and frustrated by the lack of a reply altogether. **UPDATE** Elizabeth has since reached out and after a discussion, in realizing there wasn’t an opportunity to use the money towards anything at this time, refunded me for the payment for 7 of 8 classes that we did not use!

Truthfully a doggy day care, not the place for training. Elizabeth along with her staff are nice people, however they are realistically not professional dog trainers. The "training classes" that they offer will merely address small issues with the main answer (and I mean the only answer) always being to give treats. Treats for every single problem or affirmation. We experienced unorganized classes that are pretty much a hang out for the locals and their dogs. We actually attended both the puppy and teen classes mistakenly giving them the benefit of the doubt--only to find out the same rhetorical info to be constantly churned out: treats, treats and chews. My dog learned more socializing with the other puppies than the actual class. If you are looking for actual intellectual training and valuable insight for your new puppy I highly advise looking elsewhere (not to mention the high price). Elizabeth is a nice lady but its very obvious that she is not an experienced trainer with the right teaching strategies. Not to mention, she went on a 3 week long vacation (and doesn't teach most classes) while she allowed her clearly under qualified staff lead the non-productive classes wasting our money. Again, in all honesty, this place is about location--a Williamsburg doggy day care for the less educated locals who have never owned a dog looking for a place in the neighborhood. Lots of better options elsewhere

We had to do the training online because of Corona and it was AMAZING and highly EFFECTIVE. The sessions with Elisabeth not only helped our puppy to settle in but also helped us parents to understand our pups needs and behaviour better. …

Couldn’t say enough lovely things about The Dog Institute! I have a newly adorable yet very stubborn pup, Linden. Elizabeth and her amazing staff are patient and loving. Our quarantine dog Linden was less confident outside in public but very stubborn inside. She only double downs when she felt scared or scolded so there loving repetition and positive reinforcement has improved her socialization skills and eased her fears while also helping her gain independence inside with out constant supervision. We both work from home and The Dog Institute has helped in guiding us to teach her independence when we have to work so she doesn’t feel abandoned or ignored and can entertain herself. They truly love animals here, and are always so thoughtful with advice and send us pictures of our adorable dog playing with her new friends. It has been invaluable to have a safe space where Lindy can learn to socialize with other dogs after being isolated for so many months. Me and my partner both truly believe in positive reinforcement, even though we knew it is a method of true patience and we are glad to have that met at The Dog Institute. With this type of training Lindy is growing into her own personality that is fun for everyone to be around. I can’t recommend them enough.

Love this place and so does our five month old puppy! We noticed a difference in her behavior even after the very first day and she’s become progressively more independent, responsive and confident upon return visits - she is a small breed Brussels Griffon and has been a little scared of the traffic and walking. Elizabeth and her staff have given us valuable insight and tools to help our pup with training beyond what we could have managed on our own. Let alone wonderful thoughtful care and handling. My partner and I had both been puppy parents prior and found our new little Linden more stubborn than we remembered experiencing before! The Dog Institute has really helped us navigate her wild spirit with structured positive reinforcement and techniques that have yielded excellent results. She was feeling more settled and less restless with every visit. Can’t recommend this place and staff enough. Real dog whisperers!!

Elizabeth and her virtual dog training sessions have been life changing for our family. We started out with a new puppy and no idea what we were doing, and from Day 1 saw our (cute but stubborn) pug Ruby learn and grow. It feels like Elizabeth is with us in our home during our sessions, and her training is tailored to our space. We leave each session with new things to work on, and having made more and more progress. We, as dog parents, have learned so much from Elizabeth, and it's been amazing to see Ruby grow into an independent and obedient pup. I can't recommend these sessions enough!

We absolutely adore the Dog Institute. We enrolled our puppy for puppy classes, day training, and have used the institute's boarding services. In every instance, our little guy was beyond excited to go and exhausted when he left. Elizabeth …

I love love love this place! Elizabeth and her team are wonderful and patient. I took my new puppy to her class before COVID and they really helped me better "communicate" with my new friend. I appreciate all the positive reinforcement. We can"t wait until they are open again!

Working with Elizabeth has been incredible!! Because of quarantine we did the virtual sessions. At first we were a little hesitant if virtual was the way to go in training our 3-month rambunctious pup, but i couldn’t recommend it enough. It feels extremely personalized, Elizabeth gets you set up in your own space and helps you build a routine. Every week we had new questions that would come up and Elizabeth always had an answer or a solution. We’re already seeing so many improvements in our puppy and we definitely feel more at ease. Highly recommend!!

This is a review for remote puppy training with Elizabeth and in person Play + Train classes @ the institute. …

We love The Dog Institute! Elizabeth is absolutely amazing! We brought our black lab puppy to the baby puppy classes and day training up through the COVID closure. Once the location was closed, Elizabeth was extremely accommodating and …

We had to do virtual training because of the pandemic. If you’re asking yourself can virtual training be just as effective as in person training - it definitely can be. The training is to train/teach you how to train your dog and I believe Elizabeth is able to get that across. She was very patient with questions and made sure that you knew what you were doing. I liked the Dog Institute for basic training for my pup who is also my first dog. Thank you Elizabeth :)

Having worked with Elizabeth with our first dog who is now 3 ½ years old, and now virtually with our newest addition to the family, a mini Golden doodle who is now three months old. Our experience both in person and virtually have been equally exceptional. Elizabeth has helped our dogs and us so much to learn how to be good pet owners and how to help educate our dogs to have a life that is filled with structure, treats, cuddles, tricks, toys, love, and fun. I think that virtually Elizabeth has been able to see the dynamic and moments in our family. It's been awesome both in person and virtually. While Elizabeth is helping us to train our puppy to be an amazing family dog and to help us navigate two dogs, ultimately, Elizabeth works with each member of our family patiently and points out all of our strengths so we can continue to work as a team. We are so grateful to have the Dog Institute in our lives, in person and virtually. Elizabeth is really incredible, and we cannot express enough of our gratitude and how much we recommend her. Ruby, age 14, (Romi and Scarlett the pups)

I can’t say enough positive things about Elizabeth and the entire staff of the Dog Institute. They’ve been instrumental in helping us raise our puppy, Pepper. The FaceTime sessions with Elizabeth are amazing and they truly help you learn how to train your pup. The play-and-train sessions have helped our little one tremendously as well. I recommend the Dog Institute without any hesitation.

We got our 8 month old puppy a week ago and we were desperately looking for guidance on the best way to manage house training/potty training. We were excited to find out about Elizabeth’s virtual/facetime sessions. It was perfect for us, …