Pup N Iron Canine Fitness & Learning Center Fredericksburg, Virginia

Pup N Iron has been and continues to be the only place I will take my dog. Always positive reinforcement to keep your dog wanting to please you, never strength or punishment that could break and make your dog more fearful. The variety of courses offered (basic obedience levels), specialty classes (dog sport intro), and doggy daycare all help to increase the bond between me and my dog. Basic Obedience is so much more - with each class and instructor (Chris and Laurie most recently), we are taught and reinforced the basics (sit/stay/walking on leash), but so many more practical tasks as well ("leaving" treats/toys, recalls, distance work, and distractions of many types). I love the energy and excitement my dog has when I say we are going to class. And nothing beats when all the hard work comes together and you get compliments from strangers about how well-behaved my pup is! The wagging tail says it all!

The absolute best place to train. We love Pup n Iron so much. I’ve learned so much coming here the past few years but the number one thing is I’ve learned that this relationship with my dog is priority numero uno! Once we build that foundation, training is fun and enjoyable. The owner of Pup n Iron is one of the most knowledgeable people. Laurie has always made everything we do at pup n Iron fun yet challenging. My girl Salva and I just love it there Highly recommend Kevin R Rice

I started going to Pup N Iron when I got my first dog in 2020. While I work in the animal field it is much different to have a dog that is your own and I was a bit at a loss of what to do with my standard poodle. Laurie was suggested to me by another coworker and I couldn't be happier with the lessons, support and teamwork my dog and I have gained from Pup N Iron. Laurie was there for us when we had to do the online starter classes due to Covid to when I took Jinx to her first rally trial. Now we are working towards our intermediate rally title and will start trialing in agility in 2022. The classes Pup N Iron has provided has allowed me to be a better handler and in turn help my dog be the best her she can be. I couldn't be happier and I'm thankful for crossing paths with the Pup N Iron family!

First I want to say our instructor Chris in the Basic Manner I class was awesome, helpful, and responsive. On the other hand, the owner Laurie is extremely rude, unprofessional, and unresponsive. I sent her an email over a week ago never responded, had to send a second one confirming she received my first one and then she finally responded. Started off nice then called me a liar about there previous Basic Manner class being on there website with the month it started and a price. If you can join this training and not have to deal with her then you are good. Stick with Chris. If you have to deal with her then I wouldn’t recommend it. Stay away if you don’t want to be disrespected. Check out yelp for the several bad reviews as well!

Lori is very knowledgeable with the canines ????????

Laurie and team are TERRIFIC! I did a lot of reading and preparation before getting a puppy and picking a training facility. Pup"n Iron without a doubt exceeded my expectations. In just 6 short weeks, my puppy is socialized, learning basic manners, and our dog/owner relationship is really starting to come together. We are already signed up for Basic Manners I. This facility also offers CGC Title prep and testing, Agility, Trick, and Sport Training, and more... As a dog handler, I am getting max value from every session and plan to be a customer for a long time... Thanks Again Laurie!

Our doggie did very well with this company. We’re looking forward to some more classes!

Chris is very patient and knowledge. We are only beginners but already love the philosophy.

My pup is excited to arrive for school every time

Thank you for all the help and work, Leia is better for meeting you guys!

Awesome place for dog training!

I have been taking my dogs to Pup'n Iron for at least 4 years now. I thoroughly did my research, google, videos, website, and even spoke with the owner Laurie, on Pup'n Iron before enrolling my dogs. I am extremely glad that I made the switch and starting using them. The staff is awesome, extremely knowledgeable, and caring. I couldn't ask for a better environment for my dogs to learn. Two years ago I started taking different classes with one of my dogs, Ginger, for example agility, nose work, rally (which she just earned her Ace title) and none of this could of been done without Laurie, Lana, Amber, and Jackie. Now let me talk about Jackie for a few- Jackie is the agility instructor and I never though this would be something I would be able to do with my dog, but Jackie has been an awesome instructor and I am so appreciative that she is teaching this class. But Laurie is OUTSTANDING and has helped me so much with my current dog, Danni. When I started with Danni I never thought she would be were she is today, but she is thanks to the advice and knowledge of Laurie and Amber. Amber is a great person and I am so glad I am able to take classes with her. You will not find a better facility to train your dogs at, and I know this because I used another facility and wasted my money, but no money has been wasted with Pup'n Iron. To end my review and the most important part about it is when I asked my dogs if they want to go to "class" they get extremely excited. They also LOVE Pup'n Iron and I will continue to use them forever as long as I have dogs in my life or Laurie retires (which my dogs and I hope is NEVER). I wish I could give them more than 5 stars because they truly deserve it.

Pup N Iron is great! They are all great trainers.

My dog is scared of a lot of things, and goes crazy when when seeing other dogs before going here. He is working on getting his confidence up and can now calmly walk by other dogs.

Took my 4 month old Golden Retriever puppy to learn how to swim and my puppy was swimming by herself by the end of the session. It was really great service and training.

Both of our dogs love it here. One of them used to be too scared to walk into new buildings, but now eagerly walks into Home Depot and loves the attention. The other is super shy, and already starting to come out of her shell. The staff is wonderful, and are truly dog lovers. I highly recommend this business

I’m glad I found Pup’n Iron as they helped me with my very difficult puppy, and today he is a great dog that no one would ever guess had issues. If you want to learn and understand dogs, this is the place to go.

As much as we can tell, our pup enjoyed his time there (except when crated, as we sometimes discovered him at pickup - thought we were paying for him NOT to be crated!), but ultimately the space is just a warehouse with nothing but a cement floor and metal fences. Its most charming feature is the bay doors that open up to view the parking lot and gas station, but hey, most dogs could care less about aesthetics. More of a concern was him coming home reeking of urine and/or industrial cleaner. Another issue is that people with skill in training animals so often lack it with humans - and many of the core staff at Pup'n Iron are no exception. With an antiquated, insecure payment system online and on-site, they start harassing you for payment before the next month even begins. Given that 1 day/week of pup academy costs about the same as 1 full week of child's preschool in FXBG, you'd think they would have a better system in place to collect by the 10th day of the month, as is pretty standard - and be happy to receive it. You can expect rudeness at your 6:30am drop off instead.

I have taken 2 of my pups here. Both of my pups have tuned in to amazing little balls of fur. Yes they are pricey but you get 110% of what you pay for.

Happy with training classes. Good trainers...nice clean facility!

We have had a great experience at Pup'n Iron with our dog Guinness. We adopted her from the King George County pound and she was...crazy. Very loveable and she loves people, but had trouble controlling that impulse. After the stay and train at pup'n iron and attending classes, she has become an amazing dog. Would highly recommend. The trainers definitely have a love for pups, even our crazy pup!

Terrific facility! They have all sorts of classes, seminars, and daycare. They have therapeutic swimming, as well, for dogs recovering from injury or surgery. One of my girls needed PT and this is where we went, although it takes 90 minutes …

I normally do not give internet reviews for businesses, but I will make an exception in this case because I couldn't disagree more with a previous review. Pup'N Iron is fantastic!! My dog and I have used them for obedience training, daycare, and now day school academy. I also have plans to take several other courses from them in the future. As the previous reviewer has done I will rate them in several areas: 1. STAFF- 5 Stars: Laurie is great, but the rest of her staff is absolutely fantastic! They regularly go above and beyond to make sure that my dog is taken care of. He recently started the Day School Academy and I forgot to bring treats for him to train. They easily could have put him in the normal daycare or in a crate somewhere and I wouldn't have blamed them for doing so, but instead Amber used her own treats that she had bought for her dog to train Hank for the day. We were also out for over a year, but upon our return not only did they remember Hank they were clearly excited for his return. The staff take excellent care of the dogs! Hank twisted his ankle at daycare one day (his fault!) and they immediately put him in a crate to rest it, contacted me, and then when it was clear that he wasn't going to be able to play for the rest of the day the girl working the desk put him behind the desk with her for the rest of the day. The employees aren't trained enough? Laurie is highly respected in the dog training community, her staff are certified in canine CPR, and are ALWAYS keeping a close eye on the dogs. Are all of them trained as well as Laurie and Jackie, of course not, everyone starts somewhere, but I have the utmost confidence in all the employees. ENVIRONMENT- 5 Stars: Show me a better facility in the area. It's a very large indoor environment. There are noises from aircraft, traffic, workers, etc. which I like because all of that helps to desensitize my dog to loud/unusual noises. They open the doors on warm sunny days so the dogs can get fresh air and sun bathe. They easily have the best daycare in the area. OTHER DOGS- 5 Stars: I agree with the other review. PRICE: It's only $29 if you buy a 5 day punch pass. I prefer to get the 20 day punch pass because that drops my price to just under $25/day and that is significantly lower than a lot of other daycares in the area ESPECIALLY the ones that have video monitoring those places are way more expensive and not nearly as convenient. In-home daycares scare me because literally anyone who loves dogs and wants to make an extra buck can start one. What happens if my dog needs CPR? What happens when the dogs start giving visual cues that they are stressed and are about to start fighting? I am beyond overprotective of Hank, I am THE helicopter dog parent, but I never worry about him when he's at Pup'N Iron.

In the summer of 2011 we started puppy classes at Pup N Iron with our Australian Shepherd pup, Cody. I will NEVER be able to put in words the value of the training we have received over the years. Each trainer brings their own style of teaching and a valuable perspective, understanding, and the significance of training not only the dog but the owner too. I have trained under Laurie, Jackie, Debbie, Diana, and Amber - all I rank as 5 star instructors. We have moved from puppy training to 1st, 2nd, 3rd level training to more focused classes such as Competitive Obedience and Rally classes. Through this training we are now at a skill level to show competitively. Never in my dreams did I think my top bucket list item, training a dog, could ever be accomplished and achieved at the age of 65. Laurie has uniquely set up paying for classes on an annual basis - otherwise know as the VIP plan. Under the VIP plan, for one year you can attend any and all classes for a year. That translates into a tremendous savings for those serious about training their dog. Each summer Laurie has CAMP RALLY MANIA (2015's will be the 4th) where well known speakers provide insight on various topics with each instructor providing the dog and owner the opportunity to get hands on training. Pup N Iron also provides a TRAINING ACADEMY program where skilled instructors work with your dog to achieve certain levels of training. Many have found this program to be extremely valuable, particularly since many clients work during the day. The DAY CARE provided by Pup N Iron is the absolute best I have ever seen. Each staff member is fully and totally aware, personally, of each dog's personality and the needs or special attention a particular dog must have. I don't believe many dog owners understand that working with and training your dog is lifelong. When I walk Cody in the neighborhood I get complements all the time about his good behavior - I have PUP N IRON to thank for that ! And these complements come as their dog is either barking or lunging at us.

My dog and I enrolled in the levels training class in June 2014. Since then we have been going non-stop. My dog has earned her CGC, participated in a C-WAGS Trial and is currently participating in the Tricks class and Level 3/4 class. The relationship and bond that has developed between my dog and I throughout our training is so amazing. The instructors are wonderful and truly care about you and your dog. I'm not exactly sure who has learned more my dog or myself. I do know that for my dog and I Pup 'n Iron has become our favorite place.

Pup N Iron Training Facility is the best. I am a repeat customer and have taken classes there since 2007. My first yellow lab was a blonde whirlwind. We took all the basic classes, got her CGC, and many Rally Obedience Titles. She also …

I have taken classes at Pup N Iron since 2009 with 4 different dogs. Every step of the way I felt I have dealt with a knowledgeable, caring professional whose main goal was to give me the best possible training, and has resulted in the best possible relationship with my dogs. For me, the classes and accompanying activities have been a pure joy. Classes are held in the evenings to accommodate the working pet parent from 7 - 7:50pm or 8 - 8:50pm. I would suggest an email to Pup N Iron and a request to come watch some of the evening classes. It's entertaining, it's FREE, and the easiest way to decide if this is the kind of relationship you want with your dog.

I will review based on 3 areas: 1. STAFF - 2 Stars: For the price you pay, you don't get the staff support/supervision you would expect.I don't believe there is a high enough ratio of staff to …

I have been training at Pup'n Iron with my 4 year old Aussie since he was a puppy. We are now successfully competing in rally and obedience thanks to the great trainers there. I highly recommend Pup'n Iron if you just want a well behaved pet or are training for competitive dog sports.

Went in to do a self serve wash for my pup. I'm from out of town and had never been here before. Luckily I had a copy of my pups vet records in the car. $15 to wash my dog and use their facilities, totally worth it. Nice clean facility, friendly staff.