Pet Dog Ambassador Program
Pet Dog Ambassador Program
More Than a Certificate. A Better Life Together.
Force-Free Group Dog Training in Lynnwood, WA
Dog Obedience Classes in Lynnwood, WA That Go Beyond Sit and Stay
Most dog obedience classes teach your dog to sit nicely in a training hall. The Pet Dog Ambassador (PDA) Program teaches your dog to live well in the real world and gives you the knowledge to help them do it.
PDA is an internationally recognized, five-level pathway built on 100% force-free, positive reinforcement training. No prongs. No shocks. No intimidation. Just clear communication, science-backed skills, and a structured path from puppy foundations to a confident community dog.
Classes meet at The Friendly Bark in Lynnwood, serving dog guardians across Snohomish County in small, supportive groups designed for real progress.
Levels 1, 2 & 3 are open for enrollment now. Level 1 is perfect for dogs 4+ months old, including graduates of puppy socialization. Spots fill fast.
Why PDA?
Because Real Life Doesn’t Happen in a Training Gym.
Most dog obedience classes teach your dog to sit nicely in class. That’s a start — but it’s not the same as a dog who can walk past another dog without losing their mind, settle calmly at a café, or come when called at the park. The Pet Dog Ambassador (PDA) Program is built around the skills that actually matter in your daily life together.
Force-free doesn’t mean permissive. Your dog learns because they want to, not because they’re afraid not to. It works on reactive dogs, stubborn dogs, and every dog in between.
- Built to Grow With Your Dog: Five progressive levels take you from early foundations through real-world confidence. Each level builds on the last, so your dog’s training actually transfers outside the classroom.
- CGC Prep Built In: By Levels 2–3, your dog will have the loose leash walking, reliable recall, and polite greetings that AKC CGC requires and then some. If earning that title matters to you, PDA gets you there. If it doesn’t, you still end up with a better-trained dog.
- Skills for the Real World: Café settles. Street walks with distractions. Car manners. Calm greetings with people and other dogs. These are the moments that matter and what separates a dog you can take anywhere from one you leave at home.
- Small Groups, Real Coaching: Classes are capped at 6 dogs so you get actual feedback on your actual dog, not just a demo and a handout.
- Force-Free. Always. No prong collars. No shock. No intimidation. Every skill is built through positive reinforcement, training your dog actually enjoys, with results that last.
PDA doesn’t just prepare you for a test. It prepares you for a life together.
Most dog obedience classes teach your dog to sit nicely in class. That’s a start — but it’s not the same as a dog who can walk past another dog without losing their mind, settle calmly at a café, or come when called at the park. The Pet Dog Ambassador (PDA) Program is built around the skills that actually matter in your daily life together.
Force-free doesn’t mean permissive. Your dog learns because they want to, not because they’re afraid not to. It works on reactive dogs, stubborn dogs, and every dog in between.
- Built to Grow With Your Dog: Five progressive levels take you from early foundations through real-world confidence. Each level builds on the last, so your dog’s training actually transfers outside the classroom.
- CGC Prep Built In: By Levels 2–3, your dog will have the loose leash walking, reliable recall, and polite greetings that AKC CGC requires and then some. If earning that title matters to you, PDA gets you there. If it doesn’t, you still end up with a better-trained dog.
- Skills for the Real World: Café settles. Street walks with distractions. Car manners. Calm greetings with people and other dogs. These are the moments that matter and what separates a dog you can take anywhere from one you leave at home.
- Small Groups, Real Coaching: Classes are capped at 6 dogs so you get actual feedback on your actual dog, not just a demo and a handout.
- Force-Free. Always. No prong collars. No shock. No intimidation. Every skill is built through positive reinforcement, training your dog actually enjoys, with results that last.
PDA doesn’t just prepare you for a test. It prepares you for a life together.
Five Levels. One Remarkable Dog.
The PDA Pathway at Ready, Pup, Go!
The PDA program is a five-level journey that takes your dog from basic manners to confident community member. Each level builds on the last, with clear milestones and internationally recognized credentials along the way.
Level 1: Foundations (4–6 months)
The right place to start. Your dog learns the building blocks of good manners, and you learn how to teach them clearly.
- Demonstrate a hand-target and sit/down on cue, holding position for ~5–10 seconds.
- Walk on a loose leash for ~10–15 meters without pulling in a quiet area.
- Recall from a short distance (~3–5 meters) away, with minimal distractions.
- Greet a friendly person with four paws on the floor (no jumping).
- Accept brief cooperative handling (touch ears, paws, collar) with relaxed body language.
- Practice impulse control: “leave it,” wait at doors/bowls, and short mat settle.
Level 2: Advanced Foundation (6+ months)
Foundations get tested with distance, duration, and distraction. This is where training starts to feel like it’s working.
- Maintain loose-leash walking for ~20–30 meters, including turns and halts.
- Respond to recall from ~8–10 meters past low-value distractions.
- Hold a relaxed mat settle for ~30–60 seconds while a person moves nearby.
- Perform polite greetings with a dog/handler team at a safe distance (no lunging/jumping).
- Cooperate with longer handling (brief brush, stethoscope touch, collar grab) using consent cues.
- Generalize “leave it/trade” with food and everyday household items.
Level 3: Community Skills (6+ months)
Training leaves the classroom. Cafés, streets, cars… your dog learns to be calm and polite in the places you actually go.
- Walk on a loose leash past moving people, doors, and low-traffic stimuli.
- Settle under a table/chair at a café for ~2–3 minutes with handler seated.
- Execute a recall away from polite dog/people interest in a safe, enclosed area.
- Offer calm, neutral behavior while a friendly stranger briefly handles collar/harness.
- Load/Unload into a vehicle and wait before exit on cue.
Level 4: Advanced Community Skills (12+ months)
Busier environments, longer durations, higher expectations. The dog that passes Level 4 is genuinely easy to live with.
Level 5: PDA Champion (12+ months)
The full picture: leash skills, recalls, settles, greetings, and cooperative care woven together across a real-life outing. This is the team that turns heads at the farmers’ market.
Class Details & Schedule
- Schedule:
- Level 1 Foundations: Mondays 5:00–6:00 PM | Saturdays 11:00 AM–12:00 PM
- Level 2 Advanced Foundation: Mondays 4:00–5:00 PM | Saturdays 12:00–1:00 PM
- Level 3 Community Skills: Tuesdays 12:30–1:30 PM | Fridays 6:00–7:00 PM
- Session Length: 8 weeks
- Class Duration: 60 minutes
- Location: The Friendly Bark, Lynnwood, WA
- Age Requirements: Level 1: 4–9 months (vaccinations required) | Levels 2 & 3: 6+ months (vaccinations required). New to Level 3? Contact Michelle for an entry assessment.
- Class Size: Maximum 6 dogs. Real attention, real progress
- Investment: $255 ($32/class)
Levels 1, 2 & 3 are open now. Classes fill quickly. Reserve your spot today.
Why Families Choose Ready, Pup, Go!
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- Licensed PDA Instructor & Assessor: Michelle holds both credentials. She teaches the skills and officially certifies your dog’s progress. That’s rare.
- Internationally Recognized Program: PDA is a Pet Professional Guild program with credentials respected worldwide. Your dog’s achievements mean something beyond your zip code.
- 100% Force-Free. No Exceptions: No prong collars, no shock, no alpha rolls. Training that builds trust, not compliance through fear.
- Clear Progress You Can See: Five levels with objective criteria and official assessments. You always know what you’re working toward and what it takes to get there.
- Small Classes, Real Coaching: 6 dogs maximum means Michelle can actually work with your team, not just manage a room.
- You’ll Understand Your Dog: You’ll learn why your dog does what they do, their body language, their needs, and what motivates them. That understanding makes everything else easier.
Check out what my Clients have to say…
We have a 3.5 year old female English bulldog who was a sweetheart when we brought her home at 8 months, but over the last 2 years has become more and more reactive. I’ve been looking for a force free behaviorist/trainer to help me help her. Michelle has been a blessing and is so great to work with. I’m in Southern CA so we meet remotely on zoom. She has so much knowledge and such great resources to share. There’s so much information out there, but she makes it easy to learn. I love that she took the time to understand where we’ve been and where we are currently, and has developed a personalized plan to help us get where we want to be. Her program is so easy to follow and her follow up emails are so detailed. I appreciate how thorough she is. We’ve seen so much progress already in the short time we’ve been working with Michelle. I’m so grateful for her and look forward to our sessions each time.
Michelle has done a great job with helping us understand how to train our dog. We love the one-on-one sessions! She goes at a nice pace and appreciate the emails with info, summaries and homework. Highly recommended!
After researching for weeks last year, we've decided to enroll our dog Cruella in Ready, Pup, Go! for PDA Level 1 after having some issues on her switch from indoors to outdoors. We love that Michelle the trainer trains fear & force - free & explains the details on every training that we do! Luckily for today, we had the time to mainly focus on Cruella with less distractions & saw some progress as for her week 3! Even when Cruella wasn't listening at all, Michelle had so much patience & made sure that I wasn't overwhelmed as well & gave us options on how to & what to train Cruella with on a daily basis & before the class starts. We still have few more lessons left & we're excited to learn more! I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND READY, PUP, GO!
Michelle teaches a force-free dog training program. We attend her group training and have been very happy with the classes. I have learned more in two sessions than a few months of other group classes and some private sessions with other area trainers. Highly recommend for Michelle’s knowledge, experience and well-structured group classes offering. She provides actionable information via email so you remember what to practice at home. She is approachable and engaging.
My dog Chester just experienced with first group puppy class today with Michelle. He also has had numerous individual training sessions with Michelle. As always, Michelle is thoroughly prepared, patient and supportive. My very active dog really responds to her and she has taught me how to better teach my puppy to become a trained dog.
I have Michelle's Class to be very useful. The information presented and the manner is which she conveys it has been excellent. Abby Cooper
We had several conversations with Michele prior to actually meeting her at her introductory class. I/we found Michele very knowledgeable and personable to us. She covers all aspects of dog ownership as well as the human side. We have a Rescue Chiweenie (Rocko) approx. 1.5 yrs. from California who has been through a lot, living in a home with 40+ dogs and where the owners were arrested. Rocko is coming along nicely as we use the 3 Days, 3 Weeks, 3 Months acclimation. We would without reservation recommend Michele and Ready, Pup Go, as she utilizes her education/knowledge and skills she provides to dog owners and their pet! Von & Mary
I have had Michelle from Ready, Pup, Go come to train my dog, Chester since I first got him. He was 11 weeks old. He is now six months old and weighs close to 70 pounds. He has been a challenge because of his enthusiasm and size. Michelle has helped immensely with her patience and encouragement. Chester is at his best behavior when she is here. I know he will be a great dog because of her.
Michelle did a great job in helping our puppy and family blending together. We did basic commands to intermediate level training and it’s super helpful for us as a family and for the dog as well.
My 6month old pup Ozzy and I just started working with Michelle and it's clear she is passionate about what she does! I love her 'no fear' approach to training and look forward to learning more and building the trust between my little guy and me thanks for the extra help today, Michelle!
Me and my new puppy just started working with Michelle, already learning so much! She is clearly very knowledgeable and explains the rationale behind so many factors in dog behaviors to help us communicate and understand one another better. Very much appreciate she instills positive reinforcement methods to help grow the owner-pet connection and build trust. We can't wait to keep learning together. 10/10 recommend!
Michele is terrific. She analyzes the dog problems, considers the client's wishes and tailors her training program accordingly. She shares so much information about dog behavior and works well with her clients. I recommend this training program wholeheartedly!
Thorough, inquisitive and provides a well rounded care of help for the whole family! Nonjudgemental and understanding and patient all around!
Very clear about instructions, options, and guidance!
Ready, Pup, Go! has helped me immensely. When my late husband was in hospice, I was struggling to take Bubba out to potty. She has helped me with ways that I can teach bubba to potty outside and litterbox training when we can't make it outside. I would go with her for training a puppy any day of the week.
Michelle is a versatile and skilled professional who delivered exceptional support and service. Her expertise and responsiveness were instrumental in preparing for my new pup, resulting in a successful summer experience. Her priority was providing the best feedback and support, and her professional and friendly approach made her a joy to work with. Michelle is a highly recommended dog trainer!
I've tried tutoring seminars and classes before, but Ready Pup Go is something much more. Michelle is thoughtful and knowledgeable, but most of all curious about the specific details that go into my dog's issue, the circumstances surrounding it, and even acknowledges the influences of other 'stuff' in my life that may also be contributing to my dog's specific needs. Michelle has taken the time to talk through all of my concerns, and has brought several important issues to my attention; things that I just wasn't connecting to my dog's emotions and behaviors. I'm super busy with kids, job, etc, but Michelle was able to work with me, my schedule, and my family's specific needs and situation. I was feeling pretty defeated, like I needed to go get a PHD in dog behavior in order to fix some of these seemingly small issues that were becoming larger, but Michelle helped get me back on track so I could help my dog!
Awesome and super knowledgeable. Shows a great amount of empathy for both the human side, and the dog side.
Was given some of the best advice on my situation on my dogs. They added a ton of important information and highlighted what could be happening and how we could fix the problems. I have a dog who isn't really friendly and I got a puppy back in December. I asked around for advice and they gave me honestly the best advice. All the problems are solved thanks to the advice given Would highly recommend their services!!!
Your Dog Is Ready. Are You?
Enrollment is open for Level 1 and Level 2.
Classes are capped at 6 dogs. Once they’re full, they’re full.