How Our Classes Work

At the Zoom Room, we don’t train dogs. We train the people who love them. We’ve redefined dog training, with classes specially designed to build confidence and success as dogs master skills in a simple, step-by-step process.

We utilize only positive dog training methods, which your entire family can easily master and embrace. You will be actively engaged in your dog’s training, working as a team as you learn to communicate more effectively with your dog. So what you learn at the Zoom Room doesn’t have to stay at the Zoom Room. Behaviors will naturally transition to life at home with your dog.

Our indoor dog training gym offers small group classes in agility, obedience, puppy and socialization classes with the best dog trainers in West Des Moines, IA. Private, one-on-one training scheduled to your convenience is also available.

Getting Started

Your dog training journey always begins with either an Orientation or an Evaluation.

• Orientation

  • Free, 30 min, attend without your dog, bring your vaccination records
  • You’ll learn how we do things, and how to load a clicker
  • For all puppies and those ready to enter Obedience 1
  • If you can’t attend a scheduled Orientation, please call us so we can accommodate you, even remotely

• Evaluation

  • $25, 30 min, attend with your dog, bring your vaccination records
  • Book an appointment to schedule a convenient time
  • Attend if you’re concerned your dog may be too reactive for group classes, if you’d like to place into more advanced coursework, or if you need help coming up with a training plan

Group Classes

• • Small class size for personalized attention
  • Flexible Schedule: Class packs can be used for any class, day or time
  • Advanced courses have prerequisites to enter
  • Levels Training: work at your own pace and graduate to the next level when you and your dog have mastered the skills
  • You can enroll in class at any time because everyone is working at different levels and advances at different paces from each other

Private Training

• Private dog training

  Scheduled at times convenient to you, this is ideal if:

  • You’d prefer one-on-one attention
  • Your schedule makes it difficult to attend group classes
  • Your dog is too reactive to participate in a group setting
  • You’d like to focus on a specific behavior issue
  • You wish to accelerate the learning of any behaviors

• Remote training

  Half-hour private sessions via live video chat are beneficial if:

  • You are unable to leave home due to illness or a shelter-in-place order
  • You have a new puppy and want some extra hand-holding at home
  • You'd like to include members of the household not able to attend classes, such as young children
  • Your dog is exhibiting problem behaviors that only appear at home
  • You are traveling out of town with your dog

Puppy Training

The Zoom Room wrote the book on puppy training. Literally. “Puppy Training in 7 Easy Steps: Everything You Need to Know to Raise the Perfect Dog” is the best-selling dog training book in America.

Luckily for you and your puppy, you live in West Des Moines and can enjoy early socialization and puppy training classes right here at your local Zoom Room!

• Puppy Preschool

  With an emphasis on socialization including group play time for the puppies, this introduction to puppy obedience addresses common challenges with raising and training a puppy. (Ages 2-4 mo.)

• Puppy Training+

  Start smart with puppy manners: get your puppy’s attention, sit, down, stay and leash walking. Plus, enhance communication and build confidence with puppy agility, tricks, and Pup-lates^®. (Ages 4-8 mo.)

Obedience Training

Dog obedience training at Zoom Room West Des Moines begins with basic manners. You’ll work as a team, using positive reinforcement to effectively communicate the desired behavior. Further classes incorporate distractions, off-leash work, and more advanced handling.

We use only positive reward based training methods as these are both the most effective as well as easy to master by every member of your family. We weave innovative games into the curriculum for maximum engagement.

• Obedience 1

  Play interactive games to make obedience training a blast. Teach your dog basic manners like go to bed, leave it, come, down and much more.

• Obedience 2

  Keep your dog focused during stays, walking, and recalls, even with distractions. Your dog will walk politely on a leash and come when called.

• Obedience 3

  Advanced obedience skills including extra control around distractions. Prepare your dog to take the challenging Canine Good Citizen test.

• Rally Obedience

  In this exciting team sport, dogs and their human partners navigate through courses with numbered signs that require specific obedience skills.

Enrichment Classes And Workshops

Keep your dog active with innovative dog training classes you won’t find anywhere else in West Des Moines. Great for dogs that need more – or perhaps better – hobbies. Beyond sit and stay, there’s still so much to learn!

Most workshops tackle a specific subject matter in a six-week curriculum (three weeks for a few). Enrichment classes such as Dog Tricks are ongoing group classes you can fold into your weekly training plan.

• Therapy Dog Training

  Share your dog’s love and comfort with those who need it most. Prepare for the temperament test for therapy dogs, paying special attention to control around distractions such as hospital equipment.

• Shy Dog

  Is your dog nervous meeting new people or dogs? We’ll help your pup overcome fear and anxiety in a controlled environment. This transformative workshop is perfect for rescue dogs.

• Come When Called

  Does your dog come when called? Establish a rock solid recall, getting your dog to turn on a dime when she hears her name – essential for the safety and well-being of all dogs.

• Loose Leash Walking

  Taking your dog for a walk should be a joy, not a hassle. Put an end to the tug-of-war in three weeks with a focus on heeling, leash control and response to distractions.

• Scent Workshop

  Put that remarkable nose to work in a workshop that teaches your dog to discriminate scents with engaging search games. Perfect for dogs that are high-energy or home all day.

• Advanced Scent Workshop

  Work together as a team with your dog on real-life search scenarios to find lost items and play games that develop scenting ability. Great for budding search-and-rescue dogs.

• Tricks 1

  Dog tricks are excellent for learning focus around other dogs. We’ll cover classic dog tricks like roll over, play dead, and sit up, as well as more advanced behaviors.

• Tricks 2

  Learn the art of sequencing to string together the behaviors learned in Tricks 1. Your dog will learn how to skateboard, put away his toys, play basketball and more.

• Urban Herding

  Dogs use their noses to herd balls (not sheep) into a goal in this wonderful dog sport that’s not just for herding breeds. Watch your dog master off-leash obedience.

• Pup-lates^®

  Develop core control, athleticism and balance with gym-quality equipment. Perfect for dogs recovering from injuries, seniors, or those who could stand to lose a few pounds.

• Calm Down!

  Does your dog get rambunctious, excited and uncontrollable? This workshop teaches self-control techniques to calm your dog around distractions. Perfect for adolescent dogs.

• Practical Canine Care

  Turn nail trims, grooming, teeth and ear cleaning into positive training opportunities, not dreaded anxiety-producing tasks, as your dog learns to be calm and comfortable.