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 Virginia Beach, VA. 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 Virginia Beach 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 Virginia Beach 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

  In  Obedience, you and your dog will learn and practice basic manners and obedience skills. Trainers will coach you at your dog’s skill level with games and individual instruction in a group environment. Once you and your dog have demonstrated proficiency in the above skills, you will be approved to move into the Advanced Obedience class.

• Advanced Obedience

  Advanced Obedience builds upon the skills learned in Basic Obedience. In Advanced Obedience, we help you transfer those basic manners skills to real world applications. Classes focus on fun ways to practice skills in new locations and learning how to generalize behaviors in preparation for the AKC’s Canine Good Citizen test. As you progress through Advanced Obedience, you may even find yourself working on additional skills to prepare you for Rally Obedience classes or Therapy Dog Workshops!

Agility Training

Every dog can enjoy dog agility training at the Zoom Room – any breed, size or age. Agility is an exhilarating dog sport that relies on close teamwork. You’ll be amazed at how it deepens the bonds of communication as you work your way through our obstacle course.

When you participate in dog agility training, you will experience immediate results not just on the course, but at home with a more relaxed, confident and well-behaved best friend. And if you get really hooked and proceed through the advanced levels, you can join our incredibly entertaining Agility League!

•  Agility

  In  Agility, you and your dog will be introduced to all of our beginning agility equipment. This class focuses on building your dog’s confidence on all obstacles and improving your handling skills. To move on to Advanced Agility, the dog should be able to work off leash through a short 6-obstacle course without any food lures.

• Advanced Agility

  In Advanced Agility, we take the foundation skills from Basic Agility and add distance and height. We focus on improving handler skills so the dog can take the obstacles more independently. While Basic Agility focuses a lot on the dog’s skills, Advanced Agility builds upon the handler’s skills to help build a stronger, smoother Human-Dog Team.

Enrichment Classes And Workshops

Keep your dog active with innovative dog training classes you won’t find anywhere else in Virginia Beach. 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.

AKC Testing

Zoom Room trainers are also registered AKC Evaluators. We offer a wide range of testing services for you and your dog.

• AKC CGC Test

  The Canine Good Citizen test simulates real world situations. Dogs are held to the highest standards in how they react in such scenarios.

• AKC CGC Urban

  Prepare your dog to take the Urban CGC test, administered in the final session, with a focus on real world environments and distractions.

• AKC CGC Advanced

  For those who already have their CGC, this highly advanced course prepares your dog to take the Advanced CGC test in the final session.

• AKC Trick Dog

  Is your dog the life of the party? These five tests (Novice to Elite) provide you with the perfect opportunity for official bragging rights.

• Therapy Dog Practice Test

  Fine tune obedience skills, control around distractions like hospital equipment, and master a few tricks to prepare for the temperament test.

Leaderboard

• Most Training Sessions in the Past Year
  1. Lucy D. 52	11. Von R. 40
  2. Cory C. 52	12. Charlie L. 40
  3. Apollo B. 52	13. Jackson H. 39
  4. Heidi L. 51	14. Jade T. 38
  5. Kash G. 47	15. Ebi S. 37
  6. Max L. 46	16. Loki R. 37
  7. Bailey L. 46	17. Callie J. 36
  8. Max H. 44	18. Penny I. 36
  9. Pelle W. 43	19. Bandit H. 36
  10. Maverick P. 43	20. Bentley C. 36

• Most Training Sessions - All Time
  1. Cory C. 196	11. Juneau K. 72
  2. Kona C. 131	12. Libby E. 71
  3. Tama H. 119	13. Nala L. 64
  4. Maverick P. 117	14. Kable H. 64
  5. Pelle W. 102	15. Zoe B. 64
  6. Fender L. 94	16. Brew P. 63
  7. Jaxson R. 87	17. Duffy G. 62
  8. Heidi L. 82	18. Duncan K. 59
  9. Lucy D. 82	19. Penny S. 57
  10. Stout A. 75	20. Bella P. 57

We offer a thoughtfully-curated selection of Made in America dog supplies – specializing in all-natural treats and chews, eco-friendly toys and challenging puzzles, collars, leashes and harnesses, dog grooming tools and supplements, and the best solution-oriented training gear you can find anywhere in Virginia Beach.

All the dog products we carry are Trainer Approved – so you won’t find funny sweaters or cute greeting cards – but you will find quality products with real, practical benefits.

At the Zoom Room, you’ll find more than great products for dogs – you’ll encounter staff with incredible product knowledge, delighted to make personalized recommendations for you and your pet.

Need some help getting that harness to fit? No problem! We’ll provide a fitting right on the spot. Our professional dog trainers can even show you some great out-of-the-box ways to use your new toys to maximize your dog’s enjoyment.

You'll also discover our famous Cadaver Bar: row after row of jars of delectable body parts (but no rawhide!) sure to make your dog's tail wag. You might feel you're in a mad scientist's lab, but your dog will feel like a kid in a candy store!

And be sure to try one of our delicious Doggy Donuts, which we freshly bake each day – no gluten, additives or preservatives.