Tested · Dog Training Apps · 2026
Leash pulling, jumping on guests, ignoring “come”… Most dog problems don't need a bootcamp. They need a short, clear plan you'll actually stick with. We compared the most popular dog training apps on exactly that.
Advertising disclosure: we have a business relationship with Scott & Maple, our #1 pick, and earn money when readers sign up. How this page works.
Every dog training app promises a better-behaved dog. Most of them hand you a library of videos and leave the hard part — doing a little every day — up to you. We compared five of the most-used dog training apps to find the one that actually gets you practicing, and one clearly stood out.
We set up each app for a real dog and followed it for full training weeks. We scored five things: how well it personalizes to your dog's age and problems, how clear and kind the lessons are, how much time a day it asks for, how it shows progress, and how easy it is to keep going. We also read public app-store reviews and each app's own description.
The criterion we weighted most heavily: does the app turn training into a short daily plan you'll actually stick with? Dogs learn through lots of short, happy repetitions spread over days and weeks. A 200-video library you open twice a month won't get you there. The best dog training app is the one that tells you exactly what to do today, in a few minutes, and makes you want to come back tomorrow.
Scott & Maple starts with a short quiz about your dog — age, size, energy and the problems that bug you most (pulling on the leash, jumping, barking, nipping, not coming when called, potty accidents) — and builds a personalized 28-day plan in about 5 minutes a day. Each day unlocks one short lesson with the why, the cue, a session timer and tickable steps, taught by illustrated Coach Scott and his dog Maple. Around it sit a few quick daily quests, XP, levels, a 7-day paw calendar, skill stars and a weekly “wrapped” recap, which made it the easiest app in our test to keep coming back to — exactly what our most-weighted criterion rewards. Methods are reward-based only: no yelling, no punishment.
Dogo is one of the most downloaded dog training apps, rated about 4.8 on the App Store from 17,000+ ratings. Its strength is breadth: a library of 100+ tricks and commands with video instructions, a built-in clicker and whistle, and the option to send a short video “exam” to a Dogo trainer for feedback. It's excellent if you want variety — but you mostly decide what to practice and when, so it takes more self-direction day to day.
Puppr (about 4.8 stars from 27,000+ App Store ratings) has 100+ step-by-step video lessons taught by trainer Sara Carson and her Super Collies, from basic obedience to advanced tricks. It adds a weekly puppy guide, masterclasses, live chat with trainers and a built-in clicker. It's a great teacher; like most library-style apps, building a daily routine is largely up to you.
Woofz (about 4.6 stars from 58,000+ App Store ratings) builds a personalized training and care plan and offers targeted programs for potty training, leash pulling, barking, chewing, biting and alone time, plus a commands bootcamp and short video lessons. It uses positive reinforcement. It covers a lot of ground — training and everyday care — which is useful, but can feel busier than a simple daily lesson.
Zigzag (about 4.8 stars from 4,000+ App Store ratings) is dedicated to puppyhood. It personalizes a puppy program by age and breed, includes 250+ lessons with how-to videos, and lets you message training coaches. If you have a young puppy it's a thoughtful choice; it's less suited to adult dogs with established habits.
| App | Daily plan for your dog | Time per day | Progress & streaks | Best for | Platform · rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scott & Maple | Yes — personalized 28-day plan | ~5 min | XP, streaks, badges, skill stars | Everyday manners | Browser · iPhone & Android |
| Dogo | Programs + big library | You decide | Yes | Tricks, trainer feedback | iOS / Android · 4.8★ (17k) |
| Puppr | Library + puppy guide | You decide | Yes | Video lessons | iOS / Android · 4.8★ (27k) |
| Woofz | Yes — training & care plan | Varies | Yes | Specific problems | iOS / Android · 4.6★ (58k) |
| Zigzag | Yes — puppy program | Varies | Yes | Young puppies | iOS / Android · 4.8★ (4k) |
Based on our hands-on use and each app's public store listing as of November 2026 (ratings from the US App Store). Features change — check each app before you choose.
Most everyday dog problems — pulling, jumping, nipping, ignoring “come” — aren't about a stubborn dog. They're about practice: dogs learn a cue through many short, rewarded repetitions in different places, spread over days and weeks. That's simple in theory and hard to keep up in real life. A good app solves the “real life” part.
Five focused minutes a day tend to do more than an hour every other weekend. Dogs lose focus quickly, and short sessions end on a win. An app that hands you one small lesson a day makes “often” automatic.
There's no shortage of free training videos. What most owners are missing is an order: what to teach first, what comes next, and when to move on. A step-by-step plan removes the guesswork.
If one person says “down” for “get off the couch” and another means “lie down”, your dog hears noise. A shared plan with the same cue words keeps the whole family consistent.
Reward-based training works best when the reward arrives at the exact right moment. Good apps teach the human side too: a marker word, tiny treats, ending on a win.
Improvement is gradual, so it often feels like nothing is changing. A log, skill stars or a weekly recap shows that last week your dog needed three tries for “sit” and this week it's one.
Apps are great for daily practice between classes or for everyday manners at home. For aggression, fear or anxiety, a certified professional comes first (see what apps aren't).
Every app on our list teaches with kind, reward-based methods. The difference is whether it gets you practicing. Here's where most fall short in day-to-day use:
Hundreds of tricks are fun to browse. But “what should we do today?” is the question that matters, and a library makes you answer it yourself every day.
If a lesson needs 30 minutes and a quiet afternoon, it happens on Saturdays only. Dogs need little and often.
A shy senior and a bouncy teenage lab need different first weeks. One-size programs waste time on what you don't need.
Without a record, small improvements are invisible — and that's when people quit, right before it starts to click.
Consistency is the whole game. Streaks, quests and a weekly recap sound small, but they're what make day 12 happen.
That's the idea behind Scott & Maple: one short lesson a day, built around your dog's problems, with a streak, XP and skill stars that make the progress visible. It's the main reason it ranks #1 here.
Please note: these are illustrative examples — composites of situations dog owners commonly describe. The people, dogs and names are invented. They are not testimonials or endorsements, and they don't describe typical results.
Situation: Sam watched a dozen loose-leash videos and tried a new method on almost every walk.
What went wrong: every technique got one attempt, outdoors, with squirrels — the hardest possible setting. Biscuit never got the easy, repeated practice at home first.
What a plan changes: start with focus games in the hallway, then the driveway, then a quiet street — a few minutes a day, one step at a time, before tackling the squirrel route.
Situation: Rocket jumps on everyone at the door. Nina turns away; her partner pets him “just this once”; the kids squeal.
What went wrong: three different reactions means jumping still pays off sometimes — so it keeps happening.
What a plan changes: one shared lesson everyone follows, the same cue word for everyone, and a calm “sit to say hi” practiced in short daily sessions.
Situation: Theo set aside half an hour every evening for puppy training.
What went wrong: Juniper was overtired and mouthy by minute ten, so sessions ended in frustration for both of them.
What a plan changes: 3–5 minute sessions that end on a win, plus calm-settle practice — short enough to fit a puppy's attention span.
Situation: Pepper's recall is perfect in the kitchen and nonexistent at the park.
What went wrong: recall was only practiced when it mattered — never in gradually harder places, and “come” sometimes meant the fun was over.
What a plan changes: recall games that always pay well, moved step by step from the kitchen to the yard to the park, logged so you know when to level up.
The best time is before a habit sets in — but it's never too late. Dogs of every age learn with reward-based training. These moments matter most:
You don't need hours. Here's the simple routine we recommend after testing all five apps:
Tell the app about your dog: age, size, energy and what you'd love to fix first. In Scott & Maple this is a short quiz with Coach Scott.
Same time each day, tiny soft treats ready, phone timer on. Stop while your dog still wants more.
Ask for a sit before meals, a wait at the door, a hand target on walks. Ten seconds here and there counts.
A quick note on how it went shows you what's improving and what needs an easier step.
Check skill stars or your weekly recap. Level up the skills that are easy now; go back a step on the ones that aren't.
Training apps are useful tools, but it's important to be clear about what they don't do — including Scott & Maple and every other app on this page:
Apps give general training education. They don't diagnose or treat anything. Sudden behavior changes can have a medical cause — check with your veterinarian.
For aggression, biting, fear or severe anxiety, work with a qualified professional such as a veterinary behaviorist or a certified trainer — not an app.
No app can promise results. Every dog learns at their own pace, and progress depends on consistent practice.
Keep your dog safe while training: use a leash where required, supervise around kids and other animals, and follow local rules.
Every app we recommend uses reward-based methods. We don't recommend tools or techniques that rely on pain, fear or intimidation.
Some apps offer chat or video feedback from trainers; others, including Scott & Maple, use illustrated coach characters. Check what's included before you subscribe.
Most of these apps are subscriptions that renew automatically. Read the price, renewal terms and refund policy at checkout, and cancel anytime you need to.
Dogo, Puppr, Woofz and Zigzag are trademarks of their owners. None of them sponsors or endorses this page.
In our testing, Scott & Maple is the best dog training app for most people because it builds a personalized 28-day plan around your dog's own problems and keeps it to about 5 minutes a day, with streaks and skill stars that make it easy to stick with. Dogo is a strong alternative if you want a big trick library and trainer feedback.
The quiz is free. Scott & Maple's plans are paid subscriptions; the “50% off” button applies its introductory offer for the first billing period. Plans renew automatically at the regular price unless you cancel, and Scott & Maple offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. Check the current price and terms on its checkout page before you subscribe.
Yes. It runs in your phone's browser, so there's nothing to download, and you can add it to your home screen so it opens like an app.
Both. The quiz asks your dog's age, from puppy to senior, and the plan adjusts. If you have a very young puppy, Zigzag is also worth a look.
It depends on your dog, the skill and how consistently you practice. Many owners notice small improvements within the first couple of weeks of short daily sessions, but there's no guaranteed timeline.
No. For aggression, biting, fear or severe anxiety, please talk to your veterinarian and a qualified behavior professional. Apps are for everyday manners and practice.
No. A short marker word like “Yes!” works just as well. Some apps include a built-in clicker if you prefer one.
All five apps teach with kind, reward-based methods. Dogo is great for tricks and trainer feedback, Puppr for polished video lessons, Woofz for problem-specific programs, and Zigzag for brand-new puppies. But if what you need is a plan built around your dog that fits into 5 minutes a day — and a reason to actually do it tomorrow — Scott & Maple is our pick for the best dog training app. Start with its free quiz.