If you live, work, or play in downtown Burlington you know your dog needs specific skills to successfully navigate all of the great things our city has to offer - polite leash manners, a good recall, and the ability to gracefully handle people, noises, bustle, and other dogs in close proximity. 

Fetch the Leash! is opening a brand new training facility right downtown so you can walk to class, take a lunchtime lesson during the week, or swing by the farmer's market on your way home. Small class sizes with a certified trainer ensure you and your dog will learn all the skills you need to stroll down Church Street with confidence.

Just want to learn the basics? We teach positive-reinforcement group classes for all ages, breeds, and abilities. Our classes are intentionally kept very small so each dog and owner team gets lots of personalized attention from the instructor each week.

Specific behavior you'd like to address? Private consultations offer more personalized training. We work one-on-one with you on any behavioral issue your dog is struggling with. You come to us, we can come to you, or we can meet wherever you need your dog to be successful.

Short on time? We offer day-training in our facility. Drop your dog off before work or at lunch, let us know what you'd like your dog to learn, and we'll do the training for you while you're at work or off doing something fun! Having a professional trainer do the 'heavy lifting' means faster results and less work for you.

No fenced-in yard? No Problem! When classes are not in session we offer hourly rental of our training facility. Perfect for practice sessions, inclement weather exercise, or organizing private playgroups with your dog's best buddies.

Where can I buy that? We have a curated selection of retail products for sale. All the items we are always recommending during our classes and private lessons are available for purchase - no-pull harnesses and head halters, our favorite brands of high-value training rewards, food puzzles, Kongs, bully sticks, and more.

Our clients are local. They are our neighbors, friends, and family - not a number or a dollar sign. They walk to work. They care about the environment. They care about our community. Their dogs are family. We run into them at City Market, or cross paths walking our dogs on the bikepath. We develop lasting relationships with each and every dog and human who comes through our door, and are there to support them for the life of their dog. 

Education and experience. Dog training is currently an unregulated industry, meaning that literally anyone can hang a shingle and call themselves a dog trainer. What sets Fetch the Leash! apart is credentials. A world-class education covering all aspects of dog behavior, ethology, the scientific principles of learning, mastering the mechanical skills necessary to be an efficient trainer, effective coaching and class teaching, and more. A network of colleagues with extensive experience and education in training, behavior, veterinary medicine, and force-free animal handling and care. 

Truly humane training methods. Our top priority is for your dog to be an active and happy participant in the training process. Positive, rewards-based training helps dogs develop the skills they need using treats, games, and praise. We never use painful collars, scary corrections, or other outdated training devices or techniques.

“Megan is impressive – positive, friendly, and extremely professional as well as being knowledgeable and always willing to spend a moment to talk and explain or answer questions. She balances a lot of knowledge with great people and communication skills which makes for a great recipe for success for clients and their dogs. Can’t say enough positive things — we’re inspired by her!” Lori & Intske

“Cosmo has improved SO MUCH even in just these few days. The jumping is very close to gone — he met some new people yesterday and kept four on the floor the whole time! We’ll keep being vigilant (he still has a little problem when we first let him out of the crate) but it’s SUPER, SUPER effective.” Ellen & Cosmo

“Our family has participated in three of Megan’s classes with our two growing, energetic puppies. She has taught our family members to think about training from the perspective of the dog. Each new skill is a fun and successful experience for the pups and the people. Megan is prompt and helpful if we email with questions between lessons, and is supportive and knowledgeable when queries arise during class. She has a true gift for teaching dogs and their people.” Beth, Luna & Bailey

“I have been amazed at Lucy’s transformation. In less than a week, she has dramatically reduced her attention-getting behaviors and has even transitioned to more consistent use of her own toys. And we’ve been keeping her on her bed during meals and “paying” her for her down stay and that, too, has been super. I joked that I called in the doggy-therapist, but it turned out to be true.” Julie & Lucy

"Oscar is in his third class with Megan and the improvements are outstanding! Family and friends always comment how well behaved he is and the changes they see! We absolutely would not have seen this much progress without the training with Megan." Clarissa & Oscar