About Us

REAL-WORLD DOG TRAINING BUILT ON EXPERIENCE

At Michigan Dog Training, our approach is based on a simple belief: effective dog training should create clear communication, dependable behavior, and a stronger relationship between dogs and their owners.

Our approach combines positive reinforcement, motivation, structure, and fair corrections. Dogs are first taught what we want them to do through rewards, praise, play, and repetition. Once they understand the behavior, we help them become more reliable around real-life distractions by providing clear guidance, boundaries, and appropriate accountability.

We do not intimidate dogs or take away their personality. The dogs we train want to work with us. It is also not about depending on treats forever. It is about helping each dog understand which behaviors lead to success while giving owners the practical tools they need to communicate confidently and consistently.

Michigan Dog Training founder Michael Burkey brings decades of professional dog training experience, including a background as a Police K9 Officer, Search and Rescue K9 handler and team director, dog behaviorist, and service dog trainer. The precision, consistency, and clear communication required when training working dogs now serve as the foundation for helping family dogs become calmer, safer, and easier to live with.

Every dog and family is different, so training is customized to the dog’s temperament, behavior, learning style, and the owner’s goals. We help friendly but overly excited dogs learn polite manners and self-control. We help owners achieve dependable obedience and off-leash reliability. We also specialize in more complex needs, including dog aggression, leash reactivity, anxiety-related behavior, and service dog training.

Our goal is not simply to make a dog obey during a training session. We want the dog to respond at home, on walks, around visitors, in public, and during the everyday situations that matter most.

The result is a dog who is more confident, responsive, and enjoyable to live with—and an owner who feels more capable, connected, and in control.

At Michigan Dog Training in Plymouth, Michigan, we do more than teach commands. We help create dependable dogs, confident owners, and partnerships that can succeed in the real world.