How dog training apps can lead to better behavioral and medical outcomes

It is not surprising that, like so many other animal-related services, dog training has gone digital. As smartphones become part of daily life, many new dog guardians are turning to dog training apps for guidance, structure, and support—and there are a lot to choose from.

Some offer the kind of general advice you could find in a book or on YouTube, while others provide step-by-step exercises and progress tracking. The very best of these apps offer real-time access to training and behavior professionals. For clients who live in remote areas, have mobility issues, or simply struggle to find time for in-person classes, the appeal is obvious.

For veterinarians, understanding this rapidly emerging field matters. Apps can strengthen the human/dog relationship, make behavior management more consistent, improve canine welfare, and even lead clients to seek out veterinary care for their pet by helping them better understand when a behavior might have a medical component.

Veterinarians are often the first source dog caregivers turn for advice, so understanding what makes a dog training app safe and useful will help better guide clients to make informed choices. Knowing which tools are evidence-based and ethical (and how to identify those that are not) will help veterinarians guide clients toward success and away from potential harm.

Dog training apps: an unregulated frontier

Dog training is an unregulated field, which already presents a challenge for new dog carers seeking help—and this can be compounded when it comes to training apps.

While professional membership bodies such as Pet Professional Guild (PPG), International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC), Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT), Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT), of American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) have guidelines based on humane and ethical practices and provide certifications that can help better identify which trainers are qualified, apps are only governed by app store policies. There are already dozens, possibly hundreds, of dog training apps available for download—and the quality varies greatly.

Unfortunately, there are many apps that rely on questionable methods or generic advice. Some even use AI-generated content with zero oversight, which raises the risk of misinformation or harm.

How to identify good dog training apps

Choosing a training app is not much different from choosing an in-person trainer. You are still looking for evidence-based methods, ethical practice, and professional oversight.

Carolyn Menteith, Director of the UK Dog Behaviour and Training Charter, developed and wrote the Zigzag app. She explained how her 25 years as a practicing behaviorist informed the program and the standards that should be expected. “It is important to make sure they [dog training apps] are written and developed by experienced trainers and behaviorists, and that there is back up for when an app just isn’t enough,” she said. “The best of the dog training apps on the market give subscribers 24/7 access to accredited, qualified professionals who have the skills to be able to talk owners through any problems they might be having.”

According to Elle Williams, PCT-A, FFCPT, CPDT-KA, owner of Give a Sit Dog Training, a good app should connect clients with certified, force-free professionals. “Apps hold the potential to simplify the process of accessing advice from a qualified, reward-based R+ and force free trainer,” she says. Williams emphasized that this digital evolution is inevitable: “Whether we like it or not, the world is becoming much more digital. The dog training and behavior field will have to adjust to keep up, because apps are just the start.”

Considering the guidelines and ethics laid down by the dog training and behavior industry, when suggesting an app to clients, it’s worth checking that it offers the following:

Access to certified trainers

Apps that give users direct access to qualified trainers through chat or video allow dog guardians to get real-time feedback and support. The trainers available through the app should be accredited by organizations such as the IAABC, APDT, or CCPDT. This helps ensure that the advice clients receive aligns with current standards in animal behavior and welfare.

Developers with recognized expertise

Apps created or guided by credentialed behaviorists, veterinary professionals, or certified trainers have more credibility. At the very least, there should be qualified animal professionals, such as a veterinary behaviorist, involved in development or oversight.

Reward-based training

The app should use positive reinforcement and other force-free methods. Reward-based training builds confidence, trust, and long-term learning, all of which support a healthy bond between dogs and their humans, which by extension strengthens the relationship between the client and veterinarian.

User experience

Apps need to be practical. Clients are far more likely to stick with it if it’s intuitive, easy to navigate, and fits naturally into daily life. Features like progress tracking or customized training plans help keep owners motivated and allow them to see real improvements over time.

Puppy and dog training apps to recommend

While not an exhaustive list, the following puppy and dog training apps meet the criteria mentioned by the training professionals interviewed for this article. They provide varying levels of service ranging from 24/7 access to certified training professionals to one-to-one video coaching. Each app has a different style and focus, but all are committed to using positive reinforcement. Prices vary accordingly.

• Zigzag
  Zigzag was founded by a UK credentialed dog trainer and offers over 250 age and breed tailored lessons using only positive reinforcement. Zigzag helps owners navigate key puppy developmental stages and prevent issues like noise phobias, separation anxiety, and fear-based behaviors. Users can access real-time support from qualified trainers 24/7 via in-app chat. Zigzag is endorsed by international organizations, including the Pet Professional Guild, APDT UK, COAPE, the International School for Canine Psychology, and Animal Behavior Australia, and is the only app publishing peer-reviewed research to support its program.
• Woofz
  Woofz is a newer app with content curated by certified trainers and canine behavior specialists, including CPDT-KA and Fear Free Animal Trainer certified professionals. Focusing on positive reinforcement, it offers tailored training courses by age, goals, or behavioral challenge, featuring daily video tutorials and illustrated lessons. Its content includes a library, training resources, and access to certified trainers 24/7 through in-app messaging. Woofz also integrates health and wellness tracking tools, such as a walking tracker, grooming schedules, and vaccination reminders.
• Dogo
  Dogo offers personalized programs designed by certified trainers. The app provides over 100 training courses, games, exercises, tricks, and commands, all curated by certified dog trainers. These programs are based on positive reinforcement techniques, using treats as rewards and auditory cues to mark desired behaviors. The app includes features like a clicker and whistle sounds. Users can submit videos of their training sessions for feedback from trainers, allowing for tailored guidance.
• GoodPup
  GoodPup offers live one-to-one video coaching sessions and 24/7 access to behavior and veterinary experts. Their trainers are certified by their own in house program. Training plans are customized and use positive reinforcement methods. GoodPup partners with shelters and humane societies throughout the USA, providing scholarships for adopters and fosters. They also have partnered with the American Kennel Club to offer a Virtual Home Manners program.

The app market is booming

Getting to grips with puppy and dog training apps begins with understanding just how rapidly the market has grown. According to a September 2025 report by Business Research Insights, the dog training app market is already worth $300 million and is expected to reach nearly half a billion by the end of 2026.

Lorna Winter, CABT, director of the UK Dog Behavior and Training Charter and former head of the breeder channel at Nestlé, where she worked with breeders on advocacy, strategy, and more, has witnessed this growth firsthand. Speaking about her own app, Zigzag, she said, “We have had a million downloads in total. Over half a million in the US, and we’ve been there about 18 months.”

Connecting puppy people

Daniel Mills, BVSc, PhD, CBiol, FRSB, FHEA, CCAB, Dip ECAWBM(BM), Professor of Veterinary Behavioural Medicine at the University of Lincoln, has studied the role of digital apps in puppy training and found that the benefits extend beyond just giving dog training advice to include connection.

“One of the issues that people have when they’ve got problems, they feel very alone. So, what these apps also do is build communities with people,” he said. People connect and help each other realize that they’re not going through these things alone, and that sense of connection can make the difference between a struggling owner and one who feels supported enough to persevere.

Accessible, on-demand advice

For dog guardian Angela Spenley, who bought two 8-week-old Patterdale terrier littermates, an app provided the lifeline she needed—for several reasons.

“I was struggling because I bought brother and sister, and there was nothing out there that helped me train two dogs at the same time,” she said. Additionally, because she worked from home, she couldn’t always attend a set, weekly evening class; instead, she wanted an option that allowed her to work with her dogs when she had time during the day.

Like many people balancing work and new pets, she needed flexibility. “I work from home full time now and I expect there to be apps that are gold standard that I can use at home so I can fulfill those points in time, and I’m not stuck to Thursday evening after work [for puppy classes] at the village hall or whatever it might be.”

And then there was the age limit. Because local puppy classes would not take puppies under 12 weeks old, using an app helped her to tackle urgent issues and prevent house training problems from getting worse before she was able to seek in-person support.

“I started using Zigzag because of the gap in between being able to get them out into the [puppy class] village hall. I couldn’t seem to win with the toilet training. And I just thought, what am I doing wrong?” Spenley said. “And also, because I had two, if one peed, then it became the marker and then the other. It was a bit of a circus.”

Her experience highlights a growing need among pet owners for accessible and on-demand help. “I was able to use the coach, and I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “It was Sunday. It was a person who was available, and I was able to not only type in the app, but I spoke on the phone with them, and I was thinking, ‘This is ridiculously brilliant. What is not to like about this?’”

What the research shows

Scientific evaluation of training apps is still developing, but early results are encouraging. A 2025 study, which Winter was involved with, examined the Zigzag puppy training app, surveying 367 owners of dogs aged three to 24 months. Of these, 194 had not used any structured training, while 173 used the Zigzag app exclusively. The study focused on early chapters in the app’s content covering development, socialization, emotional regulation, and problem prevention.

Nineteen of 21 common puppy behaviors showed a trend toward reduced severity with increased app use. House soiling, aggression toward familiar people, chewing, and escape behaviors decreased significantly. Noise fears and barking were also less severe among those who completed more of the program. No behaviors worsened with app use.

The authors concluded that early app-based education could help prevent common behavior problems can strain the relationship between dog and owner and lead to surrender. They noted that the data were self-reported and called for future controlled trials.

Mills, a corresponding author of the research, added, “Individualization is everything when it comes to behavioral development and behavior management, as you know. So, you need something that is flexible.”

He also cautioned that not all apps are equal. “There is clearly a market for this. And we need to keep up with it. We shouldn’t be generalizing about apps because what is available online is very, very variable.”

Winter and Mills were also involved with a companion 2025 study that provided further evidence that apps contribute positively to the relationship between people and their dogs. The study looked at behavior patterns of 1,090 puppies aged three to six months and found that early structured interventions, including app-based guidance, can meaningfully reduce problematic behaviors during the critical puppy period.

When digital meets traditional

While one-to-one training is ideal, not everyone can access it. And even for those who can, having round-the-clock support through an app can complement and strengthen what they’re learning in person.

Emma Judson, ABTC, ATI, PPG (Full Member), PACT (Professional), is a trainer who provides on-demand support through the Zigzag app. “The app supports a good class in keeping people on track each day. In a class situation, a trainer and their assistant have a bunch of people and only usually 45 minutes to an hour to explain, teach, and support,” she explained. “We’ve got 24/7 [availability] to talk to app users in real time, whether that’s a super urgent question or a ‘I was just wondering’ minor issue.”

While it is reasonable to expect some suspicion and resistance to puppy and dog training apps, it appears that the dog training community may be warming to the concept. Winter says Zigzag already has 50 trainer ambassadors using the app to complement their training package, and they report higher retention rates and better client outcomes.

Training apps and veterinary care

For veterinarians, high-quality training apps offer another point of early intervention.

“Probably 20 to 25% of the conversations that come through to my puppy coaches are really a medical problem,” Winter said. “My puppy coaches are qualified enough to be able to say, ‘Actually, you need to go and see a vet. We think this is a medical problem, or at least go and have a chat with a vet to understand, you know, because we understand the relationship between pain and behavior.’”

Winter also sees this as a further opportunity for dog training apps to improve dog welfare outcomes. “We know so many dogs go undiagnosed with hip dysplasia. We know lots of young dogs have arthritis. It’s [often] undiagnosed.” She’s currently in talks with Canine Arthritis Management about partnering with them to include information from their young dog education program in the app.

She is hugely enthusiastic about the future for dog training apps.

“We’re talking about this whole gap in knowledge about body language. If we can get the whole body language thing included as part of everything else that we’re doing, it just gives people more opportunities to see how their dogs are moving. Is that normal body language? Is my dog in pain?” she said. “So, for me, it’s working with the people that are at the forefront of the science in this and the people that are experts in that area. And we all come and we work together, and we build something amazing.”

How to help clients identify good dog training apps

Asking about app use during puppy visits (or any other visits where behavior questions arise) helps veterinarians assess whether clients are using ethical, evidence-based tools. Staff training is also key. Receptionists and technicians can reinforce consistent messaging about positive reinforcement and preventative care when discussing behavior.

When evaluating apps to recommend, Judson advised veterinarians to look for professional accreditation and alignment with ethical bodies. Look for apps that are constantly updated, transparent about methods and who have veterinarians, credentialed trainers, and behaviorists on board. It should be possible to contact the app developers for information.

Apps that promise instant fixes, rely solely on AI, recycle generic material, or promote aversive methods should be avoided. Programs that provide transparent, step-by-step guidance and access to real trainers are more trustworthy.

There are limitations

Apps are not a solution for every case. Most current studies rely on owner-reported data, and severe behavior issues such as aggression, separation anxiety, or compulsive behaviors still require direct professional evaluation.

And, while reputable apps can help families realize when a behavior may have medical ties, less reputable apps could lead to pet parents delaying medical care in the hopes of fixing an issue through training. Understanding where digital tools fit helps veterinarians set realistic expectations and maintain high standards of care.

The dog training app takeaway

Dog training apps are now part of the growing technology market associated with animal care. They have the potential to prevent undesirable behaviors before they become problematic and can encourage people with dogs to consistently practice positive and effective management and training.

By keeping up with this developing technology, veterinarians can better guide clients towards the most humane and science-based training downloads. Times are changing and, as Mills said, “We need to keep up with it.”

Photo credit: domoyega/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Disclaimer: Trends™ content is meant to inform, educate, and inspire by providing an array of diverse viewpoints. Any content published should not be viewed as an official stance, position, or endorsement by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) or its Board of Directors.