Helping you and your dog to have the highest quality life and relationship.
Wild Pup’s Training Services
PupScouts Academy
This is Wild Pup Adventures’ premier adventure training program, led by the most experienced backcountry dog pack adventure guide in the Pacific Northwest. Offered as a 10–12 week program with a full, progressive curriculum.
This program is also part of our Dog Training Portland Oregon services, helping local dogs build real-world skills through structured outdoor learning experiences.
PupScouts participants join weekly, all-day outdoor adventure dog packs designed to teach the most valuable real-world skills for dogs who love to explore outdoors. Learning happens in motion, through peer canine modeling, real-time application, natural consequences, and healthy social interaction, where dogs learn not only from their environment, but from one another.
This program is built on the principle that dogs learn fastest and most reliably in community, with thoughtful structure and confident leadership. With close guidance from the Pack Leader, dogs practice high-level skills in the same settings where they’re expected to perform them, off-leash, around distractions, and in changing terrain.
PupScouts is an ideal multi-month option for dogs preparing for off-leash hiking, camping, and adventure travel. The focus is on safety, impulse control, recall, social fluency, and situational awareness and so much more, so your dog can be trusted to make good choices no matter where you are. Many local pet owners consider this one of the best dog training Portland programs for active dogs who love hiking, camping, and outdoor exploration.
2. In Person Custom Training Packages
Meet Toby, WPA’s Owner in person, weekly for 1-1.5 hour personalized training sessions for you and your dog.
Designed for pet parents and dogs to learn and grow together, these in-person sessions are fully customized to your goals, your dog, and your day-to-day life. No two dogs learn in exactly the same way and with the same methods, which is why every session is built in real time, based on your dog’s individual learning style, emotional state, and immediate feedback.
Wild Pup Adventures uses Learner-Centered Dog Training, a philosophy developed by Toby over a decade of hands-on work with dogs. This approach respects each dog as a unique individual and prioritizes clarity, trust, and understanding over rigid protocols or one-size-fits-all methods.
Training is offered in 4- or 8-week packages, allowing time for meaningful progress, integration at home, and support as new skills and behaviors take shape.
3. Board & Train Adventure Immersion
For pet parents who want meaningful progress without managing the daily training work, our Board & Train program offers an immersive learning experience designed to elevate your dog’s skills, confidence, and reliability.
Your dog lives and trains in a structured, loving and supportive home environment (learn more under Boarding) while receiving daily, individualized training and participates in two or more guided adventures each week to practice skills in real-world settings. This combination allows dogs to build fluency, impulse control, and sound decision-making where it matters most: outdoors, around distractions, and in motion.
Programs are custom-created for you and your dog, based on your goals, your dog’s temperament, and the level of performance you’re looking for, whether that’s improved manners, off-leash reliability, social skills, or adventure readiness.
Board & Train is ideal for clients who want their dog to return home performing at a significantly higher level. Program lengths range from 1 to 6 weeks, depending on your dog’s needs and desired outcomes. Transition guidance is provided so skills transfer smoothly back into your daily life.
These immersive sessions are especially helpful for dogs working toward reliable off leash dog training in real-world outdoor environments.
4. Virtual Training and Video Analysis Services
Virtual services to help you no matter where you live in the world.
Do you live far from Oregon? No problem. Toby can coach you through many training topics by phone. She can also analyze video you send of your dog to help translate and problem-solve. These services can also support owners working on dog training Portland Oregon goals who need expert guidance between in-person sessions.
Start reaching your training goals today.
1. Set up an account with us!
2. Toby, WPA’s Owner will then give you a call to discuss details and answer any questions you may have about our services.
3. During the call you’ll be able to set up your Initial Training Consultation.
Our Areas of Expertise
Adventure Dog Skills
WPA teaches adventure-ready skills that build confidence and safety in real-scenario environments, including off leash dog training with reliable recall and stop cues, even around distractions, healthy off-leash play, swimming, and running safely alongside bikes or other wheeled equipment. Training also covers impulse control around trash, and unsafe food, foundational pet emergency first aid awareness, and the practical skills dogs need to explore the outdoors responsibly. If determined to be a good match for your dog, we can teach you how to utilize training collars to reach your goals while still maintaining a positive learning experience for all. Many clients seeking the best dog training Portland for adventure-ready dogs choose Wild Pup Adventures because of its real-world training approach.
Adventure Skills We Teach
Click to learn about each topic.
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We teach dogs to enter the vehicle on command, sit calmly during the ride, and wait until asked to exit. Proper vehicle manners ensure every trip—whether to the trail, groomer, or a road trip—is safe and stress-free. We don’t allow whining or barking from excitement or impatience.
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From first-time swimmers to dogs needing advanced water skills, we build confidence and capability in the water. Essential for lake days, creek crossings, or any water adventure.
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No more stopping and barking or looking to a person for help. We teach dogs to navigate obstacles independently, building problem-solving skills and confidence.
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When heading back to the vehicle off leash, or entering an area where you may encounter other people and need your off-leash dog to be controlled, we teach dogs to walk behind, maintaining control and safety on every hike.
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For dogs who sprint ahead, we teach them a command to have them slow down a bit. We also teach that this command may be followed by others related to it’s meaning.
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A reliable “stop” command ensures your dog freezes instantly, preventing dangerous encounters with vehicles at intersections.
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For dirt bikes, mountain bikes, or similar sports, we train dogs to run safely off-leash alongside you. They learn to respect the bike’s space, stay out of harm’s way, and respond to cues to go ahead or fall back. They are not allowed to run next to, in front of, or near the rear wheel.
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Allow your dog to safely access water down a steep grade without you needing to scramble down too. Dogs learn when it’s safe to go down and drink on command and return to you reliably.
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Protect your dog from hazards like salmon poisoning, dead animals, trash, or other dangerous items. “Leave it” prevents unwanted grabs, and “drop it” teaches safe release. Both are essential for adventure safety. We teach aversion training in certain contexts.
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“Go ahead” allows controlled passing while keeping everyone on the trail safe and free from tripping or becoming off-balance with a dog behind them. Important when in thick brush or near uneven or steep ground.
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For paddling adventures, we train dogs to safely swim near a kayak without trying to climb on top. We teach them to stay away from the paddles.
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We teach dogs to take the energy down on command if they are playing too rough. Essential for safe, enjoyable socialization and adventures. We also use another command to tell them play time is over.
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We teach a clear, enthusiastic recall command that dogs respond to consistently, even with distractions. Perfect for off-leash adventures with control. Requires the human take action and move as well.
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No more jumping on people at scenic overlooks or on the trail. We teach dogs to stay grounded while adventuring. We absolutely do not tolerate them jumping on us.
Everyday Training Topics
We help dogs build healthy social skills, reliable leash manners, and can resolve behaviors most people find challenging. We teach stop and release cues, eye contact on request, impulse control, and polite behavior such as no pulling, jumping, counter surfing, or excessive barking. WPA also addresses practical, real-life challenges like crate training, vehicle loading on cue, drop-it and leave-it skills, managing excitement without biting, mild resource guarding, and navigating family or multi-dog dynamics—while helping you understand and respond to your dog’s behavior with greater clarity and confidence.
How to be the best Pet Parent
We teach pet parents the foundations of effective training—how dogs learn, how to accurately read body language, and how to meet their dog’s physical and emotional exercise needs—so they can feel more confident, reduce anxiety, and respond to their dog with clarity and calm in everyday life.
We help people navigate their own anxiety and lack of confidence by gaining knowledge and practice. Whether we help you feel comfortable at the dog park, or on leash, we aim to improve the lives of both people and pets.
How We Train
Learner-Centered Dog Training™
At the core of every Wild Pup Adventure service is Toby’s Learner-Centered Dog Training™ philosophy. This approach treats every dog as a unique individual with their own learning style, emotional needs, and communication patterns. Toby studies each dog closely—their micro-movements, reactions, preferences, and relationships to their environment—to understand what they need to learn best. This deep, moment-to-moment observation allows her to shape training that feels natural and supportive for each dog. The intensive program creates a strong, relational bond between teacher and student—one where the roles can even shift, as Toby learns from the dogs just as much as they learn from her. Learner-Centered Dog Training™ is flexible, dynamic, and designed to help every dog become the best version of themselves.
WPA’s Unique Training Methods Work
Building on this philosophy, Toby developed a specialized set of training methods tailored specifically for off-leash, multi-sport, wilderness adventure dogs. These methods require understanding each dog’s motivations and using tools like excitement, interest, play, and environmental engagement to shape reliable behavior. Because adventure dog training demands exceptional responsiveness and safety, certain learners may also benefit from tone, vibration, or e-collar technology—used thoughtfully and appropriately to support long-term success. Wild Pup Adventures’ approach is different from traditional trainers because the work happens in real outdoor scenarios where dogs learn dynamically, not in artificial settings. The goal is simple: effective, ethical training that gives dogs the freedom to live the fullest, happiest, most adventurous life possible by your side.
Toby & Raven: A Teaching Team Like No Other
Raven, the Wild Pup Adventures canine Pack Leader, has been the heart of the pack for nearly a decade. Her natural authority, emotional intelligence, and clear communication make her an extraordinary mentor for every new PupScout that joins the Academy. Dogs instinctively respect her—she sets boundaries, provides guidance, and models the calm, confident behavior that adventure dogs need. Over the years, Toby has come to see Raven not just as a partner, but as her own teacher. Raven’s instincts and nuanced leadership have deeply shaped Toby’s understanding of canine culture and her approach to teaching other dogs.
Together, Toby and Raven form a seamless team: Toby communicates expectations with clarity and consistency, while Raven reinforces those lessons in real time through her presence and example. Raven sometimes even makes the decisions and Toby trusts her enough to follow. This human–canine partnership creates an authentic learning environment where each PupScout receives immediate, meaningful feedback if needed.
Let’s Work Together
Meet the Trainer and Owner of Wild Pup Adventures, Toby Joy Zelt
…and her family, Raven, Jonah, and Wally
Thank you for investigating training options for you and your dog. Investing in this relationship can play a significant role in the quality of your lives but at the same time, it’s not easy to pick a program or trainer to work with. Let me introduce myself so you can determine if it’s a match.
I’m Toby Joy, Owner and Adventure Leader of Wild Pup Adventures.
For over 10 years, I’ve been building what I call Conscious Canine Community, working with dogs in off-leash wilderness environments where bodies, behaviors, and social dynamics are always in flux. I’ve safely managed off-leash packs of up to 18 dogs during multi-sport activities including dirt biking, kayaking, hiking and swimming—experiences that require calm and assertive leadership and the ability to read dogs moment by moment. Through this work, I’ve learned to notice subtle shifts in energy, emotion, and communication that often go unseen by others, yet make all the difference. I’ve spent countless hours in silence during our pack activities, watching, listening, and learning, allowing the dogs to be my teachers.
Because of that, I have unique and effective ways of understanding and working with dogs and their people. My heart is in this work and I devote myself fully to each client because your success is my success and seeing people happy with their dog brings me immense fulfillment.
When Wild Pup Adventures brings your dog in for training, you will always work directly with me—never a contractor or assistant. I show up with a decade of knowledge and know-how to help you reach your goals.
If your goals are within the scope of my services, I’ll offer thoughtful guidance throughout the process. Together, we’ll work toward a relationship that feels more connected, balanced, and genuinely enjoyable for both you and your dog.
I look forward to meeting you. Feel free to learn more about WPA’s values and philosophies or more about my background as well.
Feel free to learn more about WPA’s values and philosophies or more about my background as well. I look forward to meeting you.