An elite online course for aspiring and experienced dog trainers who are ready to launch or scale a high-impact Doggie Day School with proven methods for behavior transformation and emotional resilience.
Why This Program Exists
Most dog daycares aren’t equipped to handle emotionally sensitive, hyperactive, or misunderstood dogs. Many are kicked out. Labeled. Misdiagnosed.
You were born to help these dogs.
S.A.F.E. School For Dogs™ exists to train the next generation of emotionally intelligent dog professionals—those who are ready to lead, not follow.
This isn’t basic obedience. This is behavior transformation, personal growth, and business leadership rolled into one.
The Framework That Changes Everything
- Safe Socialization
- Advanced Training
- Friendship Building
- Emotional Maturity
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This is for you if...
You’re ready to:
✔️ Build a thriving indoor Doggie Day School with a waitlist of grateful clients
✔️ Finally leave behind the chaotic daycare model that stresses dogs out
✔️ Learn the neuroscience of emotional transformation in dogs
✔️ Train and support “cusper dogs” who’ve been kicked out of traditional settings
✔️ Gain a reputation as the trainer who gets results where others fail
Doggie Day School's are designed to help dogs who...
✓ have been kicked out of traditional dog daycares
✓ have had minimal dog experiences
✓ have had poor dog experiences
✓ lack confidence around other dogs
✓ are too rambunctious or fearful around other dogs
✓ want to develop strong reliability on and off-leash around other dogs
✓ need additional high level training for a certification or skill
✓ need to develop strong communication skills to help new friendships blossom
Real Results. Real Dogs. Real Trainers.
Murray's Pawrents
"Our puppy was so scared of the outside world... Murray's confidence has skyrocketed since starting school and he is ready to take on the world!"
Mason's Pawrent
"Mason was overwhelmed by the chaos of traditional doggy daycare...
I wanted a safe place for him to learn how to be himself around other dogs and learn manners. ENTER, Jess. Her School is built on compassion and attentiveness. Her pack is well mannered and respectful of each other and they learn that listening to their human and being calm leads to all the good things."
Arley's Pawrent
"Arley has struggled with some separation anxiety and lack of confidence when I’m not around. The individualized approach Jess takes with each dog at school is the main reason Arley’s confidence has skyrocketed this year. Now Arley walks into school ready to have fun with her friends!"
What You'll Learn:
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The SAFE School For Dogs Method™: How to decode social signals before problems start
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Our Rehab Protocols: Advanced methods for emotionally sensitive dogs
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The Pack-to-Pairing System: Creating safe group dynamics that build confidence
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Business blueprints: How to price, position, and enroll your first 5 clients—fast
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Coaching Calls + Mentorship with Jess Gorham, B.S. Animal Science + Psychology
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Ongoing community support from elite trainers & SAFE School alumni
Meet Your Teachers
Rhonda Bilodeau
creator of the course
Rhonda Bilodeau is a professional dog trainer and an online entrepreneur in the dog training world with a passion to help as many dogs as she can by lifting up other incredible dog lovers turned trainers so they can make an impact in their community. She's helped many dog lovers start their dream business' hiking & training dogs and have mentored them on their journey of becoming dog trainers. Through creating the SAFE School For Dogs online course she hopes to reach even more dogs in need of more individualized support and in a safe supportive environment.
Rhonda lives in Costa Rica with her beloved Mateo and their 2 dogs Milo and Ziva. You can find her on instagram sharing all about the heart to heart connection humans have with their dogs and how they share emotions.
Jess Gorham
class teacher
Jess is a professional dog trainer and has a Bachelor of Science in both Animal Science and Psychology at the University of Vermont and worked at a busy dog daycare during her undergrad. Later she worked at a large animal supplement company as the top formulation specialist.
Jess graduated from the My Dog Camp online course to learn how to hike and train dogs but instead used the concepts to create a day school training program because her personal dog needed more support. Through day school her dog blossomed. Rhonda saw how impactful and successful Jess' day school was for her dogs and her client's dogs that she teamed up with Jess to create S.A.F.E School For Dogs.
Jess will be your teacher on the S.A.F.E. School For Dogs LIVE Zoom Calls
Jess is an incredible trainer because she's a great teacher and passionate about learning from all styles of dog trainers as well as she has an inclusive heart. She loves staying up to date on all the latest dog training trends and scientific research focusing on changing the dog's emotional state to create long lasting change. Jess lives in Milton, VT and in her spare time you can find her with her dog's Pip and Sturge training, having fun hiking and meeting up with other dog trainers and their dogs.
The dogs in your path aren’t a coincidence. They’re a calling.
What's in our online course...
Module 1
Dog School Psychology
You'll learn how dog's learn best to improve confidence and learn how to create the behavior you want! Stopping unwanted behavior is easy with force and fear but only creates short term gain and an unhappy dog. Teaching a dog what you do want and being the support system they need in life to flourish will help you feel more connected with your dogs and in alignment with how you wish to train WITHOUT sacrificing results!
Module 2
I Speak Dog
You'll learn how dogs communicate and why focusing on the dog's emotional state is detrimental to creating a happy dog that feels confident and listens better. Many believe they know how to 'speak dog' but disregard the biggest fundamental - that emotions drive behavior. When you learn how to help dogs feel better about their world through perception modification and counter conditioning you help a dog gain back their agency or control which helps them feel safe again. When a dog feels safe only then are they able to truly make choices and focus on advanced training concepts. This means you'll be resolving the root cause of the dog's problem- how they feel and achieve happier dogs for a very sought after service!
Module 3
Dog School Essentials
Learn all the tools it takes to create happy, well socialized and confident dogs. Learning how to use tools are essential to making sure there's no fall out in the use of the tool and to avoid suppression. The purpose of a tool is to enhance communication. For example, you'll learn how to use a squirt bottle to help a pushy dog learn a shy dog's calming signal for space means to move away. This tool (as well as other tools) helps to bridge a gap between the calming signal of the shy dog and consequences of their behavior, creating clarity in the pushy dogs life. In the future it helps the pushy dog make better decisions around all shy dogs that exhibit the same calming signal. Tools are often used as a way to teach boundaries around other dogs and is essential in friendship building. It also helps a dog wants lead a more active lifestyle with their people or overcome behavioral issues as it creates an opportunity for more rewards based training.
Module 4
The S.A.F.E. Dog School Training Method™
Learn how to teach advanced relaxation concepts and really reliable advanced training. A dog's inability to emotionally regulate means they have a dysregulated nervous system. A dysregulated nervous system is often the root cause of many behavioral problems. Teaching relaxation as a skill will greatly enhance any training we teach after. By teaching relaxation concepts you'll create more reliable dogs and emotionally stable dogs around people, places, things and dogs. Relaxation training is a key to successful dog training many in the business overlook and you're going to learn it all here!
Module 5
Construction of the Doggie Day School
Knowing which dogs to put together to construct your dog pack is essential to having happy dogs and happy clients. You'll learn how to evaluate dogs so you know which dogs will benefit each other's training, when to add in new dogs and which dogs to avoid. By understanding how to construct your dog pack you're less likely to have dog fights and more likely to see dogs flourishing around other dogs. This section will shave years off your learning curve and fast track you to creating safe socialization experiences for your and the dogs!
Module 6
S.A.F.E. Socialization at School
Friendship building is an art. When the dogs feel safe and learn the ability to ask for space (and that wish being granted), friendships blossom at school. Dogs that could never socialize start socializing because they're finally understood and their signals for space are being listened to (sometimes for the first times!). This is the most rewarding part of SAFE School For Dogs- seeing the dogs live their fullest lives with other dogs! After countless years searching for the perfect socialization process we believe we have one of the most detailed, step by step process for you to follow to create truly happy, beneficial and safe socialization experiences.
Plus, learn how to build your business!
Feel confident changing careers or adding on a lucrative socialization school to your business
What You'll Be Able to Teach Dogs- (That most Trainers Can't)
By the end of this program, you'll have the skills and systems to help even the most misunderstood dogs thrive emotionally, socially, and behaviorally. Here's what you'll be equipped to deliver:
✔️ Emotional Resilience
Transform anxious, reactive, or overstimulated dogs into calm, balanced companions who can relax—even in high-distraction environments.
✔️ Social Fluency
Teach dogs how to read body language, make good choices around other dogs, and interact safely through play, greetings, and parallel work.
✔️ Nervous System Regulation
You'll guide dogs in learning how to down-regulate from excitement or stress, helping them stay grounded and present no matter what’s happening around them.
✔️ Confidence in New Environments
Prepare dogs to stay calm, focused, and open to learning even in chaotic or unfamiliar situations, from group classes to public parks.
✔️ Advanced Obedience Skills
Master high-level foundations like sit, down, stay, come, heel—with distraction, with confidence, and with real-world reliability.
✔️ Real-World Life Skills
Train dogs to thrive at home with their people by transferring skills from the training room to the living room—with follow-through, consistency, and leadership.
Common Questions
What types of dogs are unsuitable for SAFE School For Dogs?
You will learn how to pick dogs so you and the dogs have a SAFE socialization experience. Dogs unsuitable for school are dogs that resource guard, dogs with a bite history, have barrier frustration with gates and back ties or dogs that excessively bark.
Can I bring my dog to my SAFE School For Dogs?
Yes! You can bring your dog to your school as long as it is within their ability to be successful there. The training you learn in this online course will get you well along your way to making your dog a great SAFE School For Dogs student!
What if I don't have a facility to host my SAFE School For Dogs?
We show you how to scout out facilities and inquire about locations to host your SAFE School For Dogs inside the 6 week online course.
What if I don't have any dog training experience? Can I really start a SAFE School For Dogs?
Absolutely! All you need is persistence, patience, passion and use the support system you receive in the course! You will always be assessing your skill level and matching it with the right types of dogs for your ability.
Is this a lucrative career running a SAFE School For Dogs?
Dog training and highly advanced dog daycares are one of the fastest growing businesses that are recession proof. More dogs are having behavioral problems and lead unnatural lives. This means they need extra support from skilled trainers that understand how to socialize dogs (all the exciting training content we offer in our 6 week online course!). Dog parents are willing to pay top dollars to get this specialized help so their dogs can be happy. Our SAFE School trainers charge around $70 per dog for a day of school.
What's inside the SAFE School For Dogs Online Course?
Please see the online course section.
What's the refund policy?
We have a no refund policy due to the nature of this course being digital.
What are the start up costs for a SAFE School For Dogs?
There are minimal start up costs for a SAFE School For Dogs. You will need leashes, treats, a rental space, insurance, a car, some cots, a squirt bottle and a website (we show you how to obtain all the items and do all this!).
When do doors open for the 6 Week Online Course?
We open the doors twice a year. Get on the waitlist to find out when we announce our doors opening!
Who teaches the SAFE School For Dogs class?
Jess Gorham will be teaching the LIVE Zoom Calls.
What can I expect when I sign up for the SAFE School For Dogs Online Course?
You can expect to receive a confirmation email about payment and a link to the online course through Mighty Networks. If you don't see this email please check your spam. If you did not receive the email please reach out to us here. Create an account on your laptop and then download the app on your phone. After you can access either on your laptop or phone. Once inside the Mighty Network you'll see our platform 'Dog Training Wisdom' where we host all our online courses. You'll have access to the SAFE School For Dogs online course. Week 1 only opens once the class starts. Here you'll find all the information you need about class schedule, zoom links, educational videos and a community to connect with and ask questions. This is where Jess and Rhonda will be, ready to answer any question you have and support you on your journey!
Do you have a payment plan for the SAFE School For Dogs Online Course?
Yes, we have payment plans!
Do you offer a shadow program for dog trainers?
Jess Gorham offers shadow programs for graduates only. She runs her SAFE School For Dogs in Milton, VT. Together, Rhonda and Jess run an online dog trainer academy and some dates are in-person. Learn more about this training opportunity.
See you inside the course!
Rhonda & Jess
Signup for the Waitlist
Join the waitlist and we will notify with our next course dates and details as soon as they become available.