The Short Answer
Pick Brain Training for Dogs if you have a puppy or a young dog and want a one-time-payment, structured foundational curriculum. Pick Doggy Dan if you have a reactive, anxious, or rescue dog and want a video-heavy, community-supported program that specializes in behavior rehabilitation.
Brain Training for Dogs
One-time payment, 60-day guarantee, best for puppies and young dogs.
Get Brain TrainingSide by Side
| Brain Training for Dogs | Doggy Dan | |
|---|---|---|
| Trainer | CPDT-KA credentialed (Adrienne Farricelli) | Experienced, uncertified (Dan Abdelnoor) |
| Methodology | Positive reinforcement, mental games | Positive reinforcement, "Dog Calming Code" |
| Format | 21 structured modules + troubleshooting | 300+ video library + community |
| Payment | One-time (~$47) | Monthly subscription (~$37/mo) or annual |
| Best for | Puppies, young dogs, foundational | Reactive, anxious, rescue dogs |
| Guarantee | 60-day money back | 3-day trial for $1 |
| Community | Minimal | Active forum + Q&A |
Where Brain Training Wins
The structured curriculum is genuinely well-designed for a first-time pet parent who wants to know what to do in what order. The one-time payment model means you don't have ongoing cost pressure. The 60-day guarantee is long enough to actually test whether it works for your dog before committing.
For a puppy in the first six months, Brain Training is the easier choice to actually complete.
Brain Training is a textbook. Doggy Dan is a tutor. Pick based on whether you need structure or support.
Where Doggy Dan Wins
The video library is massive and the community is genuinely active. For a reactive or anxious dog where you're going to have specific questions that a general course can't answer, the Q&A access and the depth of the library are worth the subscription.
The "Dog Calming Code" framework is specifically good for dogs whose behavior problems come from anxiety rather than lack of training.
Reactive or anxious dog?
If behavior is the core issue rather than obedience, start with Doggy Dan's $1 three-day trial. That's enough to see whether the approach fits your dog.
Try Doggy Dan for $1The Trainer Question
Adrienne Farricelli is CPDT-KA certified. Dan Abdelnoor is experienced and well-regarded but does not hold the same formal credential. For pet parents who care about certification, this is a real difference. For pet parents who evaluate trainers by track record and method, both are credible.
Price Over Time
Brain Training is ~$47 once. Doggy Dan is ~$37/month ($444/year) or ~$197/year on annual billing. If you're going to use a program for more than 6 months, Brain Training is significantly cheaper. Doggy Dan's value lies in the ongoing community and library access, not the one-time curriculum.
Who Should Get Both
For a complex case (reactive rescue dog, first-time pet parent), running Brain Training for foundational work alongside a Doggy Dan subscription for behavior rehab is overkill but not crazy. Together they cost about what one in-person trainer session costs, and you can run both simultaneously.
Pick Brain Training if:
Your dog is young, you want a structured curriculum, and you'd rather pay once than subscribe monthly.
Pick Doggy Dan if:
Your dog has established behavior issues, you'll use the community actively, and you're comfortable with a monthly subscription.
Still not sure?
Run the Doggy Dan $1 trial first, it's the shortest commitment. If the methodology doesn't click with you, move to Brain Training.
Start the $1 Trial