Rated on Google

Dog Training in Rhode Island

Our dog training in Rhode Island turns everyday frustration into a dog you’re proud of.

  • Loose-leash walks, no pulling or lunging
  • Calm around guests, kids and other dogs
  • Listens at home, on walks and in public
  • One-on-one with Bobby, lifelong support

Click the button below and fill out a quick form to get started with a free consultation

Bobby Bartolomeo, owner of Grey Standard Canine Training, walking a black Labrador on a loose leash across a town crosswalk in Rhode Island
🤝Lifetime Support & Guidance
🎯Training Built Around Your Dog
🎓Basic & Advanced Training
🏡Results That Last at Home

Check Out Our Reviews

★★★★★
Rated 5.0 on Google
D
Dianne D.September 2026
★★★★★

Bobby helped us with our three year old Bernadoodle Shelby. He was wonderful and helped to calm Shelby down. We also boarded Shelby with Bobby. I love the relationship he has with her.

R
Rachel H.September 2026
★★★★★

Bobby is truly the dog whisperer, and we highly recommend Grey Standard Canine Training. When we reached out to him, we were completely at a loss. We adopted Gogo as a 10-week-old Yorkie puppy, and he had always been joyful and energetic. Then, at 17 months old, he suddenly became aggressive. He fixated on our older dog, Lulu, and snapped without warning. I was bitten twice, and my husband was bitten once. These were not minor bites; Gogo would latch on and refuse to let go. Our vet ruled out any physical problems and said he was in perfect health. The hardest part was that our granddaughter, Alice, loved Gogo, but once his behavior changed, we could no longer allow her to be around him.
Gogo’s behavior became so serious that our vet said she would support euthanasia if it came to that. We considered every option—rehoming him, returning him to the breeder, or euthanasia. The final straw came when Gogo lunged at our daughter and her boyfriend, forcing them to jump onto the couch to get away. I immediately searched for trainers who boarded and worked with aggressive dogs. Bobby responded that same night, and I felt immediate relief.
After speaking with Bobby by phone the next day, I knew he was the right trainer for Gogo. Other trainers were not a good fit, but Bobby listened, explained that Gogo needed to learn how to be calm, and clearly cared about both dogs and their owners. He drove to our house to pick up Gogo, reassured us, and agreed to train and board him for three weeks while we were away. During Gogo’s stay, Bobby stayed in constant communication, and we knew we had made the right decision.
When Bobby brought Gogo home, he spent two hours teaching us how to continue the training. He walked with us and showed us what Gogo had learned. Before training, Gogo would often become scared on Thames Street, stop, and refuse to move. That day, he walked with confidence. Bobby also gave us practical suggestions for creating calm areas in our home, checked in the next day, answered every question, and even stopped by when he was in Newport. His support did not end when training ended.
Gogo has now been home for 12 days, and I recently realized that I am no longer afraid. Our house is calmer than it has ever been. When Alice visited, Gogo was calm and simply wanted to be by her side. Alice was thrilled to spend time with her dog again after more than three months apart.
The changes in Gogo have been remarkable. Before training, he did not eat consistently, pulled and stopped on walks, obeyed only when treats were offered, reacted to Lulu daily, and needed a Baskerville muzzle. Now he eats regularly, walks calmly, responds to verbal commands without treats, and settles quickly when redirected. Since coming home, he has only become upset three times, and each incident was brief because he responded to the tools Bobby taught us. I can now leave him home safely for longer periods without arranging my entire schedule around him.
While Gogo was training with Bobby, a close friend asked whether I thought I would ever trust Gogo again. At the time, I was not sure. Now my answer is yes. Bobby created an individualized training program that gave Gogo—and us—the skills we needed. The results have gone beyond our expectations. Whatever your dog’s training needs may be, look no further than Grey Standard Canine Training.

E
Emily K.August 2026
★★★★★

I can’t even begin to express how thankful I am for Bobby and Grey Standard Canine Training! I’ve been training and breeding dogs for years, but I was completely stumped when it came to my dog’s herding drive around my horses. It was getting dangerous, she was constantly getting underfoot, and the confrontational behavior toward my horses was becoming a serious problem. Some horses could tolerate it, but others were more reactive, and honestly, it was a ticking time bomb. I couldn’t address it while on horseback myself, and it felt like a challenge I would never be able to overcome.

In just a few sessions, Bobby completely transformed the dynamic between my dog and horses. I never thought it was possible, but now my dog runs alongside me on horseback, and she doesn’t try to herd or nip at my horse’s legs. She’s calm, focused, and I can’t believe how smooth and natural everything feels now. The behavior that once felt uncontrollable and dangerous is gone.

What stands out most is Bobby’s intuitive understanding of both the dog’s natural instincts and the challenges I was facing with my horses. Bobby didn’t just apply basic training techniques; he tailored everything to fit my specific needs and the environment I was working in. It was clear that Bobby had a deep understanding of not just canine behavior, but how to adapt that understanding to real-life situations, like riding alongside horses.

I can finally ride with my dog by my side in a way I always dreamed of but thought was impossible. It’s such a relief to know that I can trust my dog around my horses, and the bond we’ve formed from this training is stronger than ever. I’m amazed by how quickly Bobby was able to address a situation that seemed so complicated. I never thought it would be possible to have a harmonious relationship between my dog and my horses, but Bobby proved me wrong.

If you're facing any kind of behavioral issues with your dog, I highly recommend Grey Standard Canine Training. Bobby is an expert, and the results speak for themselves. My heart is so full to be living this dream, and I can’t thank Bobby enough for making it a reality!

J
Joanne D.June 2026
★★★★★

Bobby trained both of our dogs, Skye and Luna, and we’re really happy with how they came home. They’re calmer, listening better, and just easier to manage day to day.

What we liked most was that Bobby didn’t just train them to follow commands. He helped us understand them better too, which made a big difference once they were back home.

Skye and Luna are still themselves, just with more structure and a lot more confidence. We’re really grateful for the work Bobby put into them and would definitely recommend Grey Standard.

M
Mickeal P.June 2026
★★★★★

Before taking him to Bobby, snoopy would be hyper and unable to relax. You take him for a walk and he’s walking you. Now after his training I can tell he’s learned a lot. He’s much easier to walk with and now can sit in a room without needing constant attention. He’s done a wonderful job with my dog and I would definitely recommend him to anyone else looking for a trainer!

C
Cristina M.May 2026
★★★★★

Where do I begin…I can’t thank Bobby enough. Since the first phone call I knew that he was the one for my Chuckie! The attention to detail, the knowledge, his personality, he made me feel comfortable and the worry and pressure came off my shoulders instantly!!! Pit bulls definitely get judged fast, and when you have one that has shown some aggression, it is really not easy finding a trainer who will even take that on. Most won’t. Bobby seriously blew us away with how good he was with my Chuckie. Honestly I didn’t know what we were going to do at that point. He stepped in, kept in touch with us the whole way through, and did everything he could to help. He ended up taking our dog for a board and train and the difference has been huge! He is doing so much better now. I really can’t recommend Bobby enough! He is not just a trainer, he’s family. He just has a natural feel for dogs and that is honestly rare. Bobby said that a piece of him stays with all the dogs he trains and I truly feel that…Thank you

E
Emily H.May 2026
★★★★★

I can’t say enough good things about our experience with Bobby. We brought him a very challenging situation—a 3-year-old male Great Dane rescue with a traumatic past who was showing serious aggression toward our other dog and had begun resource guarding me. He came to us with no basic training or structure and with his intimidating size, and a young child in our home, we were facing the heartbreaking possibility of having to rehome him if things didn’t improve.
From the very beginning, Bobby approached the situation with confidence, honesty, and a level of realism that we truly appreciated. He didn’t sugarcoat anything, but instead gave us a clear understanding of what needed to be done and what to expect. His approach is unlike anything we’ve seen before—he takes the time to truly read each dog and works at a pace that’s appropriate for them, especially in high-stress, behavioral cases like ours.
We enrolled our dog in a two-week board and train program, and the transformation has been incredible. Bobby not only worked through the aggression issues, but also helped build a foundation of structure, communication, and trust that our dog had clearly never experienced before. Not to mention the additional tricks he learned along the way; sit, place, stay, heel. We are so impressed. The progress we’ve seen has given us real hope!

There is still work ahead, but thanks to Bobby, we now have the tools, knowledge, and confidence to continue moving forward safely and successfully as a family. Quite honestly, we believe he saved our dog’s life, without this intervention, he would not have been able to thrive in a home environment.

What sets Bobby apart is the support he provides even after the training is complete. He takes the time to work closely with you to make sure you feel comfortable, confident, and fully prepared to maintain the progress at home. He genuinely cares about both the dogs and their families!!

We feel incredibly lucky to have found Bobby. For anyone dealing with a difficult or aggressive dog, especially in a high-stakes situation, we cannot recommend him highly enough!!

N
Natasha S.May 2026
★★★★★

We got our Golden Retriever puppy and reached out to Bobby early on to help get him on the right track. We started with puppy lessons and later did a board and train, and it made such a difference. Our dog is calmer, more confident, listens really well, and is not jumping all over us like he used to. We’re super happy with how it all went and really glad we found Bobby. Would definitely recommend him.

L
Lynn F.April 2026
★★★★★

Bobby did a great job with our dog. The board and train program was tailored to our dog’s specific needs, and it was clear from the start how much thought and care went into everything. He was professional, thorough, and focused on getting real results. We saw a big improvement in behavior, and he made everything easy for us to understand on our end too. Highly recommend.

What Dog Training Gives You

Good dog training shows up in the ordinary moments of your week. Here is what changes once your dog knows the rules.

Obedience that holds up anywhere

Sit, come, place and leave it work at home, at the park and with company over, not only in a quiet room with treats in hand.

Easy walks around town

Your dog stays beside you on a loose leash past joggers, strollers and other dogs, from your own street to a busy Main Street sidewalk.

A relaxed house when people visit

Friends and family walk in to a dog who greets politely and then settles, instead of jumping, barking or begging at the table.

A dog you can take along

Patio dinners, family visits and the beach in the off-season. Your dog becomes the one you bring with you, not the one you leave behind.

Help for life, not just a program

When questions or setbacks come up months later, you can still reach Bobby. The training keeps working because you are never on your own with it.

Does Your Dog...

If any of these sound like your dog, you are not alone. These are the problems Rhode Island families bring to Bobby most often.

✓ Ignore your commands or just not listen?
✓ Pull you down the street on walks?
✓ Jump on guests and family?
✓ Bark at every noise or passerby?
✓ Never settle or relax at home?
✓ Lunge or bark at other dogs on walks?
✓ Get anxious in new places?
✓ Guard food, toys or a person?
✓ Growl or snap at people?
✓ Fight with another dog at home?

If this sounds like your dog, you’re in the right place. Bobby has helped hundreds of dogs with these exact problems become obedient, reliable and calm companions. Click the button below and fill out a quick form to get started with a free consultation.

Bobby Bartolomeo of Grey Standard Canine Training on a marina terrace at sunset with a golden retriever sitting calmly at his feet

Why Dog Owners Choose
Grey Standard Canine Training

  • ✓
    Built Around Your GoalsEvery program starts with one question. What do you want your dog to do? No preset packages and no checklists.
  • ✓
    A Small, Personal ProgramBobby keeps things low volume on purpose, so your dog gets real attention from the same trainer every day, for consistent, high-quality training.
  • ✓
    Pickup, Drop-Off and a Home SessionBobby collects your dog, brings your dog home and finishes the program with you in your own home.
  • ✓
    Lifetime Support and GuidanceOur clients get ongoing support and access to Bobby for the life of their dog, plus the option to board their dog with a trainer who already knows them whenever they’re out of town.

From First Call to an Obedient Dog

Here is what to expect when your dog trains with Grey Standard Canine Training.

1

Free Consultation

Bobby learns about you and your dog, shares a few training tips you can use right away and designs a custom training plan built around your dog and your goals.

2

Pickup at Your Home

No need to drive anywhere or rearrange your week. Bobby picks your dog up from your home anywhere in Rhode Island or southern Massachusetts, so getting started is easy.

3

Daily One-on-One Training

Your dog trains with Bobby every day, the same trainer start to finish, building reliable obedience at home first and then in real-world settings around town, like busy parks, stores and sidewalks.

4

Drop-Off & Lifetime Support

Bobby drops your dog off at home trained and ready, teaches you how to keep the progress going, and gives you lifetime support and guidance.

Built Around Your Goals

Every program starts with a free consultation, so Bobby can learn about your dog and build a custom training plan around your goals.

Board and Train

Board & Train

Your dog lives and trains with Bobby and comes home obedient, reliable and calm, with pickup and a final session at your house.

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In-Home Dog Training

In-Home Dog Training

One-on-one in-home lessons for hands-on owners near our East Greenwich base, from Warwick to North Kingstown.

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Day Training

Day Training

Your dog trains with Bobby by day and sleeps at home every night. Available near East Greenwich and Warwick.

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Puppy Training

Puppy Training

House rules, routines and real-world manners from the first weeks, for a well-mannered puppy who listens and is easy to live with.

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Potty Training

Potty Training

A potty schedule your puppy or older dog actually follows, so the accidents stop and the rugs stay clean.

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Crate Training

Crate Training

Quiet nights and a dog who walks into the crate on their own, whether you have a puppy, an adult dog or a rescue.

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Aggressive Dog Training

Aggressive Dog Training

Safety-first training for growling, guarding, dog fights or a bite history, so you get a calmer dog you can handle.

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Reactive Dog Training

Reactive Dog Training

Barking and lunging at dogs, people, cars or bikes? Calm first, then relaxed walks on your own street.

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Dog Separation Anxiety Training

Dog Separation Anxiety Training

Howling, chewing or panic when you leave? A calm routine, crate comfort and goodbyes coached in your own home.

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Therapy Dog Training

Therapy Dog Training

Calm manners, polite greetings and steady nerves, so your dog is ready for a therapy dog evaluation.

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Herding Dog Training

Herding Dog Training

Real herding work on livestock for herding breeds, from the first instinct check to calm, controlled work.

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Dog Boarding

Dog Boarding

A calm, structured stay with a trainer while you travel. Your dog gets its own space, structured play and outings with Bobby.

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Board and Train That Holds Up at Home

Too often, a dog is trained in isolation and the results fall apart once it comes home. Grey Standard Canine Training works differently. Bobby handles the intensive training and daily structure, and puts the same effort into teaching you.

You’ll know what your dog is learning, why it matters and how to keep it. At the end of the program Bobby brings your dog home and works with you both right where daily life happens, so the new behavior carries over from day one.

Learn more about our board and train →

Bobby Bartolomeo on a family’s living room floor working with their Labrador during the final at-home session of a board and train program

Obedience Where It Actually Counts

A dog that behaves in a quiet room can still fall apart on a busy sidewalk. Every program is built around real-world practice, so your dog learns to stay composed around people, other dogs, traffic and new places.

The goal is never a performance in a controlled setting. It’s an obedient, reliable dog at home, on walks and out in public, and an owner who knows how to keep it that way.

Bobby Bartolomeo walking a German Shepherd calmly on a loose leash down a quiet country road, obedience where it actually counts

Dog Training in Rhode Island for
Every Breed, Age and Temperament

Most people who call Bobby don’t care about tricks. They want a dog that walks on a loose leash, comes when called, stays off the counter, settles in the house and stops barking at everything that moves. That’s the heart of Grey Standard Canine Training’s dog training in Rhode Island. It’s obedience you can use in real life, and it fixes the behavior problems that make daily life hard at the root, from reactivity and aggression to jumping, chewing and nonstop barking.

Obedience is the shared language. Sit, down, place, heel and a reliable recall give your dog clear direction and give you a way to step in before things go wrong. But the commands are a tool, not the goal. The goal is whatever you want your dog to do, and for most families that simply means a calm dog.

Every dog is unique, so nothing is copied from a template. Bobby trains every breed and age, from puppies starting out and rescues with a past to small dogs with big opinions, strong pit bulls and Dobermans, and high-drive shepherds, Aussies and Border Collies. The plan is built around your dog’s needs and your household, whether you live in Warwick, Providence, Newport, South County or just over the line in Massachusetts.

Grey Standard Canine Training is small on purpose, with one trainer, a small number of dogs at a time and an effective plan written for your household. Your dog comes home obedient, reliable and easy to live with, and you know exactly how to keep it that way. If you’re ready to get started, book a completely free consultation. Bobby will learn about you and your dog, share a few training tips and design a fully customized training plan around your goals.

Serving Rhode Island & Southern Massachusetts

If you live in any of the areas below, or anywhere else in Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts, we’d love to help you and your dog. Pickup and drop-off are included, so getting started is easy.

East Greenwich Warwick Providence Cranston North Kingstown Narragansett Newport Barrington Bristol Attleboro, MA area

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do you charge for dog training?

There’s no single number, because no two dogs need the same thing. A puppy who needs good habits and a dog with a bite history are very different jobs, so every Grey Standard Canine Training program is built and priced around your dog and your goals. Tell Bobby about your dog on a free consultation and he’ll build a custom training plan around your goals and give you an exact quote. There’s no pressure to sign up.

My dog has been through training before and it didn’t stick. Can you help?

Yes. Many of the dogs Bobby works with have already been to another trainer or a group class. Usually the training happened in one place and never carried over to daily life. Bobby trains in real-world settings, finishes every program in your home and teaches you exactly how to keep it going, so the results hold up after he leaves.

What happens at the free consultation?

Bobby learns about you and your dog, asks what you want your dog to do and how your dog behaves day to day. He shares a few training tips you can use right away, builds a custom training plan around your goals and gives you an exact quote. There’s no pressure to sign up.

How old does my dog need to be to start training with you?

As soon as your puppy comes home. Young puppies learn house rules, routines and manners quickly, and good habits are far easier to build than bad ones are to undo. It’s never too late either. Bobby trains adult dogs, rescues and seniors of every breed.

Where does my dog stay during board and train?

Your dog lives with Bobby for the length of the program, in a calm, structured setting rather than a commercial kennel. He only takes a small number of dogs at a time, so every dog gets real one-on-one attention.

Do you pick up and drop off my dog?

Yes. Bobby picks your dog up at your home and brings your dog back at the end of the program, across Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts. You never have to drive anywhere.

Do you work with aggressive or reactive dogs?

Yes. Aggressive, reactive and anxious dogs are at the heart of Bobby’s work, along with high-drive and working breeds and dogs other trainers have given up on. At your free consultation he’ll tell you honestly what to expect for your dog.

What happens after the program ends?

Bobby brings your dog home and finishes the program with a session in your home, where he shows you everything your dog learned and how to keep it. After that, you’re on the team. If you stay committed to the plan, Bobby stays in your corner for the life of your dog.

How long are your programs?

Our Two-Week Board and Train is our most complete program, and our One-Week Board and Train pairs a week of training with in-home lessons for you. Every program is custom-built around your goals, so Bobby sets the right length for your dog at your free consultation.

What training methods do you use?

Structure, clear communication and the right tool for the dog in front of him. Depending on your dog, that may be a slip lead, a long line, a prong collar or a thoughtful combination, and Bobby teaches you exactly how to use them at home. All training equipment is provided.

What areas do you serve?

Grey Standard Canine Training is based in East Greenwich, right next to Warwick, and works with families all over Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts, including Warwick, Cranston, Providence, North Kingstown, Narragansett, Newport, Barrington, Bristol, the Attleboro area and more. Pickup and drop-off at your home are part of every board and train.

Get Started Today

Claim your free consultation for dog training in Rhode Island. Tell Bobby what you want your dog to do, and he’ll share a few tips you can use tonight and build a custom training plan around your goals.