Jersey Shore Dogs offers professional dog training and puppy training services in NJ including basic obedience, problem behavior solving and modification, and group training classes like puppy kindergarten. Since we are located in central New Jersey, providing in-home dog training allows us to service most of the state. Our approach ensures that each dog learns in a familiar environment, making lessons more effective and less stressful for both pets and their owners.
Welcome To Jersey Shore Dogs
Voted BEST DOG TRAINING of Central New Jersey – Monmouth County & Middlesex County!
Our Awards












New Jersey (NJ) Dog Training & Behavior Consulting

New Jersey's Most Trusted Dog Training Professionals
Why Choose Jersey Shore Dogs?
Trusted Expert in Behavior Challenges ✓
Specializing in separation anxiety and behavior modification, we’ve trained over 9,000 dogs and helped more than 5,000 families over the past 15 years. Owner and head trainer Matt combines formal education in canine behavior with years of hands-on experience, offering practical, compassionate support for even the toughest behavior issues.
Veterinarian-Approved ✓
Vets refer their clients to us because we offer a thoughtful, evidence-based approach to behavior issues — grounded in experience, not gimmicks. We work closely with families to set realistic goals and provide guidance that supports steady, sustainable progress.
Efficient and Practical Solutions ✓
We don’t waste your time or money on unnecessary consultations or complicated solutions. Simple management and training goals often get the job done faster and more effectively.
While other trainers are busy “watching” and taking notes (then ask you to buy a training session or package), we’re working from the moment we walk through your door. We don’t need to look at your dog in advance. Trust us, we’ve seen it all. All we ask is that you fill out a brief history form prior to your first session so we can hit the ground running when we get there. Each session is a working session.
When Other Methods Fall Short or Fail ✓
If you’ve worked with a trainer who used outdated “crank and yank” or aversive methods, and it didn’t work—you’re not alone. Many clients come to us after those harsh techniques fail and cause more harm than good. While not every case is reversible, we try to focus on rebuilding trust and helping dogs — and their people — move forward with a more thoughtful, humane approach.
We’re Not Your “Per Session” Trainer ✓
We’re not interested in quick, one-off sessions for clients who vanish after a couple of hours. We want dedicated clients who are ready to stay engaged and work with us throughout the process. If you’re committed to achieving lasting results and willing to stay involved, we’re the right fit for you.
One Price for Your Entire Pack ✓
Unlike others, we charge by household not per dog. Whether you have one or multiple dogs, we’re here to help the entire family.
No Expiring Visits ✓
Your sessions never expire. Whether you use your sessions within six months or spread them out over a year or more, we’re always here for you. Life happens, and we understand. We’re committed to provide ongoing support for as long as your dog is with you.
Lifetime Support ✓
Unlike other trainers who charge for ongoing support or limit it to a few months, we offer unlimited email and phone support for the life of your dog(s) on your contract. No extra fees. No time limits. Supporting you and your dog(s) shouldn’t come with an expiration date.
To learn more about our trainers and dog training methods, check out the Why JSD? page.
Do you have a new puppy or dog:
- that needs to be socialized?
- that needs a refresher in basic obedience?
- with fear or aggression issues?
- suffering from separation anxiety?
- that doesn’t come when called or door dashes?
- that needs help with leash walking?
- with housetraining issues?
- that guards food, toys, locations, and/or people?
- that needs to be acclimated to your newborn’s upcoming arrival?
- that needs help overcoming a specific behavior problem like excessive barking, nipping, biting, unwanted chewing, destructive digging, jumping up, or counter surfing?
Aggression Training
Aggression Training
We specialize in advanced problem solving cases including dogs with fear, aggression, resource guarding, severe anxiety, and compulsion disorders.
Obedience & Behavior Training
Obedience Training
Our training is positive reinforcement based and done at your home so your pup is comfortable in their own environment.
Separation Anxiety
Separation Anxiety
We create a simple, step-by-step treatment plan based on the severity of your dog’s distress that will greatly reduce, and sometimes completely resolve, this issue.
Puppy Training
Puppy Training
Get your puppy started on the right track! We’ll lay the foundation to make sure your puppy will be successful as he or she grows into an adult dog.
Dog Behavior & Obedience Training, Separation Anxiety Treatment, Puppy Kindergarten Classes & More

No matter your dog’s age or issue(s), one of our certified dog trainers will teach you the techniques needed to help solve his or her frustrating behavior problems. Our force-free training methods are based on animal behavior learning theory and scientifically proven to have greater success and fewer negative consequences than dangerous methods involving force, pain, fear, or intimidation. Our highly effective techniques produce reliable, consistent results, helping create a less stressful environment for you AND your dog.
Our specialty lies in advanced problem solving and behavior modification for dogs with fear, aggression, severe anxiety, and reactivity issues. We’ve worked with many dogs that other trainers have deemed “untrainable” – progress can always be made, even if it’s in the smallest of steps.
CLICK HERE for our dog training services – we offer convenient and flexible training options.
Have questions or ready to schedule? Get in touch!
Check Out Our Rave Reviews!

Melissa from Jersey Shore Dogs was exactly what we were looking for when seeking help to train our 6-month-old Australian Shepherd. We wanted a trainer that would come to our home and educate us, the owners, on the best way to train Brody. Melissa was always timely and very friendly with both my husband and I and our pup, Brody! We learned so many great training methods and Brody has been so responsive! It takes patience and practice, but I am very happy with what Melissa taught us and Brody has been learning and becoming such a well-trained puppy!

We were brand new pup owners (never had a dog before), and we researched trainers locally and Matt Tuzzo and Jersey Shore Dogs came highly referred. Matt returned my call promptly and was flexible to set up our first meeting and training. And he is always a text away even after our training was completed (and still 3 months later), for any question or input as we continue to evolve with our pup. Matt made our pup extremely comfortable and at ease, and after our first two hours my wife and I felt we had a great deal of useful information that helped us to be better owners/parents and to take some of the early frustrations out of dog ownership. Matt returned a few weeks later and we worked on other training and even the basics of good leash walking. Today at 6 1/2 months, our pup is potty trained, responds to multiple commands, enjoys her walks (as do I when at first they were very frustrating), and she is at ease with strangers and new dogs. The latter is due to Matt’s recommendation to send her to puppy kindergarten, in theory to a competitor, but Matt knew the play time with multiple pups under a controlled environment with a specialist in puppy kindergarten was the best for our pup. That says a lot to me about Matt and his interest of your pup or dog first.

When I realized I wanted some outside help with training my puppy, reaching out to Matt was the best decision I could have made. Even after just that initial phone conversation, I felt so much more at ease and I could not wait for our appointment. I already started to see a positive change in Rex’s behavior while Matt was still at my house, and he even stayed past our scheduled time to show me additional ways to train and work with my dog. The homework he gave us was straightforward and easy to follow. Matt made it clear that I could e-mail him at any time with questions or if I needed clarification on something, and he meant it. I must’ve e-mailed him 10 times in the first two weeks after our session and he was always very prompt in answering. He is eager to help and offer insight in any way he can. To say Rex loved working with him would be a huge understatement!

We can’t thank Matt enough for the work he has done over the past year and a half with our rescue dog Indy. We adopted him at five months old realizing quickly that he suffered from severe separation anxiety. Matt helped us develop (and continuously tweak) a plan that helped our sweet boy manage and cope with what was previously nearly impossible. Later, we had Matt back to work on fear of strangers, with almost immediate progress post visit. Matt’s knowledge, approach, and sensitivity are second to none.

Boogie did OUTSTANDING work today and I wanted to share her tremendous progress…We went to check out a park in Spring Lake, which turned out to be “swarming” with people and dogs (relative to what we’re used to). I almost D-I-E-D when a woman, who was walking her dog across the street, kept staring at us while I was working Boogie, getting her attention to focus on me. I thought she was staring like, “Uh oh, pit bull”, but then she said, “Wow, great job!” – I was giddy after that! I feel so much more confident with her and in my ability to deal with situations. Recently, we passed a house with a dog on the porch, but I didn’t see the dog before he started barking. I immediately got Boogie’s attention and we crossed the street…but immediately saw a cat (which Boogie wanted to chase), so again we crossed the street…zig zagging. I kept praising and treating the entire time and she responded so well! Other than the obvious importance of this training, I know when people see a pittie with a handler who seems to know what she’s doing (thanks to you!), and is prepared, constantly monitoring, working and is focused, it HAS to make a difference in their opinion of these dogs. Thank you for helping me achieve one of my major goals, being a good breed ambassador. Boogie is a super star!

Matt – the training tools and time you devoted to us made for an exceptional transition of Wilson into our household. Bringing a new puppy into a household with Benny, a very spoiled 7-year-old, weighed heavy on us, but we have achieved a nice balance and they have become friends. Your training tips and the time we spent following your directions and protocols, along with the investment of time at puppy kindergarten, has brought us to a good place. Thank you, we are very grateful!