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About
Meet the trainer behindUnleash The Good Dog
I'm Mitchell Brown — founder, head trainer, and lifelong student of dog behavior. I've spent 15 years professionally training dogs and their people in the greater Indianapolis area, building the kind of relationship that actually holds up in real life.
My mission
Help you and your dog navigate challenges with empathy, communication, and clarity — and build a relationship that actually feels good to live with.
A little background
Why I do this
I didn't grow up planning to be a dog trainer. I grew up loving dogs — but the path into this work started in a shelter, watching family after family give up on their dog because nobody had ever taught them how to live together. Most of those dogs weren't bad dogs. They were untrained dogs in homes that ran out of patience.
That stuck with me. It still does. Almost every behavior problem I see in private homes — the leash pulling, the reactivity at the window, the resource guarding, the dog that bit somebody — started as something small that nobody knew how to address. By the time I get the call, the family is exhausted, the dog is anxious, and everyone's relationship is strained.
My job is to walk into that and give you a way forward. Not a magic trick, not a gadget, not a one-size-fits-all program — a clear plan, honest expectations, and the hands-on coaching to actually pull it off in your own house, on your own block, with your own dog.
I lean balanced because real life is balanced. I'll show you how to reward what you want to see more of, and I'll show you how to fairly and consistently interrupt the behaviors that are going to get your dog (or someone else) hurt. Done right, that combination doesn't crush a dog — it gives them the structure they've been quietly asking for.
My story
From shelter floor to founder
2009
Shelter Volunteer
Started volunteering at Indianapolis Animal Care & Control. Seeing how many dogs ended up surrendered for preventable behavior issues — pulling on leash, jumping, nipping, reactivity — changed the direction of my life. Most of these dogs didn't need a new home. They needed someone to teach them, and to teach their humans.
2010
Daycare Floor
Spent five years on the floor of a busy dog daycare, eventually working my way up to manager. That's where I really learned to read body language — what builds healthy play, what subtle signals snowball into a fight, and how dogs actually communicate with each other when humans aren't in the way.
In 2010, shortly after adopting a puppy, came my wake-up call: a walk with my Boston Terrier and the new puppy went sideways when a stranger reached to pet them — my Boston snapped at their feet, and my puppy watched and tried it too. Nobody got hurt, but it was the moment I realized I didn't have the tools my own dogs needed.
2011–2015
Training On the Side
I started working with the foster dogs at the daycare, helping them get adoption-ready. As my interest grew, my boss noticed and began recommending me to clients struggling with their own dogs too. I trained humans as much as dogs, and realized this was the work I wanted to do.
2015 – 2025
Professional Training Full-time
Spent 10 years at a full-service training company — pet obedience, puppy programs, board-and-train, behavior cases, therapy dogs, service dogs and police K9 work. Three of those years were dedicated to raising and training puppies destined for therapy and service careers. I worked with thousands of dogs and just as many families.
Today
Unleash The Good Dog Training
Founded my own company to deliver a more complete, more honest approach: prevention work for puppies, real-world obedience for everyday families, and serious help for the reactivity and aggression cases nobody else seems to want to take on.
The dogs that started it all
How I train
My philosophy
Every dog is different, and every plan should be too. But no matter what we're working on, my approach is built on the same four ideas.
Empathy First
Before I ask a dog to perform, I want them to feel safe. Behavior changes when emotions change.
Clear Communication
Dogs thrive on consistency. I coach you to send the same signal every time so your dog actually understands.
Balanced & Fair
Reward what you like. Thoughtfully interrupt what's unsafe. That's how dogs naturally learn from each other.
Real-World Ready
Training that holds up on a busy sidewalk — not just in a quiet living room.
What I do best
Specialties
Every dog and family is different, so the training should be too. Whether you're starting fresh with a puppy or working through something more complex, I tailor the plan to your specific situation and goals.
- Puppy training and socialization
- Obedience — on and off leash
- Leash reactivity and dog/human-directed aggression
- Fearful or anxious behavior at home and in public
- Behavior modification and confidence-building
- Coaching owners to be calm, clear, confident leaders
Experience & background
- 15 years working professionally with dogs
- Thousands of dogs trained across pet, therapy, service, and K9 work
- Experience with reactivity, aggression, and other complex behavior cases
- Background in raising and training service & therapy puppies
- Continuing education in canine behavior and learning theory
- Professional member of the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP)
Where I work
I serve the greater Indianapolis area and surrounding suburbs. Most lessons take place in your home and your neighborhood — because that's where your dog actually has to behave.
For specific behavior cases we may also work in public environments — parks, pet stores, sidewalks — once your dog is ready for that step.
Common questions
What to expect
Quick answers about in-home lessons, scheduling, and how we work together.
Ready to get started?
Let's unleash the good in your dog.
Whether you're struggling with reactivity, aggression, or just want a solid foundation for a new puppy — start with a free discovery call. We'll talk through what's going on and figure out the right next step.