What We Do
Board and Train
Our popular Board and Train program ensures that your dog becomes well-behaved and can follow commands on and off leash! Enjoy peace of mind as you go from home to the park, brewery, or hiking trails, knowing that your dog will respond reliably to your commands and explore the world safely and freely.
Group Classes
Our world famous group classes have been educating the people and dogs of the Bay Area for nearly two decades! Classes are fast-paced and fun, and nobody gets left behind. Perfect for tricks, basic obedience, and relationship building.
Private Lessons
Our personalized training approach caters to your dog’s unique personality, whether they require gentle encouragement to boost confidence or firm boundaries to prevent dangerous behavior. All dogs, regardless of age, breed, or temperament, can benefit from our techniques!
About Us
Master of Hounds Academy is the Bay Area’s premier source for high-quality, professional dog training, founded by head trainers Francis Metcalf and Kylie Ghim. Building on the acclaimed Metcalf Method, the Academy delivers personalized behavior and obedience training tailored to your dog’s unique personality and temperament. With expert supervision, individualized attention, and a commitment to excellence, Master of Hounds Academy has a proven track record of training and rehabilitating dogs across the personality spectrum.
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Behaviors We Work On
Turning Chaos into Calm — Behavior Solutions for Every Dog.
Coming When Called
Does your dog come when called every time, no questions asked? We can help
Barking
Put an end to nuisance barking!
Reactivity
Trouble passing dogs on the sidewalk? Help is a phone call away.
Jumping Up
Let make your hound a perfect gentlepup.
House Manners
You have worked hard to create a beautiful space, let’s put an end to destructive behavior.
Pulling on Leash
Is your dog a drag? Let’s make your dog into a joy to walk.
Off Leash Training
Go anywhere and do anything without the hinderance of the leash!
Socialization
Teach your dog to interact safely and confidently with their environment.
Separation Anxiety
Is your dog too clingy, do you need space? Help him feel more confident when left alone.
Trick Training
Go beyond the basics and have the coolest dog on the block!
Services
Behavior Problems
If your dog is exhibiting dysfunctional behavior – including aggression, reactivity, separation anxiety, unresponsiveness to commands, or fear – we have a solid track record of transforming dysfunctional dogs into high-functioning, happy hounds.
“Francis is a true miracle worker! My rescue dog’s behavior was so bad I didn’t know what to do. After hiring dog trainers and veterinary behaviorists with ineffective solutions, I found Francis and I’m so glad I did. After the first session, I saw dramatic progress. After 4 sessions, I started to see huge transformations. With Francis’s guidance, Fozzie has transformed from a snarling, unmanageable, constantly barking danger into an obedient, confident sweetie! So very grateful!”
Gretchen H, Oakland
Obedience
From simple sit-stay to mastering the three phases of the walk, we can help your dog learn obedience in the most effective way possible. You’ll gain deeper understanding, communication, and command with your dog using easy-to-follow training protocols proven to develop strong and effective obedience skills, customized to your dog’s unique personality type.
“Working with Francis has been so great! I had gone to multiple levels of training classes with another trainer and while some things worked, my Jack Russell Terrier wouldn’t listen to me when I most needed her to. Francis has given me the tools I need to build her obedience skills as well as my skills as her handler. I always leave every session feeling so much better! Francis helps me feel confident I’ve got what I need to do the right things by her, me, and the world we go out in.”
Katie S., Berkeley
Tricks
Discover the joy of Canine Circus School, where dogs learn tricks, teamwork, and confidence in a fun, supportive environment. From beginner basics to advanced stunts, each class builds stronger communication, sharper obedience, and crowd-pleasing routines. It’s not just training—it’s a playful path to a smarter, happier, more connected dog.
“I was fortunate to connect early with Francis and @canine_circus school for my dog training needs. Francis’ approach to dogs and people is nothing short of what every serious dog owner needs. Francis is able to listen. He can digest what you say vs what you are asking. He is reasonable and realistic in expectation setting. He is compassionate, understanding and very clear.”
Dog People – Avelina Acosta
Customer Feedback
Kylie was simply amazing in terms of helping transform our dog Cali after two 4 Week sessions. Our dog went as a puppy and then again at 15 months. Kylie really helped develop a great training atmosphere for our dog and helped us be better dog parents. I would recommend her to anyone if you want to have a more pleasant pet ownership experience.
Kimberly Bari
Highly recommend! Francis is FANTASTIC. I appreciate the fact that he takes a holistic approach to your dog (background, personality type, current issues etc.) His recommendations for training and behavior modification are tailored to fit each dog specifically.
Katherine Arevalo
Francis is great to work with and I highly recommend him!
Over the past few months, my dog and I have been working with Francis and seen drastic improvements. I am a first time dog owner and my dog started to become very distracted and disruptive to our group obedience classes at ODTC. I started supplementing our group classes with Francis. Francis did a great job of evaluating my dog’s personality and providing me with modifications on how to work better with my dog and strengthen our bond. We saw improvements after the first and second lessons and it only got better from there! He did a great job of starting with small tweaks so that we consistently saw progress, building my dog and my confidence throughout the training as we tackled more difficult skills.
Chanel B.
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Why Choose Master of Hounds?
Experience You Can Trust
With over 50 years of combined expertise, our team has successfully trained pet dogs, working dogs, sport dogs, and hunting dogs. Our diverse background allows us to adapt our methods to fit each owner’s unique needs and goals.
Real World Results
We believe training should prepare you and your dog for everyday life. Our results-driven approach gives owners the tools and confidence to every situation while building lasting skills.
Personality-Based Training
We tailor training plans to fit your dog’s unique personality and learning style. We also tailor our training to fit you, the owner!