Not every dog trainer is created equal. If you’ve spent any time searching for help with your dog in North Brisbane, you’ll know how hard it is to find someone who genuinely gets it. Someone who understands not just how to train a dog, but why dogs behave the way they do in the first place.
That’s exactly what Michaela Mason brings to the table at Charlie’s Dog Training & Obedience, and it’s why her client list keeps growing through word of mouth alone.
Michaela works exclusively through private, one-on-one sessions, coming directly to your home or a nearby outdoor location to work with you and your dog where real life actually happens. No group classes, no waiting rooms, no generic advice. Just focused, personalised training that addresses what your dog actually needs.
The Story Behind the Business
Michaela didn’t stumble into dog training. She grew up in a household full of animals, with veterinarians in the family and creatures of all kinds coming and going through the front door. By the time she reached adulthood, she already had a solid foundation in animal behaviour and welfare that most trainers spend years trying to build from scratch.
She spent her adult years training dogs of all breeds and temperaments, taking in animals that needed a stable home, and quietly building the kind of experience that can’t really be taught in a classroom. Eventually, the logical thing to do was make it official.
The name Charlie’s Dog Training & Obedience comes from Charlie himself, a smooth border collie Michaela adopted from the Animal Welfare League’s Ipswich campus. He came into the family during a painful time, just a week after the passing of their older Kelpie, Daisy.
Charlie’s presence through that grief was the kind of comfort only a dog can offer. He became the heartbeat of the household, and naming the business after him made complete sense. He represents exactly what Michaela works towards with every client: a deeper, more connected relationship between dogs and the families who love them.
Will Atherton Accredited Training
Here’s something worth knowing. Michaela holds certification from the Will Atherton Canine Academy, which is one of the more respected credentials you’ll come across in the dog training world. Will Atherton is known for a balanced approach that draws on a genuine understanding of how dogs think and communicate, rather than leaning entirely on either reward-only or correction-based methods.
Balanced training gets misunderstood sometimes, so it’s worth clearing up. It has nothing to do with being harsh. What it actually means is that Michaela works with the full picture of how dogs process information and respond to leadership.
She meets each dog where they are emotionally and builds from there, using techniques that are kind, clear, and consistent. Dogs respond well to this approach because they’re not confused about what’s being asked of them. It’s the reason clients so regularly report noticing a real shift in their dog’s behaviour after just one session.
Private Sessions Built Around Your Dog
Every programme at Charlie’s Dog Training & Obedience starts with a thorough in-home assessment lasting around one to one and a half hours. Michaela uses that time to observe your dog in their natural environment, understand the context behind any problem behaviours, and discuss your goals.
She’ll also give you practical tools you can start using straight away. Follow-up sessions run for about an hour and are priced at $130 individually, with structured packages available for those wanting a more comprehensive path forward.
Dog Obedience Training and Behaviour Modification
Whether you’ve got a dog who won’t come when called, barks the house down the moment you leave, drags you down the street on the lead, or reacts aggressively to other dogs, Michaela has seen it all and worked through it all. Her dog obedience training and behaviour modification service covers a broad range of challenges including recall, separation anxiety, general anxiety, reactivity, toilet training, jumping up, pulling, crate training, and excessive barking.
Dedicated packages are available for loose leash walking, excitement-based reactivity, fear and aggression-based reactivity, obedience re-sets for adolescent and older dogs, and barking minimisation. Each package is designed to tackle the specific root of the problem rather than just managing the symptoms.
Puppy Training Brisbane
Puppyhood moves fast. The habits your dog picks up in their first few months tend to stick around a lot longer than people expect, which is why getting the foundations right early on matters so much.
Michaela structures her puppy training around the three natural stages of development: socialisation and play from eight to sixteen weeks, basic obedience and manners through to twenty-four weeks, and more advanced work as the puppy grows and their confidence builds.
Sessions cover everything from toilet training, biting and mouthing, and crate training through to lead skills, recall, and general calm behaviour around the home. Two popular options are the Puppy Mentorship Package for ongoing guidance through the critical early period, and the Puppy Jump Start Package, which takes new owners through the essentials week by week with monthly check-in support included.
Puppy Socialisation
The socialisation window in a puppy’s life is short, and missing it can create challenges that take years to unpick. Michaela’s socialisation sessions focus on building genuine confidence through positive, carefully managed exposure to new sounds, surfaces, environments, and people.
The aim is to help puppies grow into dogs that aren’t rattled by the world around them.
Online Dog Training
Distance isn’t a reason to go without help. For owners outside the North Brisbane service area, or those who simply prefer the flexibility of remote sessions, Michaela offers online training that covers the same personalised, one-on-one approach as her in-person work.
Serving North Brisbane and Surrounding Suburbs
Charlie’s Dog Training & Obedience is based in North Brisbane and operates across the surrounding suburbs. Because sessions are held at your home or nearby, there’s no need to load a stressed or reactive dog into the car and drive to a facility. Michaela comes to you.
What Dog Owners Around Brisbane Are Saying
The feedback from clients tells you a lot about how Michaela works. Emma, a new poodle puppy owner, described feeling completely overwhelmed before reaching out, and said the sessions turned everything around for her.
Kiani brought Michaela in to work with her ten-month-old puppy and noticed a visible difference on the day of the very first session. Tracy, who has two young Westie puppies with her husband, said Michaela went above and beyond with her time and left them feeling genuinely equipped to manage their dogs going forward.
Ready to Get Started?
Whether you’re dealing with a puppy who hasn’t quite figured out the house rules yet, a rescue dog carrying some baggage from a difficult past, or an older dog who has simply picked up habits that aren’t working for your household, Charlie’s Dog Training & Obedience is the kind of help that actually moves the needle.
Michaela Mason brings a Will Atherton accreditation, a balanced and thoughtful training philosophy, and a genuine passion for helping North Brisbane dog families build the relationship with their dog they’ve always wanted.
Reach out through the website at charliesdogtraining.com.au or give Michaela a call on 0486 022 464 to book your first session.
Luca Mason
