The founder
About Michael Kelly and The Raja. The training comes home with your dog.
Over ten years of training dogs, most of it behaviour work. Reactive dogs, fearful dogs, rescues, and plenty that arrived after somewhere else had run out of ideas.
How it works here
Most training stops at the front door
A dog can be faultless here and back to its old self a fortnight after it gets home, because nothing changed in the house it went back to. So Michael spends time on you as well. What he did, why he did it, and what to keep doing.
If more help in the home would be useful after the main program, that can be added then. You do not have to buy it before anyone knows whether you need it.
“Michael didn't just train our dog, he trained us to be the kind of owners our dog needed.”
The work
Mostly behaviour. Mostly rescues.
Most of the dogs here are not learning to sit. They are learning not to lunge at other dogs, not to be frightened of visitors, or how to be left alone without taking the house apart.
A good number arrive from shelters and rescues, some with a history behind them. Michael has trained rescue dogs free of charge for a rescue organisation to help them get adopted, which is the kind of thing that does not appear on a price list.
“We brought our rescue dog Otto home at 5 months old—he was extremely timid, anxious, had never been on a leash, and would bark at every person and dog. Michael didn't just train our dog—he trained us to be the kind of owners our dog needed. With incredible patience, he guided us through everything from leash walking and socialization to crate and house training, and was always there when we needed help, no matter the time. The transformation has been unbelievable—Otto is now more confident, calm, and happy. Michael truly cares and treats him like his own, and Otto absolutely adores him like a 2nd parent. We only trust Michael for boarding because he always comes back better, never with bad habits like elsewhere. If your dog has anxiety or behavioral challenges, I can't recommend him enough—he truly has a gift.”
“I can't recommend RAJA K9 enough! Michael and his team did an incredible job working with my 6 year old rescue pup who used to struggle around other dogs. With patience, skill, and genuine care, they helped her build confidence and safely integrate with other dogs—something I honestly wasn't sure was possible. Seeing her now happily join the pack is amazing. It's clear they truly understand dog behavior and treat every dog like their own. I'm beyond grateful for the transformation!”
The team
The people behind the day
The team handles collection and stays on the dogs throughout the day. Lauren gets named in the reviews often enough that it is clearly not just Michael people are trusting.
Michael's own four dogs are part of the work. A settled, confident dog teaches an unsettled one things a person cannot.
Where we are
The farm is in Mt. Airy. Our clients mostly are not.
The property sits in Mt. Airy, MD. Almost everyone we work with is somewhere across the greater DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia area, which is why the vans exist.
The Raja Private School for Dogs - Dog Training, Daycare & Boarding has been running since 2023, almost entirely on people telling other people about it.
Start with the evaluation.
An hour with your dog, in your home or at the farm. You will know what it needs and whether we are the right people to do it.
$125 at your home, $50 at the farm. Your full evaluation payment is credited toward your first purchase.