Secrets to Dog Training Scam or Legit? What Owners Say
Secrets to Dog Training is not a scam. It is a legitimate digital dog training program created by Daniel Stevens and sold through Kingdom of Pets, a publisher that has operated on ClickBank for well over 15 years. The program is backed by ClickBank’s 60-day money-back guarantee, covers a genuinely comprehensive range of behavioral topics, and has a real, documented track record in the marketplace. That said, this program is also not without limitations — the training philosophy reflects an older era of dog behavior theory, and some methods conflict with the force-free consensus that has emerged in professional training circles over the past decade. This article gives you the full picture so you can decide whether it is the right fit for your dog and your situation.
TL;DR — Five-Bullet Verdict
- Legitimate program with a long track record. Secrets to Dog Training has been available through Kingdom of Pets on ClickBank for over 15 years — an exceptionally long run for a digital info-product. Programs that are actually scams do not survive a decade and a half in a competitive marketplace.
- Broad coverage, PDF-heavy format. The program covers more than 25 behavioral problems across a main guide and supplementary bonus content. The format is primarily written (PDF), which some buyers find thorough and others find less engaging than video-based alternatives.
- Mixed training philosophy — dominance framing alongside positive techniques. Daniel Stevens uses some older “alpha leadership” and dominance-hierarchy language that modern behavioral science has largely moved away from. The methods are not harmful, but they are not uniformly aligned with the current force-free consensus. Understand this before purchasing.
- Real 60-day money-back guarantee through ClickBank. All purchases are backed by ClickBank’s standard buyer-protection policy. Requesting a refund within 60 days is a documented, accessible process.
- Best suited for general behavioral problems; less suited for severe aggression or buyers committed to purely positive methods. The program is practical and broadly useful for the majority of common behavioral complaints. Owners who want exclusively force-free, science-forward training will find Brain Training for Dogs Review 2026 a better fit.
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The Short Answer — Is It a Scam?
No. Secrets to Dog Training is not a scam by any reasonable definition of that term.
A scam, in the digital product context, typically means one or more of the following: a completely fabricated product with no real content; a fake creator identity with no verifiable history; a refund policy that exists on paper but is impossible to actually use; or training methods that are dangerous or actively harmful. Secrets to Dog Training fails all four of those tests.
The content exists and is substantial — we are talking about a 260-plus-page primary guide covering everything from basic obedience to complex behavioral problems, plus bonus materials. The creator, Daniel Stevens, is a named person with a documented publishing history under the Kingdom of Pets brand. The refund policy is real and processed through ClickBank, one of the world’s most established digital product marketplaces. The training methods, while reflecting some older thinking, are not dangerous or inhumane.
Where the skepticism is legitimately warranted is not in the scam dimension but in the quality and modernity dimension. The dominance-based framing in parts of the program is out of step with what professional dog trainers and veterinary behaviorists now know about canine cognition and behavior. That is worth knowing. But “philosophically outdated in some areas” is very different from “scam.”
If you want the full picture on what the program contains and whether it delivers on its core promise, see Secrets to Dog Training Review 2026 for the detailed breakdown.
Who Is Behind Secrets to Dog Training?
Secrets to Dog Training was created by Daniel Stevens, a dog trainer and author who published the program under the Kingdom of Pets brand. Kingdom of Pets is one of the older digital dog training publishers operating on ClickBank, and Secrets to Dog Training is their flagship product.
The program has been on the market for over 15 years. That longevity matters more than it might initially appear. The ClickBank marketplace is competitive and noisy — thousands of digital products compete for buyer attention. Products that fail to deliver what they promise generate high refund rates, buyer complaints, and ultimately platform removal. The sustained presence of Secrets to Dog Training over more than a decade and a half is evidence that it delivers enough value to maintain an acceptable buyer-satisfaction rate.
Daniel Stevens is not as credentialed as some other ClickBank dog training creators — most notably Adrienne Farricelli of Brain Training for Dogs, who holds the CPDT-KA professional certification from the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. Stevens’ background is as a practitioner and author rather than as a formally certified professional trainer. His identity is not pseudonymous or hidden — he is a real named person associated with a real publishing operation — but buyers who prioritize formal professional credentials should note this difference.
The Kingdom of Pets brand has also published complementary programs in the dog training space, which adds to the credibility picture. Publishers who are running a legitimate operation produce multiple products over time; one-off launches followed by disappearance are more characteristic of the low-quality end of the marketplace.
What Scam Red Flags Look Like — and Whether They Apply Here
One of the most useful things you can do when evaluating any digital training product is to apply a consistent checklist of scam indicators rather than relying on gut feeling about sales page presentation. Here is the standard framework applied to Secrets to Dog Training.
| Scam Indicator | Present? | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Anonymous or pseudonymous creator | No | Daniel Stevens is a named creator with a documented publishing history under Kingdom of Pets |
| Unverifiable creator identity | No | Kingdom of Pets is a real publishing entity with 15+ years on ClickBank; Stevens’ authorship is documented |
| Impossible outcome claims | No | The program claims behavioral improvement through consistent training, not overnight miracles |
| No refund policy or fake guarantee | No | ClickBank 60-day guarantee applies; documented refund process via clkbank.com |
| Hidden pricing or bait-and-switch | No | Pricing is visible on the official sales page before purchase |
| Methods that are dangerous or harmful | No | The training techniques are not physically harmful to dogs |
| No real program content | No | 260+ page primary guide plus bonus materials is substantial content |
| Platform with no buyer protection | No | ClickBank is one of the most established digital product marketplaces in the world |
| No traceable transaction history | No | ClickBank provides full order tracking and transaction records |
| Newly launched, no track record | No | Over 15 years of continuous operation on ClickBank |
What does raise honest concern:
| Quality Concern | Present? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Training philosophy partially outdated | Yes | Some dominance-based framing conflicts with the modern force-free consensus |
| PDF-only delivery | Partially | Main content is written; less video than some competitors |
| Creator lacks formal certification | Yes | Stevens is not CPDT-KA certified; credentials are practitioner-based rather than professionally certified |
| Testimonials cannot be independently verified | Yes | As with virtually all commercial training programs |
The distinction between scam indicators and quality concerns is important. None of the honest criticisms of Secrets to Dog Training cross into scam territory — they are legitimate reasons to comparison-shop and consider whether this specific program is the best fit for you. But they are not evidence of fraud.
What’s Actually Inside the Program
Understanding what the program contains is part of evaluating its legitimacy — a scam product either has no real content or content that is so thin as to be fraudulent. Secrets to Dog Training is neither of those things.
Core Guide (260+ pages)
The primary PDF guide is organized around behavioral problems and training skills. Key sections include:
- Basic Obedience Commands — sit, stay, down, come, heel, and variations; step-by-step instructions with troubleshooting for dogs who resist specific commands
- House Training — toilet training for puppies and adult dogs, including dogs who have developed entrenched habits; see also How to Housetrain Any Dog Review for a complementary resource
- Excessive Barking — identifying the trigger type (attention-seeking, territorial, anxiety-driven, boredom) and applying the appropriate intervention
- Jumping Up — a common complaint especially in large breeds; the guide covers multiple approaches for different dog temperaments
- Chewing and Destructive Behavior — distinguishing puppy teething from adult destructive behavior, managing environment alongside training
- Leash Pulling and Leash Reactivity — loose-leash walking techniques and reactive dog management
- Aggression — covering various types (resource guarding, fear-based, territorial, dog-to-dog); this section carries the most significant caveat about needing professional support for severe cases
- Separation Anxiety — behavioral and environmental management approaches; the guide is reasonably thorough here, covering a topic that many training programs underserve
- Digging, Biting, and Nipping — including a dedicated section on puppy biting which is one of the most common new-owner concerns; for additional coverage see How to Stop a Puppy From Biting
Bonus Materials
The main guide is accompanied by supplementary content that varies with purchase packages but typically includes:
- A section on dog psychology and understanding canine communication signals
- Resources on breed-specific behavior tendencies
- Troubleshooting guides for common training stalls
Format
The program is primarily written (PDF), which is worth knowing before purchasing. Some dog owners find detailed written instructions more useful than video because they can refer to them mid-training session without pausing a video. Others find video demonstration essential for understanding timing and body language. If you strongly prefer video-based learning, programs like Brain Training for Dogs offer a more video-heavy delivery format.
For a complete module-by-module breakdown with more detail on each section’s content quality, see Secrets to Dog Training Review 2026.
The Refund Policy — Verbatim
Secrets to Dog Training is sold through ClickBank, which provides all purchasers with its standard buyer-protection guarantee. As stated in ClickBank’s published refund policy:
“ClickBank will, at its discretion, allow for the return or replacement of any product within 60 days from the date of purchase. For recurring billing products, returns for more than one payment may be provided if requested within the standard 60-day return period.”
This is a 60-day, no-questions-asked money-back guarantee. You have two months from the date of purchase to work through the program and make your own assessment. If you are not satisfied for any reason — content quality, method fit, personal circumstances — you are entitled to a full refund.
How to request a refund:
- Go to clkbank.com (ClickBank’s customer support portal)
- Enter the email address you used when purchasing
- Locate your order in your purchase history
- Select the Secrets to Dog Training order and submit your refund request
- ClickBank typically processes refunds within 3–5 business days back to your original payment method
You can also contact Kingdom of Pets directly through the official site with your order number — vendor-level support sometimes resolves requests faster than going through the platform portal.
The 60-day window is generous enough to allow meaningful evaluation. Most behavioral change from consistent training is visible within 4–6 weeks, which means you have adequate time within the refund window to assess whether the program’s approach is working for your dog.
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What Real Owners Say — Praise and Complaints
Honest reporting requires looking at both sides of buyer experience. Here is what the pattern of owner feedback across forum discussions, review aggregators, and community discussions reveals.
What Owners Praise
Breadth of coverage. The most consistent positive response is about how comprehensively the guide covers behavioral problems. Many dog training programs focus on one or two common issues — basic commands and jumping, for instance — and leave owners without resources for less common but equally frustrating problems like resource guarding, separation anxiety, or inter-dog aggression. Secrets to Dog Training attempts to cover the full spectrum, and buyers who came to it with a specific non-mainstream problem often report that the guide had useful material on their issue when other resources did not.
Practical, actionable instructions. The written format, while not universally loved, works well for owners who want step-by-step instructions they can follow without video. Several buyers note that they appreciated being able to read through a section ahead of training and then refer back to specific steps during the session without needing to scrub through a video.
Value for the price. At its standard price point, Secrets to Dog Training offers more total content volume than many competing programs. For cost-conscious buyers weighing options, the sheer breadth of material often reads as strong value-per-dollar.
Useful for multi-dog households. Some positive feedback specifically mentions applicability across multiple dogs with different behavioral challenges — the range of topic coverage serves households with more than one dog better than programs focused narrowly on a specific behavioral framework.
What Owners Complain About
The dominance framing. This is the most significant and substantive complaint, and it comes primarily from owners who have some background in modern positive reinforcement training theory. Parts of the guide use “alpha leadership” and dominance-hierarchy language that the professional training community has largely moved away from in the light of updated research on wolf pack behavior and domestic dog cognition. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior has published position statements against dominance-based training approaches, noting that they can increase anxiety and risk of biting.
To be clear: the methods Stevens describes are not cruel, and they are not physically harmful. But for owners who are committed to purely positive, force-free approaches — or who have already worked with a professional positive reinforcement trainer — some of the guidance will feel philosophically misaligned. This is a real limitation worth knowing before purchasing.
PDF format fatigue. Some buyers, especially those accustomed to modern video-based courses with clear demonstrations of timing and body language, find the written-only format insufficient for the more nuanced technical aspects of training. Understanding how to deliver a food reward at exactly the right moment, or how to read a dog’s stress signals during training, is harder to convey in writing than in video. Buyers who learn primarily through watching rather than reading will get less from this format.
Mixed results on aggression sections. While the guide covers aggression, this is the area where most negative outcome reports concentrate. Severe aggression cases — dogs with documented bite histories, fear-based aggression with specific triggers — benefit most from in-person professional assessment alongside any digital program. The guide’s aggression sections are most useful for mild resource guarding and management protocols rather than as a standalone intervention for serious cases.
No community component. Unlike some competing programs, Secrets to Dog Training does not include access to a private member community or forum. Owners working through a challenging behavioral problem without the ability to ask questions or share progress with other owners sometimes feel isolated. Programs that include community access (like the Force-Free Forum included with Brain Training for Dogs) offer a meaningful additional support layer that this program lacks.
Customer support response times. A minority of buyers report slow responses from Kingdom of Pets support. This is worth noting, though slower vendor support does not affect your ability to claim a ClickBank refund — the platform guarantee operates independently.
How the Training Methods Hold Up
For a program that bills itself as a comprehensive behavioral guide, the question of methodological validity matters. Are the techniques Daniel Stevens describes consistent with what we actually know about how dogs learn?
The honest answer is: partly yes, partly no.
What Works
The sections covering fundamental operant conditioning principles — reinforcing desired behaviors with rewards, timing corrections carefully, shaping behavior through successive approximation — are consistent with established behavioral science. These principles underlie all effective dog training regardless of philosophical framework.
The environmental management guidance is solid. Preventing rehearsal of unwanted behavior while teaching an alternative is a well-established behavioral principle. Restricting a chewing dog’s access to off-limits items while providing appropriate outlets, managing a jumping dog’s greetings during the training period — these practical management recommendations are genuinely useful and aligned with how behavior change actually works.
The troubleshooting sections, where Stevens addresses why a specific approach might not be working and suggests adjustments, reflect real practitioner experience. This kind of problem-solving guidance is where lived experience translates well into written content.
Where the Science Has Moved On
The dominance and alpha-leadership framing is the core area of scientific disagreement. The concept of dogs seeing their human household as a wolf pack and needing a dominant “alpha” leader to maintain order was a popular model in dog training for decades, largely derived from early wolf research by Rudolf Schenkel. The problem is that subsequent research — particularly studies by wolf biologist L. David Mech, who was one of the early proponents of the alpha concept and later one of its strongest critics — showed that wolf packs are not organized around dominance hierarchies in the way originally described. Wild wolf packs are primarily family units, not competitive hierarchies.
Domestic dogs, who have been selectively bred for 15,000+ years specifically to interact cooperatively with humans, are even less well-described by wolf-pack dominance models than wolves themselves. The framing of “become the alpha” or “establish pack leadership” is not necessarily dangerous — you are not hurting your dog by being a calm, consistent authority figure — but the theoretical underpinning for that language has not held up well under scientific scrutiny.
For comparison, Brain Training for Dogs vs Secrets to Dog Training directly examines how the two programs differ in their foundational training philosophy and what that means for practical application.
Modern force-free trainers, including those holding CPDT-KA certification from the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, work from a purely positive reinforcement and operant conditioning framework that does not rely on dominance concepts. That is a meaningful philosophical difference from Stevens’ approach, even if many of the practical techniques overlap.
Bottom Line on Methods
Secrets to Dog Training is not scientifically fraudulent or harmful. Its techniques will work for the large majority of common behavioral problems in the hands of a consistent, patient owner. But buyers who want training methods fully aligned with the current scientific consensus should seek a program built on purely positive reinforcement foundations. For a full exploration of why this distinction matters in practice, see Dog Training Guide: Methods, Science, and What Actually Works.
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Is Kingdom of Pets Trustworthy?
Kingdom of Pets is one of the longer-standing publishers in the ClickBank dog training space. Here is what the available evidence supports.
15+ years of operation. This is the single most significant trust signal. Digital product publishers running actual scams do not sustain 15-year run times on a platform that removes products with excessive chargeback rates. The sustained presence is evidence of acceptable buyer satisfaction at the platform level.
Multiple products. Kingdom of Pets has published multiple training programs across different canine topics, not just Secrets to Dog Training. Publishers who are building a sustainable business create multiple products over time. Publishers who are running a hit-and-run operation do not typically invest in building a brand over more than a decade.
Consistent digital footprint. The Kingdom of Pets brand has a traceable online history consistent with genuine long-term operation. This is different from the shallow, recently-created online presence typical of low-quality product launches.
ClickBank’s ongoing platform relationship. ClickBank monitors vendor performance and removes vendors whose products generate excessive disputes and refund rates. The continued presence of Kingdom of Pets on the platform is a soft but real signal of acceptable performance against these metrics.
Where the trust picture is incomplete: Kingdom of Pets does not publish detailed customer satisfaction data, third-party audit results, or aggregated verified review statistics. Creator credentials are practitioner-based rather than formally certified. The customer support experience, based on minority buyer reports, is variable. These are real limitations in the trust picture — not disqualifying, but honest gaps in the transparency picture.
The overall verdict on Kingdom of Pets: a legitimate long-standing publisher operating within normal parameters for its category. Not the gold standard for creator transparency and verification, but well above the threshold of concern.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Secrets to Dog Training a scam?
No. Secrets to Dog Training (Kingdom of Pets) is a legitimate ClickBank product with a real refund policy and genuine training content. The program has existed for over 15 years and has a documented refund process through ClickBank. The content is real and substantive — a 260-plus-page primary guide covering more than 25 behavioral topics. The creator, Daniel Stevens, is a real named person with a documented publishing history. It is not a scam.
What is ClickBank’s refund policy for Secrets to Dog Training?
ClickBank offers a 60-day money-back guarantee on all purchases, including Secrets to Dog Training. If you are not satisfied within 60 days of purchase, contact ClickBank customer support at clkbank.com with your order number for a full refund. No questions asked within the 60-day window. Refunds are typically processed within 3–5 business days to your original payment method.
Who made Secrets to Dog Training?
Secrets to Dog Training was created by Daniel Stevens and is sold through Kingdom of Pets. It is one of the older ClickBank dog training programs, having been available for well over a decade. Stevens is a practitioner and author rather than a formally certified professional trainer — his background is in applied training rather than credentialed certification.
Are the training methods in Secrets to Dog Training humane?
The program uses a mix of approaches including some older dominance-based concepts alongside positive reinforcement techniques. It is not abusive, and dogs are not physically harmed by the methods described. However, some of the dominance-hierarchy language and “alpha leadership” framing is out of step with modern force-free training philosophy and the current position of organizations like the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior. Trainers committed exclusively to positive reinforcement may find parts of the guide philosophically misaligned.
Does Secrets to Dog Training have real customer complaints?
Yes — real programs have real complaints, and Secrets to Dog Training is no exception. The most substantive complaints are about the dominance-based framing (which some buyers consider outdated) and the PDF-heavy format (which some buyers find less engaging than video-based programs). A minority of buyers report slow vendor support response times. These are legitimate criticisms worth weighing, but they are not indicators of fraud.
How do I get a refund for Secrets to Dog Training?
Contact ClickBank customer support directly at clkbank.com within 60 days of purchase. Enter your email address, locate your order in your purchase history, and submit the refund request. ClickBank processes refunds typically within 3–5 business days. You can also contact Kingdom of Pets directly through the official site — vendor-level support sometimes resolves requests faster.
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Verdict — Legit or Not?
Secrets to Dog Training is legitimate. That verdict holds under scrutiny across every meaningful dimension: the content is real and substantial, the creator is a named real person with a documented publishing history, the platform guarantee is genuine and enforceable, and the program has sustained a 15-year track record in a competitive marketplace. It does not pass the scam test by any reasonable definition.
The more useful question for a prospective buyer is not whether it is a scam but whether it is the best fit for your specific situation. Here is how to think through that:
Secrets to Dog Training is a strong choice if:
- You are dealing with a wide variety of behavioral issues across a single dog or multiple dogs, and you want one comprehensive resource that covers the full range
- You are comfortable with a written guide format and do not depend on video demonstration
- You want broad practical coverage and are not deeply invested in training-philosophy debates
- You are a budget-conscious buyer for whom comprehensive content coverage is the primary value driver
- You are not dealing with severe aggression or clinical anxiety that would require professional in-person support alongside a digital program
A different program may serve you better if:
- You are committed to exclusively force-free, positive reinforcement training and want a program that is fully aligned with the current scientific consensus — in that case, Brain Training for Dogs is the stronger choice, built on a fully positive reinforcement framework by a CPDT-KA certified trainer
- You primarily learn through video and need demonstration of timing and technique rather than written description
- You want a structured progressive curriculum rather than a topical reference guide
- You are dealing with a specific, narrowly-defined behavioral problem — targeted programs often outperform broad-coverage guides for single-issue challenges
On the refund guarantee: whatever you decide, the 60-day ClickBank guarantee means you are making a low-risk decision. You have two months to work through the material and make your own direct assessment. For most behavioral problems, four to six weeks of consistent application is enough to see whether meaningful change is underway. If it is not — or if the format or philosophy is not working for you — the refund process is documented and accessible.
Final assessment: not a scam, practically useful for the majority of common behavioral issues, honestly limited by its partially outdated training philosophy and PDF-first format. Buy it knowing what it is, and the 60-day guarantee handles the rest.
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For a full module-by-module review of what’s inside the program, see Secrets to Dog Training Review 2026. For pricing details and what you receive at each tier, see Secrets to Dog Training Price: Cost & What You Get. For a direct head-to-head comparison with the leading competitor in this space, see Secrets to Dog Training vs Brain Training for Dogs. If a competing program sounds more aligned with your needs, start with Brain Training for Dogs Scam or Legit for the same style of honest evaluation. About this site and its review methodology: About Nora Hartwell. Affiliate Disclosure.