Dave’s STL K-9 Dog Trainers

Puppy Preschool is a 6-week course for puppies aged 8-16 weeks, designed to teach owners principles for raising a well-socialized and confident puppy. Day Training includes 15 days of training at their facility (Monday-Friday) with three go-home lessons, aiming for significant progress towards a well-balanced and trained dog.

Premium Training Packages offer combined services for savings, such as Puppy Preschool, Foundation Training & 1 Year Group Class, or Day Training with Advanced Obedience & 1 Year Group Class. Intro to Agility or Rally consists of 5 private lessons introducing dogs and owners to agility obstacles or rally basic positions and course navigation. Dog Confidence 101 is a 9-day course (3 days a week for 3 weeks) specifically for confidence building in scared, new, rescue, or small dogs.

Foundation (Basic Obedience) involves up to 8 weekly private lessons, either in-facility or in-home, covering commands like Place, Sit, Down, Come, Heel, Off, Quiet, Release (Free), Leave-It, Drop-It, and treadmill training. This package focuses on achieving a well-trained dog on-leash around minimal distractions. Advanced Obedience is a 10-day drop-off program (requiring prior completion of Foundation Training) that focuses on off-leash commands with a remote collar, focused heeling, and strengthening the owner-companion bond, including weekly go-home lessons.

Proofing and Reinforcement packages, ranging from 1 to 30 days, help maintain learned skills and work on increasing distance, duration, and distractions, while also providing supervised socialization with other dogs. À La Carte Services include various Group Class options (yearly, monthly, single session), a 4-week Canine Good Citizen Class and test, Treadmill Training for physical and mental exercise, In-Home Obedience Lessons, and Private Lessons conducted at their facility.

Pricing Summary

All prices are subject to change, and clients are advised to contact the business at 636-256-7777 for the most current pricing information.

Training packages include Puppy Preschool at $30 per class or $180 for a 6-week course, Day Training at $1400 (or $1700 with one year of group classes), and Premium Training Packages combining multiple services for savings, such as Puppy Preschool, Foundation Training & 1 Year Group Class for $1200, or Day Training with Advanced Obedience & 1 Year Group Class for $2700. Intro to Agility or Rally is $350 for 5 private lessons. Dog Confidence 101 is $995. Foundation (Basic Obedience) is $900 for in-facility training (or $1200 with one year of group classes) and $1200 for in-home training. Advanced Obedience is $1000. Proofing and Reinforcement packages range from $125 for 1 day to $2550 for 30 days.

À La Carte Services include Group Classes at $500 yearly for one dog ($800 for two dogs), $50 monthly for one dog ($80 for two dogs), or $25 for a single session. Canine Good Citizen Class is $175 for 4 weeks, with the test costing $25. Treadmill Training is $135 for one day with a lesson at pickup. In-Home Obedience Lessons are $160 per 1-hour visit, and Private Lessons in-Facility are $130 per 1-hour lesson. An In-Home Consultation is $50 (within 5 miles of the facility), which may be applied to a purchased package.

Policies

All prices are subject to change, and the most current pricing may not be reflected on the website; clients should contact the business for up-to-date information. Group classes may require an evaluation or a refresher lesson before a dog can begin. Current vaccinations, including Rabies, DHLPP, and Bordetella, are mandatory for all dogs utilizing any of their services. Clients are advised not to book classes beyond the current week and to cancel promptly if they are unable to attend.

Dave’s STL K-9 Dog Trainers offers individualized dog training that is based on each dog’s unique personality and needs. They employ a balanced approach, utilizing both positive reinforcement through treats and praise, and negative reinforcement or corrections, adapting their methods to suit different dogs and their energy levels.

They provide a wide array of classes and training options suitable for all life stages and experience levels, from puppies to adult dogs. The business is certified as AKC Temperament Test Evaluators and operates as an AKC Fit Dog Club.

Their training philosophy is structured into three distinct stages: the Learning Stage, which focuses entirely on positive reinforcement; the Correctional Stage, where some negative reinforcement is introduced; and the Proofing Stage, designed to solidify and maintain learned skills. They emphasize tailoring the training approach to the individual dog rather than adhering to a single, rigid method.

Accomplishments

David Silistria is a graduate of Casey Ray’s Training Program and completed the E-Course Basic Obedience from Top Tier K9. He is Support Dogs Touch Team Certified, an AKC Evaluator (AKC Temperament Testing Evaluator #112777), and has completed various courses from Leerburg University, including Intro to Rally & Obedience, intermediate dog obedience, Managing dogs in the home, Your puppy 8 weeks to 12 months, Dealing with dominant and aggressive dogs, and Intro to Agility. He also holds a Pet Nutrition Certification from New Life Skills Academy and has studied Canine Communication and Pet Psychology.

Juan Escandon is an expert in dog aggression and canine body language, with hands-on experience working with aggressive dogs since 2012. Kari Baker is a U.S. Army Veteran and a Master Dog Trainer, having graduated from Highland Canine Training, LLC. She possesses extensive experience in training, handling, and breeding dogs, covering basic and advanced obedience, service dog tasks, therapy dog tasks, and behavior modification. Kari has also owned and trained several Champion dogs.

Leah Devaney is a graduate of Animal Behavioral College in animal behavior and Casey Ray’s STL dog trainers. She has trained therapy dogs for children with disabilities and hospice training, and mentors other trainers in animal behavior college. Leah specializes in dog aggression, obedience, and therapy.

How to Get Started!

To begin, clients can call to schedule a complimentary consultation to discuss their dog’s individual needs and training level. For group classes, an evaluation or a refresher lesson may be required prior to starting. To order Intro to Agility & Rally, specific order links are provided. For other group classes, clients should call or email for instructions. RSVPing for classes requires prior purchase of group classes.