Golden State K-9 Training Academy

Programs include Pet Domestication (basic behavior correction), Basic and Advanced Obedience, IGP Sport Training (Tracking, Obedience, Protection), and Show Dog Ring Training. Training is conducted in a facility setting with owner involvement. Programs are structured as ongoing weekly sessions with intensive workshops offered periodically with international experts. Training emphasizes positive reinforcement and lifelong behavior retention. IGP trials and workshops are hosted annually with certified judges and helpers.

Pricing Summary

Pricing is not explicitly listed on the website. Registration fees are required for events and trials. Training is offered on an ongoing weekly basis with no package pricing disclosed. Contact for individual rates.

Policies

No explicit cancellation or rescheduling policies are stated on the website. Registration for events requires payment of a fee and is subject to deadlines. Training sessions are scheduled on fixed days (Wednesdays and Sundays) with flexible hours from Monday to Sunday.

Golden State K-9 Training Academy is a dog training facility in Riverside, California, founded and operated by Peter Medina, who has over 20 years of experience breeding and training German Shepherd Dogs. The academy specializes in IGP (International German Shepherd Dog) sport training, including Tracking, Obedience, and Protection, and also offers basic and advanced obedience, show ring training, and pet domestication services such as potty training, chewing, barking, and jumping. Their training philosophy emphasizes positive reinforcement, avoiding force, and making dogs willing participants in learning. They involve owners heavily in the process and guarantee lifelong results. The facility hosts IGP trials and workshops led by world-renowned trainers and helpers like René van Pinxteren and Rachella van der Hoeven from the Netherlands. They also conduct breed evaluations and surveys for German Shepherds aligned with the German SV Standard.

The academy provides training at their private facility in Riverside and offers flexible scheduling from Monday to Sunday, with training sessions held on Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings. They cater to all ages of dogs and focus on preserving the working heritage of the German Shepherd breed.

Additional services include hosting breed events, offering dog breeding, and maintaining a dedicated space for working dog competitions. They are not a boarding, grooming, or daycare facility, but do provide structured, long-term training programs designed for serious dog owners.

The facility is described as clean, well-equipped, and hospitable, with a strong reputation in Southern California for working dog training.

Note: One negative review claims harm to dogs, but this is not corroborated by other content.

The academy is not a general pet store, vet, or pet sitter, but focuses exclusively on training and breeding.

They are not affiliated with any national certification bodies listed in the template, but their trainers have international competition experience.

They do not offer in-home, video, or mobile training services.

They do not provide therapy, service, or agility training outside of IGP working dog sports.

Accomplishments

Peter Medina has over 20 years of experience breeding and training German Shepherds. The academy regularly hosts IGP trials and workshops with internationally certified trainers and helpers, including René van Pinxteren, who has over 35 years of experience, has competed at world levels, and was the best Dutch National helper with 99 points. They have trained dogs to title levels previously deemed untrainable. They host the 2025 USCA SW Regional Breed Evaluation & Breed Survey.

How to Get Started!

Prospective clients can contact the academy via phone or email to schedule an appointment. Training sessions are available on Wednesdays at 7pm and Sundays at 9am. For IGP events, registration is done through the website or by contacting the provided phone number or email. An initial evaluation is implied but not explicitly described.