K9 Companion Academy

K9 Companion Academy offers private, one-on-one fun sports training sessions for all dogs, including those that are reactive, shy, or fearful. The programs are designed to be flexible, with no minimum or maximum number of sessions required.

Available sports programs include Agility 4 Fun, Fun Scent Games, K9 Freestyle, K9 Hoopers, K9 Parkour, Rally-Freestyle, and Tricks. They also offer “Skills for future Sport Dogs,” which focuses on building foundational skills like attention, focus, obedience, body awareness, and motivation, suitable for puppies and dogs new to sports. Some classes have age restrictions, such as Agility 4 Fun and K9 Hoopers requiring dogs to be at least 1 year old, and K9 Parkour requiring dogs to be at least 6 months old. While K9 Hoopers may transition to a group format after level 3, private session options remain available if a dog is not suited for group classes.

Pricing Summary

Training sessions cost $50 for approximately 35 minutes. Special pricing is available for new students, and an “awesome twosome” option is offered for training two dogs.

K9 Companion Academy is a dog training business led by Margarita Knowlton, a professional dog trainer and Registered Veterinary Technician with over 23 years of experience in the animal field. She is a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner and an Absolute Dogs PRO Trainer.

The academy specializes in fun sports training, offering private, one-on-one sessions designed to meet each dog’s physical and mental needs. Their approach emphasizes fear and force-free husbandry techniques, ensuring a relaxed and worry-free learning environment for all dogs, including those that are reactive, shy, or fearful.

K9 Companion Academy is committed to staying current with the latest, most effective techniques through continuous education and attendance at professional seminars. They provide a range of engaging sports programs like Agility 4 Fun, Fun Scent Games, K9 Freestyle, K9 Hoopers, K9 Parkour, Rally-Freestyle, and Tricks. They also offer “Skills for future Sport Dogs” to build foundational abilities for any dog sport career.

Accomplishments

Margarita Knowlton is a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) and a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPCTP). She is also an Absolute Dogs PRO Trainer and holds a Certificate in Applied Animal Behavior from the University of Washington.

With over 23 years of experience in the animal field, she has worked as a veterinary technician, animal shelter worker, and professional dog trainer. Margarita is an accredited instructor for Canine Hoopers UK, Canine Hoopers World, All Dog’s Parkour, and Wag It Games. She continuously pursues professional development, having attended numerous conferences and courses, including the Aggression in Dogs conference, Clicker Expo events, the Lemonade conference, and a Veterinary Behavior Technician Internship with Dr. Melissa Bain.

How to Get Started!

To get started, clients are asked to fill out an intake form to book their initial fun sports training session. For additional questions before starting, clients can contact the academy via email or text.