King K9 Academy

King K9 Academy offers Board and Train Programs and Private Lesson Programs. Board and Train options include Puppy Primer (1 week, 3-6 months, focuses on basic cues, calming, impulse control, minor behavior modification, includes 1 private lesson), Premier Obedience (3 weeks, 6 months+, covers advanced commands, behavior modification, includes 2 private lessons), and Critical Skills (2 weeks, 6 months+, focuses on core commands and minor behavior modification, includes 2 private lessons). All board and train programs include owner transfer lessons, updates, and email/phone support.

Specialized Boarding and Training Programs are customized for advanced behaviors, high-level obedience (off-leash heeling, silent commands), and customized behaviors (directed retrieves, task work, scent imprinting, tracking). They can jumpstart public access training for service dogs but do not currently train service dogs for specific task work or take human aggression cases.

Private Lesson Programs, available May-November, include Off-Leash Obedience (5 lessons, 4-5 weeks, includes e-collar conditioning, minor behavior modification), Puppy Primer PL (2 lessons, 1-2 hours, teaches fundamental concepts and obedience behaviors as a game, no e-collar), and Reactivity (3 lessons, requires Off-Leash Obedience prerequisite and behavioral assessment, reduces/eliminates dog-reactive behaviors). All programs include personalized coaching and real-world application.

Pricing Summary

Pricing varies by program: Puppy Primer Board & Train is $1,150, Premier Obedience Board & Train is $3,500 (currently on sale for $3,200), and Critical Skills Board & Train is $2,250. Private lesson programs include Off-Leash Obedience for $1,350, Puppy Primer for $379, and Reactivity for $750. Discounts are available for booking multiple programs or paying by check. The cost for any program is provided in advance.

At King K9 Academy, they offer a unique relationship-based and experiential approach to dog training. They have 20 years of professional experience training and handling dogs and are celebrating their 10-year anniversary. They specialize in various training programs including boarding and training, private lessons, puppy training, and behavior modification. Their 15-acre campus provides a natural environment with distractions, including a training barn, confidence course, fenced and unfenced areas, sheep, ducks, chickens, and natural fauna for off-leash obedience. They also conduct field trips to locations like Bath, Freeport, and pet-friendly stores to prepare dogs for real-world adventures.

The trainer is the author of ‘The Dog Walker’s Startup Guide’ and has accumulated knowledge from top trainers and academic studies. They are committed to offering uncompromising and individualized training. They also breed British Labrador Retrievers under Chatterton Kennel, focusing on imported dogs with field trial champion bloodlines for various roles including field, service, detection, and companionship. They offer additional training options for puppies, including biosensor training, early neurological stimulation, kennel conditioning, and early potty training.

Accomplishments

The trainer has 20 years of professional experience training and handling dogs. They are the author of ‘The Dog Walker’s Startup Guide,’ which gained recognition from Bark Magazine, Women on the Web, DogChannel.com, and Halogen Network’s Jump Shipp.

They have accumulated knowledge and training from experts worldwide, including a personal mentor, James Hamm (former president of the International Association of Canine Professionals). Their education includes semesters from Harvard University (‘The Learned Dog,’ ‘The Cognitive Dog,’ ‘Animal Cognition’), and lectures from MIT (‘Neurobiology of Learning’). They have also completed courses and workshops with notable trainers such as Ivan Balabanov, Michael Ellis, Ted Efthymiadis, Fabian Robinson, Tyler Muto, Michael Shikashio, and Tony Ancheta. The trainer holds a B.S. in film/video production with a concentration in Psychology of Learning & Behavior from Rochester Institute of Technology and is Red Cross K9 First Aid Certified. They also served as a volunteer member of the U.S. Coast Guard, receiving a commendation for a life-saving rescue.

How to Get Started!

Clients can schedule a free phone consultation by filling out a short form to receive an email scheduler, or by calling directly. During this no-commitment call, the trainer discusses the dog and any issues in detail. A training plan and cost for any program are provided in advance, with no charge for developing the plan based on the phone consult.