Merrill’s K9 Academy

Training is structured in progressive levels: Manners 1 (Basic Obedience, 5 weeks), Manners 2 (In-Home Manners, 6 weeks), Manners 3 (AKC CGC Prep, 6 weeks), and Manners 4 (AKC CGCA, 6 weeks). Each class includes 1-hour weekly sessions with limited socialization. Day School runs Monday–Thursday, 7AM–5PM, with structured training and place-bed work. Private lessons are one-on-one, customizable, and focus on specific behaviors or family involvement. All programs emphasize distraction management and real-world application.

Pricing Summary

Private lessons are $80 per hour. Group classes range from $160 (Manners 1) to $275 (Manners 3 and 4), with discounts for cash, check, or Venmo payments. Day school is $55 per day (1 day/week) or $50 per day (2+ days/week). A 50% non-refundable deposit is required after booking. Cancellations less than 48 hours in advance incur a 50% fee for day school. No-shows forfeit deposits.

Policies

A 50% non-refundable deposit is required after booking for private lessons and group classes. Cancellations less than 48 hours in advance (unless due to injury or illness) result in a 50% charge for day school. No-shows forfeit deposits. All dogs must be up to date on vaccinations including Bordetella, Distemper, and Rabies. Puppies must have at least their first round of shots to enroll.

Merrill’s K9 Academy is a professional dog training business serving the Central Maine area, offering reward-based, balanced training to help dog owners build a happy, healthy, and balanced lifestyle with their pets. They provide private lessons, group classes, and day school training at their facility, focusing on clear communication, appropriate boundaries, and tailored training plans that fit each family’s lifestyle. Their trainers use a combination of positive reinforcement and balanced techniques to address common issues like jumping, biting, leash pulling, and counter surfing, while also offering structured socialization in a controlled environment. They specialize in AKC Canine Good Citizen and Advanced Community Canine certification programs, and their day school program provides structured training and socialization during the workday. While they do not offer boarding, they partner with trusted local providers for those services.

Their lead trainer, Sarah Maffei, has over 8 years of professional experience training scent detection and service dogs, and is an approved AKC Canine Good Citizen and Trick Dog Evaluator. The team emphasizes family involvement, controlled distraction training, and progressive skill-building across multiple levels of obedience.

They also offer a free online evaluation to help dog owners determine the best starting point for training.

Accomplishments

Sarah Maffei, owner and head trainer, holds a Master’s in Criminal Justice with a focus in Leadership and has 8+ years of experience training explosive and narcotics detection dogs for Merrill’s Detector Dog Services. She has trained dogs for high-profile events including the NBA All-Stars. She is an approved AKC Canine Good Citizen and Trick Dog Evaluator. Her training background includes hands-on experience since childhood with field trial, hunting, and cadaver dogs.

How to Get Started!

Dog owners can start by taking the free online evaluation to determine the best training path. After evaluation, they can book private lessons, group classes, or join the day school waitlist via the online booking system or by contacting the academy directly.