Mountain State K9 Academy

Boarding and Training: This program aims to build long-lasting, positive relationships between owners and their dogs. Dogs stay at the Mountain State K9 Academy facility to learn basic obedience and positive behavior modification. Upon pickup, owners receive a one-on-one private lesson with their dog’s trainer to review what was learned. Programs require an initial evaluation and a two-week minimum stay.

Private Lesson: Owners and their dogs can meet with a trainer at the facility to work on specific behaviors. These lessons can focus on issues previously covered in training that need extra work or new behaviors that have developed.

Off Site Lesson/In-home Lesson: A trainer can come to the client’s house or meet in a public place, such as a park, to address behaviors that may not be displayed during facility training but appear in specific environments.

Group Classes: These classes are exclusive to training program graduates. They provide additional attention and reinforcement of learned behaviors.

Canine Good Citizen Training and Testing: Trainers can prepare dogs for the AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test and administer the test. The program promotes responsible dog ownership and good manners at home and in the community.

Refresher Training: This program is for graduates of a training program who desire further training on new skills or a refresher on previously learned concepts that have not yet been mastered. It is also available for training graduates staying at the facility during owner vacations or for ongoing weekly schooling.

Competition Training: This service helps prepare dogs for upcoming competitions or trials, including AKC trials (e.g., Utility), Schutzhund/IPO, PSA (Protection Sport Association) routines, or UKC Nosework. Training focuses on observation, problem-solving, and building the dog’s confidence to achieve success in trials.

Protection Dog Training: This specialized program develops high-quality protection and dual-purpose protection dogs for home and family. It teaches control, defense, and obedience, resulting in a well-rounded dog that can act and serve the family in times of need while also being a lasting companion.

Pricing Summary

Boarding: $45.00/day, $40.00/day for each additional dog, $60.00/day for holidays, $55.00/day for Reactive Dogs. A $50 boarding deposit is required for stays over 3 days. Pick-up after 12 pm incurs a $20.00 day stay charge unless a bath or day camp on departure has been requested.

Special Accommodations with boarding include: $20.00/day for Daycamp, $25.00/day for Personal Play, $6.50/day for topical medication, $4.00/day for oral medication, and $5.00/day for special diets. There is a $30.00 flat fee for Sunday or Holiday Pick-up and Drop-offs.

Daycamp: $35.00/day, or $20.00/day with boarding. Personal Play with Boarding is $25.00/day. Daycamp packages for one dog range from 5 days for $165.00 to 50 days for $1,450.00. For two dogs, packages range from 5 days for $325.00 to 50 days for $2,800.00.

Bath & Nail Trim: Bath services range from $30.00-$75.00, and Nail Trims from $20.00-$30.00. Photo Sessions are priced between $20.00-$200.00. An additional $10.00 flat fee applies for packaging large bags of food.

Policies

Vaccination Policy: All dogs must be current on Rabies, DHLPP, and Bordetella vaccinations. There is a 10-day wait period between any vet visit and the dog’s arrival at Mountain State K9 Academy.

Boarding Requirements: All clients must have a signed daycare and boarding agreement, and dogs must be up to date on vaccinations. A boarding deposit is required. All medication, including over-the-counter sedatives, must be in original packaging and authorized by a veterinarian per PACFA regulations.

Daycamp Requirements: All clients must have a signed daycare and boarding agreement, and dogs must be up to date on vaccinations. Dogs co-mingling with other dogs must be spayed or neutered if they are over 6 months of age. Human aggressive/reactive dogs are not accepted for daycamp or personal play.

Check-out Policy: Boarding check-out is between 6:30 am and 12 pm on weekdays. Pick-up after 12 pm will result in a day stay charge of $20.00 unless a bath or day camp on departure has been requested.

What to Bring/Not to Bring for Boarding: Clients should pre-bag their dog’s food (1 gallon sized ziplock bag equals approximately 14 cups); large 30lb bags are not accepted unless the dog will finish the entire bag during their stay. Unless a dog requires a raised or slow feeder, bowls should be left at home as stainless steel bowls are provided. Labeled toys are welcome, but rawhides, rope toys, and tennis balls are not permitted. Blankets and beds should be left at home, as pet cots are provided in each room and kennel-provided blankets are available.

Mountain State K9 Academy provides dog and puppy daycare, boarding, and training services. They are conveniently located on Highway 392 just east of Windsor and north of Greeley, Colorado. Their facility is developed with pet health and safety in mind.

They offer nine levels of training services from puppy to adult, including Boarding School, Private Lessons, Off Site/In-home Lessons, Group Classes, Canine Good Citizen training, Refresher Training, Competition Training, and Personal/Executive Protection Dog Training. They also provide boarding as a “home away from home” for dogs, daycamp for socialization and exercise, bathing and nail trims, and photography sessions.

The business emphasizes having a dedicated team of kennel technicians and daycamp counselors who genuinely care for every guest, ensuring they are healthy, happy, and comfortable. They are leaders in their field, focusing on timing, motivation (using toys, food, praise, or correction based on individual dog needs), and consistency in their training approach.

Accomplishments

Jake Kemp (Owner): Graduated from the Tom Rose School for Professional Dog Trainers in 2008, completing both Professional and Master Dog Trainer programs at the top of his class. He served as an instructor and trainer at the Tom Rose School from 2009 to 2014. Jake is a certified PSA trial decoy (2010) and was selected to decoy the PSA Nationals in 2012, 2013, and 2014. He was also the Assistant Midwest Director for PSA in 2012 and is currently a PSA Emeritus Decoy. He has personally titled multiple dogs in AKC Obedience (including AKC Companion Dog with high scores), PSA (PDC, PSA 1, earning 1st place at PSA 1 Regional and National Championships in 2010, and 3rd Place at PSA 2 National Championship in 2011), and IPO (Schutzhund BH).

Kari Herron (Koch) (Owner): Possesses over 35 years of experience training dogs and their owners. She graduated from the Tom Rose School for Professional Dog Trainers in 2008 with a “V” rating in both Professional and Masters programs. Kari served as the Training Director and Instructor from January 2009 to November 2014. She is an AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Evaluator. Her accomplishments include PSA PDC, PSA 1 (1st Place PSA 1 Midwest Regional Championship in 2011, 2nd Place PSA 1 National Championship in 2011), Brevet, BH, AKC Novice, and multiple Flyball Titles. Kari has professionally trained over 10,000 dogs of all breeds and ages, from basic obedience to Police K-9, service, and therapy dogs.

Dylan Near: An AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator and a graduate of the MSK9 Apprentice Program. He successfully titled his Pitbull mix, Kodi, with AKC CGC in 2022. His Labrador Retriever, Suede, achieved AKC CGC in 2024, Trick Title Beginner in 2024, and Trick Title Intermediate in 2025.

Gator Schott: An AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator and a graduate of the MSK9 Apprentice Program. He achieved an AKC Jr. Hunt Title with his Labrador Retriever, Rowe, in 2022. His Doberman, Ronald, titled in protection with a PSA PDC in 2023 and earned AKC CGC in 2022. Rowe also earned AKC CGC in 2022.

Patrick Ostrander: Holds a Top Tier K9 – Pet Dog Training Certification and is an MSK9 Apprentice Program Graduate. He is an AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator. His rescue cattle dog, Ahsoka, achieved AKC CGC in 2022 and Trick Title Advanced in 2023.

Rianna James: A graduate of Kennelwood Academy for Professional Dog Training and the MSK9 Apprentice Program.

How to Get Started!

To get started, contact Mountain State K9 Academy for a free evaluation and to schedule services. You can reach them by emailing info@mountainstatek9academy.com or calling 970-353-0778. An initial evaluation is required for all training programs.