STK9 Training Company

STK9 Training Company offers comprehensive dog obedience and behavior modification training. Their Day Train Obedience Programs allow dogs to be dropped off Monday through Friday for intensive obedience training and doggy daycare. These programs are designed to address and rehabilitate minor behavior issues and are available to dogs over four months old. All programs include necessary equipment, a one-on-one lesson, documentation on how to reinforce behaviors, and an obedience video of the dog.

Specific Day Train Programs include:
* **Puppy Foundation Program**: For puppies 4-8 months, teaching basic obedience (sit, down, place, heel, recall) and curbing unwanted puppy behaviors. It’s a foundation and reward-based program lasting about 10 days. Graduates receive a discount on future programs.
* **On-Leash Obedience**: For all dogs, covering sit/stay, down/stay, place, heel, recall, and off command on leash. Includes outdoor adventures and real-life scenarios. Addresses minor behavior concerns, typically 2-3 weeks.
* **Off-Leash Obedience**: For on-leash obedience graduates, covering sit/stay, down/stay, place, heel, recall, and off command off leash. Includes outdoor adventures and real-life scenarios, typically 1 week.
* **On-Leash Obedience + Off-Leash Recall**: Combines on-leash obedience with a remote off-leash recall. Commands learned on-leash include sit/stay, down/stay, place, heel, recall, and off. Remote off-leash command is recall. Takes about 2-3 weeks.
* **On-Leash Heeling Program**: Focuses on teaching a proper heel command for loose leash walking, not for reactive dogs. Takes about 1 week.
* **Off-Leash Recall Program**: Teaches a reliable on-leash and off-leash recall. Takes about 1 week.

They also offer **Enrichment Opportunities** while boarding or in daycare, such as Nose Work Games (instinctual hunting and problem-solving) and Refresher Training (for graduates to maintain obedience and behaviors). **Protection Sport Training** (PSA) is available for newcomers and those looking to advance, taking place at their Dade City location. **Personal Protection** training is also offered, including information on purchasing trained dogs or one-on-one lessons with your own dog at the Dade City location. Any day train program can be converted into a **Board and Train** program for an additional fee.

Pricing Summary

Nose work games are $50 a day plus boarding or daycare. Refresher training for graduates is $50 a day. Refresher lessons with clients at their facility are an additional $100. In-home refresher lessons are offered for an extra fee.

Puppy Foundation Program is $1000 for about 10 days. On-Leash Obedience is $2500 for two to three weeks. Off-Leash Obedience is $1750 for about one week (for on-leash obedience graduates). On-Leash Obedience + Off-Leash Recall is $3000 for about two to three weeks. On-Leash Heeling Program is $750 for about 1 week. Off-Leash Recall Program is $850 for about 1 week. All day train programs can become a board and train program for an additional boarding fee. Personal protection lessons are priced at $100, with duration depending on training goals.

Policies

For board and train programs, if clients are out of town, a local emergency contact is required. For evaluations, a morning drop-off is required. If unable to return after two hours for the evaluation review, the dog can stay until the end of the day for a daycare fee. Graduation lessons are typically done in the morning hours. Additional obedience lessons after program completion have a fee and are scheduled in the morning hours.

STK9 Training Company is a family-owned business with over two decades of dog training expertise, dedicated to helping dog owners improve their relationship with their dogs through reliable obedience and clear expectations. They offer a variety of programs tailored to specific needs, ranging from daily obedience to specialized K9 sport and personal protection training.

Training sessions are held at the licensed Pasadena Pet Motel, adhering to rigorous animal control guidelines by Pinellas County Animal Control. They prioritize individual attention by limiting the number of dogs in training, ensuring close monitoring and support for each dog’s progress.

In addition to training, they offer enrichment opportunities like nose work games and refresher training while dogs are boarding or in daycare at the Pasadena Pet Motel. They also provide socialization opportunities through doggy daycare at the Pasadena Pet Motel.

Their certified trainers are committed to helping dogs reach their full potential, focusing on building a strong foundation in obedience to prevent and manage unwanted behaviors and strengthen the bond between dogs and owners.

Accomplishments

Samantha Taylor, the Training Director, is a Certified Master Dog Trainer from Tarheel K9, with over 20 years of experience. Her expertise includes Professional Obedience, Patrol, Detection, Man Tracking, Trailing, and Behavior Modification. She is a double major graduate from the University of South Florida. Samantha is a member of The National Tactical Police Dog Association and The International Association of Canine Professionals. She is also a Certified Pet Dog Trainer by the American Kennel Club and certified by The American Pet Dog Trainers Association. In 2023, she graduated from DNM University as a Raw Dog Food Nutrition Specialist and Pet Food Nutrition Specialist, and became an official PSA Judge. She competes with her Belgian Malinois, Badfish (going for PSA 2), and German Shepherd dog, Ese Loco. She achieved a PSA 1 and showed in the 2’s with her Belgian Malinois, Ruco.

Matt Taylor, the Head Personal Protection Dog Trainer & Sport Trainer, graduated from Tarheel K-9 Academy’s Protection Sport and Decoy Trainer Certification. He is a Certified PSA Decoy and serves as the Head Decoy at The Tampa Bay PSA Club. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Florida. Matt was a National Select Decoy at the PSA Nationals in 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, and has been a multiple time South Regional Select Decoy. He has served as a Senior Decoy for PSA since 2019. His Dutch Shepherd, Kados, is an accomplished PSA Competitor with PDC and PSA 1 Titles, and 1 leg of his PSA 2. Kados is also an Ultimate Air Dogs Competitor and was a Nationals Qualifier in 2018, and a trained Narcotics Detection Dog for STK9.

How to Get Started!

To get started, clients must first complete an evaluation form online. STK9 Training Company will then contact them to schedule an evaluation, which takes place at their facility. Clients arrange a morning drop-off time for their dog and return two hours later for a review of the evaluation. If unable to return after two hours, the dog can stay until the end of the day for a daycare fee, or evaluation results can be emailed. If the client wishes to enroll after the evaluation, the process will be started. All evaluations require a morning drop-off.