Texas K9

Texas K9 offers private and group lessons tailored to specific needs and goals, focusing on building a positive relationship and communication link between owner and dog. They use positive reinforcement, marker, and/or clicker training, incorporating luring, shaping, and capturing techniques. Their balanced training system uses rewards and scientific methods. Programs include Puppy, Pet Manners, Beginner Novice, Competition AKC and UKC Novice, Open & Utility, Mondioring Obedience, Rally, Conformation, Nosework, Dock Diving, Agility, Life Skills, and Tracking. They also host trials for UKC and USMRA.

Texas K9 Association, established in 2010 by Karen A. Shivers, is a dog training business dedicated to enriching the involvement of dog owners with their K9 companions. They offer tailored programs through private or group sessions, focusing on building a strong relationship between dog and owner based on positive interaction and consistency. Their training philosophy incorporates marker and/or clicker training techniques, including luring, shaping, and capturing, and they advocate for a balanced training system that utilizes rewards and scientifically proven methods for safe, humane, and effective results.

Texas K9 is recognized by the United Kennel Club (UKC) and hosts various competition events such as conformation shows, obedience, rally, nosework, and dock diving trials. They also host Mondioring trials under the United States Mondioring Association, offering all levels of classes including Obedience Only, Brevet, and MR1, MR2, & MR3. Their sister club, United Nosework, is a UKC-licensed organization that hosts nosework trials and events in Northeast Texas, and also provides classes and private instruction. Texas K9 plans to expand its offerings to include Agility and Lure Coursing in the future.

Accomplishments

Karen A. Shivers, who founded Texas K9 Association in 2010, has been involved in dog sports since 1968 and judging since 1995. She has instructed classes in obedience, conformation, agility, tracking, herding, and Mondioring since 1976. She is a past President of the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors (NADOI) and played a key role in establishing several UKC-licensed clubs, including Texas K9 Association and United Nosework, and authored the UKC Nosework program. In 2007, she became the first civilian graduate of the US Tactical K9 Law Enforcement Academy for narcotics detection and protection K9s, and she holds a Private Investigation and Guard Dog training license in Texas.

Karen is a licensed judge with the United Kennel Club (conformation, obedience), American Kennel Club (conformation, scentwork), Australian Shepherd Club of America (conformation, obedience), Irondog International (conformation), and National Canine Association (conformation). She has trained, handled, and titled numerous dogs across various breeds in Conformation championships, Obedience, Rally, Agility, Herding, Weight Pull, Dock Diving, Nosework, and protection sports with the United States Mondioring Association, Irondog, and Service Dogs of America. Her academic background includes a Master’s degree in Secondary Education with a minor in Psychology, a Master’s in Applied Criminology, and ongoing doctoral studies in Criminal Justice. The “Brags” section highlights numerous titles earned by Karen and her dogs, as well as other club members, in disciplines such as Mondioring, Trick Dog, UKC SPOT-ON, UKC Champion, CGC, UKC Rally, UKC Agility, Narcotics Detection, AKC Championship, UKC Grand Championship, UKC Dock Diving Championship, AKC Coursing, UKC Master Nosework Champion, UKC Rally Master, UKC Show Champion, Farm Dog Certification, and Virtual Home Manners Certificate.

How to Get Started!

Clients can contact Texas K9 by sending an email to inquire about services.