CKK9
Who are we?
I believe in training the dog (and human) in front of me.
Every dog and owner are different which means that training methods will vary a lot. One thing I do really encourage for any dog is communication— if we can develop a clear system of communication between you and your dog that will make your lives together much better! Dogs also thrive with consistency and leadership— we focus a lot on creating routine, clear boundaries, and structure. This can be done with a variety of methods (treats, praise, affection, leash pressure/ direction, and even a low stimulation from an e-collar) but the method will depend completely upon what your dog needs and what you are comfortable with. It would not be wise for me to be set on one training method because every dog and owner are different. I will be 100% honest with what I think will benefit you & your dog the most and will be there to help you through every step.
Thanks for being here!
We're so excited to be part of your training adventure
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I wanted to share my story so you can get to know me and my pack.
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Where It All Started...
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My first dog was a Golden Retriever named Indie. He and I spent all our time training, playing, and hanging out together. Indie was easy to train, and we had very few behavioral issues. He was an angel... (basically) perfect in every way.
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Later in my life, I (through a series of unfortunate events) got a yellow lab named Silas. I quickly realized I would need further education and training to even live with Silas, he was challenging in every way.​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Indie
(Perfect angel child)
The Mischievous Dog Who Got Me to Where I'm at Today
(proof that you can get there too)
To give you an idea of where Silas was at: he spent his days running around the house at full speed, carrying around laundry (and stealing other items such as knives off the counter), eating entire Kong toys, and just generally being chaotic. Walks with him were completely miserable (and also a hazard), he was around 75lbs at 1 year old and in order to walk him, I had to wrap the leash around my waist so he didn't get away or break my hands... Indie was very very easy, so this was a complete shock to me and I had no idea what to do with him, but I knew we had to do something.
I decided to get help while I figured out some life situations, and sent him off to a board and train out in the hillcountry of Texas for a month. We learned basic obedience commands and off-leash recall. When we went home, we had great success with obedience commands at home (with minimal distraction), but we still struggled with leash-reactivity, over-stimulation, and other bad behaviors in the house. At the time, we were also going through a few significant life changes and couldn’t travel to the trainer for assistance. I was determined to work through these issues together, and began researching dog behavior and methods of training. I learned some different techniques to try, learned about dog behavior, and that dogs need leadership and structure. We practiced every chance we had, training in a nearby field and walking the neighborhood multiple times a day.
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Initially, we could not even go fully around the block without him having aggressive reactions toward everything around us (in yards, houses, other dogs, and people who were out walking). As we studied and practiced what we were learning, our walks were improving, we practiced structure in the house, and we were not having as many behavioral issues.
Where We're at Now
Now, Silas is calm, peaceful, fulfilled, and has more freedom than ever (while still having some structure and boundaries because I know he thrives with that). We can go anywhere without a leash and he walks right next to me, his obedience is perfect, but even moreso--he and I have a good relationship and can actually live together. He is a dog, and still tries to do mischievous dog things, but we have a working relationship and boundaries which gives us peace and freedom in our lives.
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Going through this process made me realize how necessary it was to have not only obedience training, but also for owners to have a thorough understanding of dog behavior and skills in communicating with their dog. It is my goal to provide a place of learning and education for both owners and dogs so that they are both able to live a healthy and fulfilling life together.
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After learning all of these things with Silas, I decided that I wanted to learn how to help others going through the same issues. I went through a training certification program and worked in a training facility for 2+ years, training thousands of dogs and their owners in my time there. I made the leap and opened my own training business October 2023 and have been helping owners achieve the same results ever since!
Experience
Fall 2021
Training Certification & Mentorship (2+ years)
A three-month-long intensive, hands-on training certification program. This program taught the foundations of dog behavior, dog learning, handling, and how to successfully teach both dogs and humans. Following this program, I stayed with the company and facilitated the "Board and Train" program for 2+ years. This gave experience with thousands of dogs and their families.
Spring 2023
Pat Nolan Puppy Training Seminar
This was a 3-day seminar in which all who attended learned the basics of puppy behavior and learning--specifically applied to hunting-training--but very applicable to all puppy-upbringing.
Summer 2023
AKC Evaluator Certification
AKC Evaluators are certified to test any dog for S.T.A.R. Puppy, CGC, Community Canine, and Urban CGC. This program is designed as part of the "Family Dog Program", a program created to form and strengthen the bond between families and their dog.
Mission
We give dog owners in the Wichita, Kansas area a high-level training experience which allows owners to understand and communicate with their dog.
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Vision
The primary focus of this company will be holistic family education and training. All services will be carefully thought out and formed in support of this goal, including continuous training and follow-up lessons after initial training. Each client/ potential client will first have a consultation with the trainer, then the trainer will create a training plan that fits within their criteria.
