Christian K-9 Academy

I can’t say enough great things about Mitch, Dean and the rest of the team at Christian K9! They were absolutely fantastic with training our 1-year old GSD. They were always in contact with us providing updates and really built the training around his and our needs. We were nervous about the board and train because our dog was nervous around new people and new places, but they really built a relationship with him and he has so much more confidence now. Even our 5 year old is able to walk him now! Thank you guys for everything!

Christian K9 Academy greatly exceeded our expectations! We chose the 15 day board and train for our crazy 5 month old German shepherd so he could learn leash and off leash training. To say it feels like we have a whole new well behaved dog is an understatement! Our trainer, Dean, was fantastic! He sent regular updates and you could tell he thoroughly enjoyed working with our dog and loves his job! When we picked up our dog, he walked us through everything, step by step, on what we needed to know to take him home. We couldn’t have asked for a better trainer! I highly recommend!!

I cannot thank the team at Christian K-9 Academy enough for the exceptional experience we had doing the 20 day board and train for our GSD pups Koda & Akira! Dean was their trainer and was truly AMAZING!!!! He kept us informed with regular updates and videos with feedback and instruction. He was receptive to preferences (like which side we want to walk our dogs) and always available to answer questions during and even after they completed their program. I could tell in his video updates our puppies absolutely loved him too!!! I had so many concerns going in about dropping my dogs off somewhere for an extended period of time - facilities, treatment, quality of training, etc but Mitch instantly put my fears at ease upon my first encounter by phone, and at our evaluation. He listened to all the goals I had for them and I could tell he really heard me and implemented everything into their training and our pups were well taken care of during their stay. When we picked up our dogs at the end of their program our dogs personalities were still there but they were transformed into the most obedient and well mannered little pups that I could have ever hoped or asked for. We were instantly able to do things with both dogs that previously was getting difficult or near impossible with 1 pretty reactive dog. The team at Christian K-9 Academy really take the time to make sure your dog is fully trained but also that you understand your equipment, your dogs commands, and that you know how to use both before you go - this definitely seems to be key in sustaining all the amazing work the dogs have done and new skills they’ve learned. We took our pups out right away to do things to let them know the same rules apply while they’re away from camp and just home with us too. I can see a dog going back to their old ways if you let them - consistency and practice of these new amazing skills definitely seems to be key in maintaining everything they’ve learned. I truly can’t say enough great things about our experience, it was worth every penny! Our puppies seem happy, and I feel so much more confident walking them and taking them out on my own than I did before. I know this will be our first call if we need boarding too! Thank you so much Mitch, Dean, and everyone at Christian K-9 Academy!!

Summary: We had an amazing experience with Christian K9’s 25-day board-and-train program. The results positively transformed our relationship with our dog and made everything from walks to play stress-free. Our dog is calmer and happier and enjoys a lot more freedom now. Don’t wait another day to start training with Christian K9. Details: We have a one-year-old golden retriever, Shadow, who is our first family dog. He has a sweet temperament, with no significant problem areas (like aggression). I worked with him on basic obedience and, in many situations, he was pretty good. Even so, Shadow was inconsistent with a lot of skills, far too excited in public to take out, and not reliable enough to have off-leash outside of the house. Although I enjoy working with Shadow and training him myself, the reality is that some things are very difficult to train without a lot of time and effort (like walking through a store or staying on a place with variety of distractions). And some things are nearly impossible to train without ready access to controlled distractions like other dogs. We decided to give professional training a try. Frankly, I was apprehensive about doing so. What would the results be? Would Shadow’s sweet and fun personality negatively change? After our experience with Christian K9, I think I should have done it sooner. To coordinate with our vacation and travel schedule, we opted for CK9’s 25-day program. Mitch talked through the program with me and answered my questions. Dean then talked to me about our goals and areas we wanted to work on. From there, Dean took over much of the training, though Mitch and the rest of the team also worked with Shadow. Communication was great – I got frequent updates, pictures, and videos. They answered my questions as Shadow went through the program. During Shadow’s training, I saw that Christian K9’s team had a thoughtful, tailored approach to training. For example, I had done some e-collar work with Shadow myself with a high-quality e-collar. CK9 started with that collar but found it didn’t work well for Shadow. They switched him to a different type that he responded better to. CK9 also made efforts to get Shadow into various transports, including a boat, so that he would be ready to travel anywhere. At the conclusion, we had a “go home” training, to help teach me how to implement what Shadow learned at home. Follow-up has been great, and CK9 has been available for any questions I have. The results were amazing and transformative on numerous levels. First, Shadow can confidently walk around and follow commands (like sit, heel, down, come) off-leash and with distractions (like another dog running around). I haven’t done it yet, but the team showed me videos with Shadow calmly walking through a busy store with no problems. He’s been excellent on our walks, heeling whenever I need him to (like passing a person or dog). I’m looking forward to bringing Shadow along to more places. During the go home training, I was able to have him sit while I walk away and while another dog ran around right by him. It was incredible! Second, because Shadow now has a high level of obedience, doing things with him (walks, play, etc.) is stress-free, especially for my wife and son. It has been especially transformative for my son’s relationship with Shadow. Before training, my son was nervous around Shadow because Shadow was large and unpredictable. Now, my son loves spending time with him and is proud of “his” dog. Third, Shadow himself is both calmer and happier because he enjoys far more freedom. When you are confident your dog will come back when called, you can have a lot more off-leash fun with him and let him really run. I highly recommend Christian K9 Academy for training. It will transform your life with your dog.