THE
“NATURAL WAY”
Dog Training Courses
We are experts in solving existing behavior problems and preventing them from happening in the first place. Using the way that dogs communicated naturally we can teach you to speak your dogs language. Once you understand how to communicate “The Natural Way” there will be no limits to what you can accomplish!




ALL BREED PROBLEM SOLVING & OBEDIENCE
By far the easiest way to train your dog! Over 45 years of training dogs, we have seen that this style of training produces the best results. Why? Because training a dog successfully requires that someone trains the dog daily for 45 minutes consistently. This means that unless the trainer has possession of the dog, the owner will be required to do this work each and every day for approximately two months per course.
Life happens, and although owners have good intentions, typically the consistency will disappear. The result is little training gets done. K-9 Boot Camp® course allows the trainers to fast-track the training, making it easier on the owner. The dog stays with us in our state-of-the-art facility for 2–4 weeks while we establish the commands. Upon pickup, the owners receive an orientation, demonstration, and lesson.
The second half of the course involves the owners following homework and practicing 20 minutes per day for four weeks. During this time, the trainers come to the owner’s home and establish the problem-solving and manners part of the training. Most owners can manage 20 minutes per day for four weeks. This makes the training successful because it has already been established with the dog without mistakes, making it easier for the owner to follow up.

At K-9 Companions Dog Training, we know that different breeds and temperaments require various styles of training. We gently handle the smallest of breeds, and firmly handle the large, dominant and aggressive breeds as well. Our methods are based on positive motivation and positive reinforcement. We do not believe in any form of abuse.
In our dog training methods, we use the principles of operant conditioning and extinction of unwanted behaviors through confinement conditioning and instinctual corrections. We have tried true methods to teach your dog how to live in your house or yard without being destructive. We believe every dog should be trained to five basic obedience commands at a minimum: Heel, Sit, Stay, Come, and Down.
The dog must also learn responsiveness to the word “No”, the value of praise and reward and how to obtain it by doing positive things, and “Okay” as the release word that tells him he is no longer under command.
This opens up basic communication between dog and owner and allows for a much better relationship between the two. Training starts at 4 months of age after the puppy has completed all of the puppy shot series. The training is continued into off leash when the dog is a teenager 10-12 months of age.


Home Manners & Management
Along with the basic dog obedience packages, we also include home manners, such as teaching the dog to stop at doors and gates and wait until the owner releases them through the door. Boundaries can be taught in the house and front yard at curbs in order to teach the dog not to run into the street.
The client’s favorite command is called “place.” This command sends the dog to a designated spot in the house to lie down. The dog can then spend time lying near the owner in the house without creating a nuisance. This command increases the average time an owner is willing to spend with the dog.
When training is completed after the owner has practiced the dog should be able to stay laying in place while the owner is watching television, on the computer, cooking dinner, or even having company over. The dog should learn how to behave around company as well. Jumping up, sniffing, barking, and licking at your company all needs to be corrected.
Management has to do with the owner’s care and housing of the dog. Proper fencing and enclosures, feeding, grooming, and health care are all covered. Each client’s lifestyle and home is different, so management issues are customized for each client.
At K-9 Companions we know that one size does not fill all. Some of our clients live in apartments while others live on farms. Different sets of management practices are going to be different depending on the environment.
Off-leash Obedience (Open Spaces)

For clients who want to take their dog hiking, or out in open spaces such as farms where there may be animal distractions (open spaces) off-leash training is what is appropriate. Open spaces off-leash means that a dog who sees a squirrel or a deer and decides to take off after it through the woods, will stop and come back on command. This can only be taught with the basic obedience Level 1 training already established properly.
It is also in this level of training where we begin to prepare the dog for a future job. If the dog is to be a service or therapy dog we begin to teach them to watch the owner for their particular needs. We work on such things as retrieving objects, releasing them, circle and block, on guard, and pressure, just to name a few.
College For Your Dog (Choose A Major)
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A dog can be a great addition to someone who has PTSD, TBI, MST, anxiety, depression, or any number of issues. Dogs are also helping children with autism, and a number of other childhood issues. Dogs can help people who have trouble in social situations, with stress, or having difficulty sleeping at night due to night terrors. Dogs can help people with mobility issues, and any number of health concerns. At K-9 Companions we specialize in helping veterans and children. We work with non-profit organizations to help with funding. We offer training for existing dogs when qualified or we can help you select the right puppy and offer you training as he grows up to become a Service Dog.

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Opening doors, drawers, and refrigerators
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Retrieving specific objects (DVD’s, keys, remotes, etc.)
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Retrieving dropped articles
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Getting help
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Pulling on command
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Turning on or off lights
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Barking to alert toward danger, doorbell, or telephone
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Blocking for personal space
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Providing deep pressure on command
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Watching the owners back
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Interrupting anxiety or panic attacks
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Interrupting night terrors
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Responding to alarms to wake up or take meds
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Walking slow to lead
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Carrying objects
At K-9 Companions our Service Dog Training Program is different than most in that we involve the client in the actual training of their dog. In the case that the owner is not physically capable of being involved in the training, the owner must provide an assistant that will be involved in the day to day training and care of the dog. Most NPO’s (Non-Profit Organizations) that provide already trained service animals have long waiting lists. In addition, some people already have a dog that they desire to train rather than adding a new dog to the family. While all dogs are not suitable for the work some are.
K-9 Companions is not an NPO. We are a For-Profit business and are not in any way in competition with NPOs. We simply offer a service to people that feel they are not a good fit for an NPO either because of the waiting period or because of the desire to train their own dog and to be involved in the process. In fact, in many cases we refer people who aren’t a good fit with us to NPOs likewise, some NPOs refer people to us when they are not a good fit for them. We offer a cost-effective alternative. For people who are not physically capable of being involved with the training of a dog the NPO route where an already trained dog is supplied would be the best route to go.
The process of training takes about 2 years when starting with a puppy. Costs of training vary from dog to dog depending on previous training but in general training a service dog requires on-leash obedience, off-leash obedience, CGC Testing, learning a minimum of 3 things the dog can do for the handler that he/she cannot do for themselves, and Public Access Training (Learning to be in public without being a nuisance or a danger) the dog must be 2 years or older and pass all of these tests for certification. We must provide all of the training to certify a dog.
We do not certify dogs that other trainers have trained unless the client is willing to put the dog back through our course. Since costs for training will total between $10,000 and $15,000 it is important that the client has the right dog for the job and that it is 3 years old or younger in order to get the most value out of the training. These prices do not include equipment. They definitely do not include the purchase price of dog (if applicable), or veterinary care.


Veterans With Ptsd Or Tbi May Qualify For Special Funding
Service Dog Training Criteria
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Costs do not include:

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Drop on recall
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Food refusal
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Sit stay out of sight
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Down stay out of sight
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Sit in motion
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Down in motion
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Directed jumps
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Wall jumps (high jump)
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Cat walk
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Teeter Totter
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Retrieving (optional)
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Tricks
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Nosework