Smart K9 Training

Smart K9 is the best place for your furry friend. My dog Koda made the move from Texas to North Dakota, he took it rough. He was scared and unsure of everything. He went from a very quiet home to now living with many (loud) humans and it was a hard transition. At the time we had also done many vet visits because we thought he had terrible allergies, he was biting his tail raw and licking his paws until they were infected. As his owner I knew I owed it to him to find a training center that he could grow and become confident in me as his owner and in himself. I did a lot of research and during the consultation meeting I asked a lot of questions because my dog is my family. After the first visit Emily said that she felt he was highly anxious and asked if we’d considered any anxiety medication to help him out. Turns out it wasn’t allergies but anxiety! On top of that Koda did the four week board and train program making unbelievable progress. He’s now able to ride in cars, go to the vet, and is welcoming to new people coming into our home. I could probably type all day about how amazing every staff member is at Smart K9 and how they are the best in town, but if you aren’t convinced by now- go sign up for a consultation and see for yourself! I promise you will not regret it.

We are so incredibly thankful to have found Smartk9 for our Gus. Life before Smartk9 was a constant anxiety loop for both Gus and our family. After 2 severe biting incidents within 6 months we knew we needed help. Emily and her staff listened to our concerns and were very honest with their assessment. We did a combination of private sessions to begin and proceeded to enroll Gus in a 5 week board and train program. For the first time in the nearly 7 years we've had Gus, I can honestly say life for all of us has improved immensely. We now have something we didn't have prior to SmartK9, predictability. We were given the tools to understand Gus's thought process and ways to difuse his unwanted behaviors and reward his positive behaviors. Gus is so much happier, healthier and SAFE. Although we loved him dearly prior to his training, I speak for our entire family when I say we love him even more now.

We brought our Lab Gus in with issues of resource guarding. He is pushy and boorish (that makes him fun). This fun behavior also made his guarding difficult to deal with. The staff at Smart K9 were able to give him a solid behavioral foundation of what is expected of him when I and other trainers could not. As a family we know how to better handle Gus and channel his energy. Emily, Lucas, and staff were very professional. They give thorough direction as to their methods and why they train your dog the way they do. Understanding the WHY for us was just has important as the HOW. Outstanding experience.

Cooper had another fun weekend being boarded at Smart K9! We are so grateful to all of the staff. They not only take great care of Cooper but I also learn new tips to make Cooper a better behaved dog. We have been going to Smart K9 since May 2019. As new puppy owners, we were struggling with training a new puppy. Copper was very rambunctious, biting on everything, any soft toys were destroyed, he would bite through his leash, pull when I took him for walks, he was not a typical cuddly puppy. I took him to puppy classes and all he wanted to do was bark at the other dogs. There was a lot of instruction but not a lot of doing. After 3 times, I stopped going. After 2 months of trying to figure him out, we were stressed. We were questioning our decision about getting a dog. It was not what we expected. A friend of mine, who has had dogs before and just got two new puppies 6months before we did, told me about a place, Smart K9, that she took her dogs to for 1:1 training session for basic obedience and really liked the results. We met with Lucas and Emily for an evaluation. The amount of knowledge they have and how they explained Cooper's behavior was very eye-opening for us. We felt confident in their training style and decided to do a 2-week board and train along with some 1:1 sessions. Cooper learned some basic obedience during his board and train. He could sit, down, stay, learned how to heal so going for walks was enjoyable and he learned what “climb” was. The climb has been a blessing. It is a place he goes to relax when he gets overwhelmed or just to nap. Over the past 3 years we have continued to take Cooper to Smart K9 for boarding when we are out of town. We know that he is well taken care of, gets refresher obedience skills and is in a safe environment. He also goes there periodically for Daycare. When I mention any of the dog handlers’ names, his tail starts wagging and he goes to the door. Our life with a dog still has challenges but 95% of the time, he is an enjoyable addition to our family. We still have a few things to work on, like barking at rabbits in the backyard or people walking by our house but overall he is a relaxed dog. We thank Smart K9 for what they have did and continue to do with Cooper as well as make us better dog owners.