The K9 Encounter

Rob was highly recommended by a friend who owns two extremely well-trained dogs who Rob helped train. The first time Rob came to my home for the initial "meet & greet" and private lesson, he brought one of his Belgian Malinois, Apollo, whom he used to give me a demo. I was blown away by what Rob and Apollo were able to do. At the time, I was looking for some basic obedience training for my 9.5 pound, 3-legged Maltipoo, Artie. I thought I'd get a month or two of lessons and I would be good to go. Within the first 2-3 minutes of Rob working with Artie, the dog was no longer pulling at the leash. Amazing. At one point, Rob mentioned, "I train owners at least as much as I train dogs". At that time, I didn't quite understand what he meant, but eventually it became clear that it was up to me to be consistent with my commands and corrections, something that I am still working on today. Rob's demeanor is friendly, kind and patient. At no time did he ever say anything like, "you have to do this!". He made suggestions that I could listen to or not, but he did say that if I followed his plan, I would eventually have a well-trained dog. He told me I should come to group classes, but I was reluctant and a bit intimidated because Artie was so small. After a number of private lessons he mentioned the group classes again, and I finally capitulated, and am so glad I did! Rob's training method draws on the best of the techniques he has learned during his years as a dog trainer, and is rock solid in its historical foundations and effectiveness. The behavior modifications your dog will absorb will be lasting IF you do the homework! Like any skill, dog obedience and accuracy is perishable, and I've learned that if I want Artie to be well-trained, I have to consistently put in the time with drills, exercises and distractions at home between classes. Luckily, it has become a labor of love and Artie thoroughly enjoys the training. Two quotations come to mind concerning this: 1.) "Excellence is an art won by training and habituation...We are what we repeatedly do" - Aristotle, and 2.) "We pursue perfection, and along the way we achieve excellence" - Vince Lombardi. So, initially thinking I would train Artie for a month or two, I am now at the 18-month mark. I understand that there is no "end point", rather the continuing journey of achievement and strengthening of the mutually-satisfying owner-dog emotional bond. Now, here is the added benefit I wasn't expecting. Over these months, I have come to regard Rob and his wife, Katlin (also a very accomplished dog trainer in her own right) as very close friends. The same can be said of the many owner-dog pairs I have met along the way. We frequently go out for dinner and laughs after class, a tradition I look forward to every week. Group training has become my favorite and most enjoyable pastime predominantly because of the like-minded dog lovers who populate our "pack". One of the hallmarks of good health is human connection, and our pack has provided me with another opportunity to expand my social circle and engage in fellowship with these wonderful people and their dogs. Obviously, I give Rob and Katlin my unreserved and highest recommendation if you are looking for outstanding dog trainers; these are penomenal and genuine people! Thanks K-9 Encounter!

I can’t say enough amazing things about The K9 Encounter! They have truly transformed our lives. We rescued a dog with some serious reactivity and behavior issues. Honestly, we were overwhelmed and worried we might never be able to help him. We started to train him on our own but nothing seemed to work. When we started training with Rob and Katlin, I thought it would take years to get to where we are now but with their expert guidance and lots of consistency, our dog has been making incredible progress every single day. The difference is honestly unbelievable. Rob and Katlin took the time to understand our dog and gave us clear training techniques that actually work. They didn’t just train our dog they taught us how to be better, more confident dog owners. If you’re looking for a trainer who’s professional, patient, and truly gifted at working with dogs, look no further! We’re so grateful for the K9 Encounter and would recommend them 1000%!

The team at The K9 Encounter is simply the best! My dog absolutely loves going to their classes, and every week we see significant improvement. The trainers are knowledgeable, patient, and truly care about the success of both the dogs and their owners. I highly recommend their monthly plan program—it’s been an incredible value and has made a huge difference in our training routine. The group classes are hands-down the best I’ve been to. If you’re looking for top-notch dog training, this is the place!

I cannot say enough great things about The K9 Encounter. Rob and Katlin are excellent trainers and I have seen dogs completely transform into excellent companions. I started my 10 week old puppy with them the first week I got her, and they helped ease my anxiety as a new dog owner with their tremendous care, advice, and training. I never thought I would be able to take my puppy out and about in public, and keep her calm and contained no matter the situation. If you have a dog that needs any amount of training, Rob and Katlin at The K9 Encounter are the people to call.

My family gave me a puppy for Mother’s Day, a gorgeous blue eyed mini Australian shepherd. While i immediately loved him, I also quickly realized I was in over my head and needed help with training. I googled “dog trainer near me” and came across the K9 Encounter”. While there were many trainers to choose from, it stood out to me that K9 Encounter had consistently great reviews. We chose our first training session to be a private lesson at home. By the end of it, our hyper, high energy pup was no longer pulling on the leash or jumping on people! I was hooked. We have been doing the group lessons for the last three months and it’s incredible what happens when you know what you’re doing and put in the work. Our pup not only listens, but we can take him everywhere and he brings us and others so much joy!! Rob and Katlin provide so much more than simple dog training. They take the time to train YOU, so that you have the knowledge and tools to successfully train your dog and build that beautiful relationship with them. I have enjoyed the community of the group classes and the way everyone helps and encourages each other. I like that the training is alway different - different lessons, different locations, different triggers - so the dog learns to listen to you in all settings regardless of the distractions. I love that my pup gets to interact with so many other people and dogs each week, which has been excellent for socializing him. Australian Shepherds are incredibly smart dogs, so he has learned very fast. But I know my experience with my pup would’ve been very different if I hadn’t found Rob and Katlin. I am so grateful to them. When we take our pup out (restaurants, beach, daughters lacrosse games, etc), people can’t believe he’s only 6 months old because he’s so well behaved! That’s all thanks to what we’ve learned at K9 Encounter. If it’s not obvious, I highly recommend them!!