About Park City K9 Academy

Working-dog skills for family dogs

Park City K9 Academy is a Park City dog training business built around the methods used with working K9s. Its trainer, Rick, began volunteering at the PennVet Working Dog Center in 2016 and over the next eight years worked with more than 100 dogs under 12 expert trainers in fields including detection, search and rescue, agility, obedience and fitness. He lists a 400-hour scent detection instructor course through PennVet, a narcotic detection certification with his Dutch Shepherd, Ody, and a 120-hour tracking and evidence course.

Training services

Training starts with engagement, building a dog's motivation with reward-based play using food, toys and movement. Obedience adds distance, duration and distractions to basic commands so behaviors hold in different places. Scent detection (nosework) uses the same equipment and procedures as certified detection K9s, teaching dogs to find birch oil or another odor for nosework trials. Other services cover environmental exposure (socialization) to people, animals, sounds and surfaces, agility and fitness work such as squats, planks and hurdles to keep hiking dogs strong, and tracking and article search.

What to ask

Ask about pricing, session length and scheduling.