About Great Bay K9

In-home training from Exeter

Great Bay K9 is an Exeter, New Hampshire-based team founded in 2021 by John Forbes and Mandy to offer personalized one-on-one training sessions at the client's own home, built around each client's goals and lifestyle. It serves the greater Seacoast area. Training uses marker training, a science-based method in which a specific signal marks the correct behavior, with precise timing and consistency, and the team describes bringing well-balanced solutions to real-world temperament or environmental issues.

The team

Head trainer John Forbes has worked in law enforcement for over 17 years, including as a police canine trainer, where he trained and certified canines in detection, tracking, apprehension, evidence location and search and rescue. He is an approved evaluator for the AKC Canine Good Citizen program. Mandy studied animal sciences at the University of New Hampshire, assists in sessions and manages scheduling.

Services and prices

The introductory session is $125 and each following session of about an hour is $150. Day training is $400 a day, with transport and at least three private sessions in different locations, or $250 for a half day. Board and train is $1,400 a week, and kennel boarding starts at $100 a night. Clients can work toward AKC Canine Good Citizen and AKC Advanced Community Canine, and additional scent-specific medical alert dog training is available.