About Cher Car Kennels LLC

About

Cher Car Kennels sits on a 20-acre farm at 4215-4305 S. Lowell Road in St. Johns and has been "breeding and training dogs for lives of significance and service since 1977." Founder Cheryl Carlson has trained professionally since that year, and the site states that the combined training programs "have graduated over 20,000 dogs since 1977." The team is Cheryl Carlson, business partner Lori Webster and Carole Field.

Training offered

The published training menu includes group dog obedience classes run as six-week sessions, a group personal protection class for beginner dogs (also a six-week session), private lessons "personalized for your specific needs," and in-kennel Boarding School training in which "our experienced trainers teach your dog over a one or two week period." Further training pages cover tracking and trailing, drugs or explosives detection, police K9 work, service dog training and dog bite prevention. Boarding is offered separately from training.

Teaching philosophy

The about page is explicit about the aim: "We specialize in preventing dog behavior problems by educating dog owners through personalized private home visits, group classes or in-kennel 'boarding school' training, using positive, praising methods of dog obedience instruction. We provide the knowledge, understanding and expertise necessary to teach your dog 'good behavior' rather than simply punishing what you might perceive as 'bad behavior'."

Breeding record

Breeding runs alongside training and is documented in detail: the program "has produced more than 350 dogs (German, Belgian and Dutch Shepherds) that have gone on to certify as Police, Sheriff and Governmental Department K-9s" and more than 100 dogs certified in search and rescue applications, with over 200 more working as medical assistance dogs. The kennel notes that "the vast majority of our dogs, however, serve as loving and loyal family pets and protectors."