About K-9 Capers Dog Training Academy

K-9 Capers Dog Training Academy works from a fenced facility on Warren C Coleman Boulevard in Concord. Its own site describes a business that started as a nonprofit – the president founded Katie's Kids, trading as K-9 Capers – and that now runs family pet training alongside service and therapy dog work.

What is offered

The published list is pet dog training, therapy dog training, service dog training, private lessons and day school, which is a drop-off-and-train format with structured training and playtime. Private lessons are described as a way to jump-start training or to resolve a behavior-modification issue such as fear, aggression or shyness, and packages are available. Group classes specialize in puppy development and early socialization. Classes and workshops run through the year and include therapy dog, family manners, nose work, tracking, search and rescue, and Canine Good Citizen training and testing; many allow open enrollment. Zoom classes are offered for therapy dogs, service dogs and general training, and boarding with training is available.

Method

The site describes family-friendly, reward-based training and states explicitly that it does not use punishment training such as shock collars, e-collars, choke or pinch collars.

Credentials the business claims

The president's published credentials include a CPDT-KA certification through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers dated September 2009, a Therapy Dogs International evaluator role since 2009, and an AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator number. A second instructor is described as an AKC certified evaluator with a grooming certification from the Animal Behavior College, and a third is described as having trained with a regional search and rescue team.