About MMK9

Who they are

MMK9 is a dog training and grooming facility at 1416 E Saint Louis St in Springfield, run by a husband and wife the site names as Chris and Angie Ross. The site describes the business as a family rather than simply a facility, and invites owners to call in for a grooming or training consultation.

Method

MMK9 is unusually specific about its method for a business of this size. The site says Chris Ross uses the NePoPo training method – negative, positive, positive – and describes it as combining the four quadrants of reinforcement in what it calls a safe, fun and loving manner, with the aim of a dog that performs behaviors on cue willingly. An owner who wants a purely food-and-marker program, or who wants to know before booking whether corrections are part of the work, has the answer on the home page.

The three programs

The training menu has three routes. Board and train is a three-to-six week personalized program in which the dog stays at the facility for intensive training. Day training is the drop-off equivalent: the dog comes in for the morning, works through lessons and sessions, and goes home the same day, with the owner continuing the work. Private lessons run as six in-home sessions, tailored to the owner's needs and taken at home, at a park, or a mix of both.

Grooming

Professional grooming runs alongside the training at the same address, which makes the site a one-stop option for owners who would rather not drive to two places.

Worth knowing

The site publishes no prices for any of the three programs, and there is a frequently-asked-questions page an owner should read before booking. The board-and-train range of three to six weeks is a wide one – the length appropriate to a given dog is a conversation to have at the consultation.