About PLAY! K9 Academy

Training through play

PLAY! K9 Academy is a Manatee County dog training business near Parrish that builds its programs around play and positive reinforcement, on the belief that a happy dog is a confident dog. Its goal is confident, well-behaved companions and a strong relationship between dogs and their owners.

Programs

One-on-one sessions give personalized attention to a dog's specific needs. Board and train combines structured learning with playtime, and day train suits owners who are at work or running errands. Online coaching sessions offer guidance for behavior issues or new tricks from home, and puppy programs cover socialization and basic obedience.

The owner

Owner and trainer Nina has 25 years of experience working with various species of animals. She moved to Bradenton at 13 and trained rescue dogs in basic obedience through her twenties. Her German Shepherd rescue Nova, the most reactive dog she had encountered, led her into behavior modification and dog sports, and a try at herding shifted her approach toward genuine connection rather than repetitive behavior-reward cycles. She stays involved in rescue, placing high-drive working dogs in sport, working and active pet homes.

What to ask

Ask about pricing and where one-on-one sessions take place.