About Ultimutt K9

Ultimutt K9 sits on Montauk Highway in Oakdale – the site publishes '1405 Montauk Highway Oakdale, Ny 11769' on every page – and describes itself as 'Servicing all of your dog training, pet sitting, and dog grooming needs'. It has been trading for almost 30 years; the owner notes, with some pride, that 'in almost 30 years of business we only took two days off and one of those was due to hurricane Sandy'.

Who runs it

The owner is Janice Harkins, and her account of how she qualified is specific: 'After researching the best schools out there to become a dog trainer I came across the renowned Anthony Jerone and all that he has accomplished. I knew I was making the right decision on attending Anthony Jerone's School of Dog Training & Career, Inc. With the years of hands on training and theory learning, I earned a degree of Certified Dog Trainer and Canine Behaviorist with honors.' The site also mentions the school's founder having been a dog handler in Vietnam and the founder of the Canine Patrol Program for New York City's subways – context for the lineage of the training, not a claim about Ultimutt K9 itself.

What is offered

The training line is stated simply: 'Ultimutt K9 offers all levels of dog training provided by a Certified Master Dog Trainer and Canine Behaviorist.' Pet sitting and grooming run alongside it, and the business is certified in dog and cat first aid and CPR. Ask by phone about the class schedule, any residential program and prices.

Why the training matters to the other services

Harkins makes the argument that the training qualification changes the care work too: 'With our training background, we have the ability to recognize many physical and behavioral traits about your pet that the average pet sitter or groomer wouldn't notice, and with these skills we can take on most clients because we are trained and prepared for most situations.' For an owner with a dog that is difficult to handle on a grooming table, that is a relevant claim. Contact is on 631-807-0776.