Katka Working Dog Training LLC

12/24/2025

My name is Ava and I am a dog trainer…

• I’ve been a professional dog trainer for 6 years and l am the Owner and Sole Trainer at Katka Working Dog Training LLC.

• I am certified as a Dog Trainer and Narcotics Detection Trainer through the American Society of Canine Trainers International and I have deep roots and experience dealing with severe aggression, anxiety, and fear cases.

• I am a Search and Rescue K9 handler and have maintained a certified tracking k9 with my team for 4 years.

• I specialize in all things working breed dogs. From problem-solving common and not-so-common behavioral issues, to working k9 disciplines such as narcotics detection and tracking.

• I own three Belgian Malinois (Zuko, Apollo, Gidget) and three German Shepherds (Xerxes, Herja, and Stark)

• When I’m not training dogs, | love spending time at the gym, running, hiking and really anything that allows me to enjoy the North Idaho wilderness.

• I’ve lived in North Idaho for 13 years and I’ve been married to my loving husband, David, for 3 years.

My goal is to provide support for local law enforcement agencies in need of cost effective, yet excellent quality narcotics and tracking K9s. I love finding talented dogs in local shelters who are yearning for a job and placing them with motivated handlers in small communities that need K9s the most.

I am motivated to be your choice when you are looking for a local dog trainer and I aim to bring professionalism, passion, and knowledge to the table with a lifetime of support for my clients and community.

Thank you to .photo for your lovely photography!

12/23/2025

A picture I forgot to post- but how surreal is it to see these dog’s names on the sides of their handler’s patrol vehicles. Both Badger and Lieke were from shelters and now they both are kicking ass keeping their communities safe. 💥🐾

12/17/2025

12/17/2025

My client is looking for a home for her foster dog! I’ve worked with this pup multiple times and she’s one of my favorites. Here’s more from her foster mom:

✨Meet Maeve!✨

Maeve:
-1 year old female spayed 60 # German Shepherd
-would enjoy a dedicated active owner
-medium activity level (an owner with breed experience would be optimal)
-medium drive and energy.
-crate trained, leash trained, working on her off leash recall; quick learner and loves to train.
-experiences some barrier reactivity in a kennel but has much improved greatly.

This sweet girl’s adoption became a passion project of sorts and is now ready for her forever home! Since day 1, I have worked with her to enhance her training and she has come so far in the time we’ve spent together. She has done well with my three dogs including a grouchy older dog, a submissive/neutral young adult dog, and a young social 15 # dog. I think she would do well living with another dog that enjoys playing but I also think she could thrive with just a dedicated active owner. She is social with people and she has been introduced to kids (3 and 5 years old) for short controlled introductions and done well. She has also been introduced to horses and cat temperament testing, showing potential for living with both.

PLEASE ASK TO REPOST 🙂

12/17/2025

I’m so proud of K9 Gator and his handler!

ROTARY MEETING

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16 @ NOON, KOOTENAI RIVER INN

Come join us and find out what Rotary is all about!

We are excited to welcome Probation Officer Nate Strege and K9 Gator of Boundary County Community Justice as our guests. Officer Strege and his K9 partner are committed to protecting our youth and community from the dangers of illegal drugs. Come learn more about the program's focus of education, prevention, connection, and accountability.

Meet the team from Boundary County Probation.

12/12/2025

Happy Birthday to my wild, crazy, untamable, crazy psycho girl Herja.

Letti Aus Der Asche “Herja” CGC, BH/VT, ASCTI Explosives Detection K9

Herja: “she who devastates or she who wages war”

Co-own with .realms.working.line.gsd

11/27/2025

Happy Adoptaversary to Apollo! I foster failed Apollo 2 years ago today and he’s turned out to be the best helper dog any dog trainer could ever want.

Good boy Apollo!

11/05/2025

▪️🐾 Detection days with K9 Lieke and K9 in Training Stark

🔵 K9 Lieke just recently graduated detection school through the Idaho State Police and has already had her first few street finds! Congrats to her handler Joel for putting in the work. You guys are going to go far and the city of Spirit Lake is lucky to have you both.

🟡 And K9 in Training Stark is NOT associated with a police department yet and is just shy of one year old. He’s really starting to put the pieces together in narcotics detection. He is my personal dog and he is not for sale.

11/04/2025

I have a great client who is looking for a home for their foster dog. She is a super well behaved GSD x Border Collie mix. Please message me if interested and I’ll send you her number.

From the owner: “This girl is looking for a home. She’s very well-trained, loves kids, and is really sweet. She was neglected in the past so she takes her time warming up to new people. If you have the heart for fostering/adopting a dog that is a rescue, pls contact me for more info. We are fostering to keep her out of the shelter system. Info: Female, 4yo, spayed, GSD/Border Collie.”

09/10/2025

I have a client who has a 4 year old spayed GSD x Border Collie mix in need of a home. She’s very well behaved and VERY well trained, just doesn’t get along with female dogs. Please message me if you know anyone who may be interested.

08/13/2025

K9 GATOR 🐊

K9 Gator is the new kid on the block here at Katka K9, he is being trained as a single-purpose narcotics k9 for a local agency.

K9 Gator is a former shelter dog with a bright future ahead of him!

07/01/2025

Hollenhund Urco Von Nine Realms “STARK” | 7 months.

My baby is growing up so fast and I’m super happy with how he’s maturing. He’s exactly what I wanted to get out of Xerxes and Herja- calm, full, firm grips on the sleeve, high confidence, aloof with strangers and he’s a natural in IGP. Conformationally he’s exactly what I wanted so far- Herja’s structure and movement with slightly longer legs and a more developed rear from dad.

I can’t wait to see how he continues to mature!

Thank you to Kelly Lewis for the lovely photos from our IGP seminar last Sunday with Helper Eric Costa.