K9 Fun Works

09/28/2024

Train the dog in front of you, using methods & tools that help him/her (and the owner) to be successful!

Putting a dog down and condemning them to death because you refuse to use any method that isn't "positive only" isn't very positive...

Sedating a dog into a zombie because you don't like other training tools isn't very positive...

Restricting a dog to a confined life without the chance to thrive isn't very positive...

Telling someone to put down their 8 month old working line dog for having lots of energy and acting like an 8-month-old working dog isn't very positive...

Guilting a young family that lives in an apartment into adopting a large dog with behavior issues isn't very positive...

Telling an older lady their dog would be better off dead then using a prong collar that helps her walk and control her dog isn't very positive....

Bashing other trainers because they don't train dogs using only one method isn't very positive...

Having an owner put a 5 month old puppy on 400mg of trazadone isn't very positive...

Harming dogs because of your own ego isn't very positive...

All of the things I just listed are REAL things that owners have dealt with by "certified positive only trainers and behaviorists."

Anyone can be certified online for $50. It means nothing.

Dogs and their humans deserve real trainers who care and emphasize for both ends of the leash. Trainers who will tailor training to each dog in front of them. Don't be fooled by the "positive" sounding approach. That's just fancy marketing from people who care more about their ego and lining their pockets rather than helping the dog community.

I've chosen to speak out on this because I care and hate seeing dogs harmed. The positive only cult is doing more harm than good to dogs. Dogs and owners that are already having a difficult time. Enough is enough.

09/12/2024

Catching up with a few photos of our current board and train students! Space available beginning September 24th!

09/03/2024

05/20/2024

Summer Special- 10% off 6 week Board & Train! Spaces available beginning June 1st. Offer ends July 1st. See website for more details- www.k9funworks.com

05/13/2024

Sharing a few photos of our recent board & trains here at K9 Fun Works! Next opening for new trainees end of May! If interested in a space, please contact us directly. 😁

01/19/2024

A four week rally novice/introduction to AKC Rally class will begin Saturday, February 3 at 1 PM. $120 per handler and dog. Location will be Sunrise Park in Northeast El Paso. A course will be set up to play around with every week. This class will be followed up with several opportunities to record virtual runs to submit for AKC rally titles. Virtual dates TBA. Pre-requisites for this class would be good manners 2 or equivalent and/or having passed the canine good citizen test. Please message me privately to learn how to register!

12/01/2023

https://www.popsci.com/health/respiratory-illness-dogs/?utm_term=pscene113023&utm_campaign=PopSci_Actives_Newsletter&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&fbclid=IwAR096agxfIltExl_nDMTbEnnQZLSzoxPwzNkeaYJC39brG9YLND0vk_wndw_aem_AdUVofpGlS4DDdCCjUuBEWf1JGbH0vwLWugqd2t9wl8JmrT5nTtYAweRsp0xaOD6DfM

Dog owners should look out for coughing, sneezing, unusual fatigue, and eye or nose discharge.

11/27/2023

RALLY NOVICE
A four week class to begin December 3 at 1 PM
Located at Sunrise Park in North East El Paso. Cost $120.

Class dates will be December 3, December 10, December 17, and January 7.

This class will include:

* written homework sheets
* Introduction to all novice exercises, including demonstration, and practice
* a Novice course to practice every week
* Discussion and explanation of rally rules and regulations, as well as what to expect when entering an AKC trial
* Discussion and explanation of AKC’s rally virtual program

This class is for dogs who have completed basic & CGC level obedience training-  in order to participate your dog should know how to to do these basic things: heel on a loose leash on your left, come with a sit in front, sit/stay and down/stay, finish left and finish right.

I will also be offering rally virtual courses for people who are ready to video runs with their dogs directly after class on these dates, so there will be an opportunity to watch for those interested. Please message me privately for details on how to register!

08/11/2023

Good Manners II & CGC class at my favorite park in NE El Paso for 6 weeks on Thursday nights beginning 8/24 at 7pm! A CGC test will be scheduled for 10/5 at 7pm. For more details, including class fee, prerequisites & registration form please visit the website at:

Results oriented dog obedience training. Offering group & private training as well as board & train .

07/20/2023

Meet our latest B & T, Piggy! (4 months, Frenchie) A space is available for another puppy to come play with this super cute little guy & the Dane gang in July & August!

05/30/2023

https://marketplace.akc.org/breeder/tazue-mueller-148765/spanish-water-dog/393069

So many of my students end up buying expensive, (and often unstable) "doodles" that I thought I'd share an alternative. Here is a responsibly bred & raised litter of Spanish Water Dog puppies- super cute & look similar to a lot of the doodles I see. Located in Las Cruces New Mexico. 30-40lbs, very athletic, easily trained, stable temperaments, and zero grooming. Please contact the breeder Taz Mueller for more info.

Enchanted Land SWD Has Spanish Water Dog Puppies For Sale In Las Cruces, NM

05/24/2023

Rome is wrapping up his board & train time and preparing to take the CGC test! Here he is practicing skills at the outlet mall.

05/08/2023

Enso does a short sit stay in Lowes with lots of distractions!

05/08/2023

Rome’s recall. Coming when called is such an important skill!

05/08/2023

Rome & Enso (current Board & Train students) pausing for a photo op in At Home Decor Store while there to practice skills. Both of these puppy boys are preparing to take their CGC tests in a few weeks and then head home to their families.
 I’ll have a couple openings for board and train mid-May!

11/19/2022

Sharing some photos of recent Board & Train guests 😁
We have an opening for a Board & Train guest beginning for our 6 week program after Thanksgiving. Please message for details if interested! More information on the board and train program is also available on the K9 Fun Works website. 

06/19/2022

Wickett (3lb Maltese) practicing place. This little guy has been so fun to train!

06/18/2022

Some recent & current board & trains practicing skills. There are a few openings for board and train in July/August. Please message for details! 

06/18/2022

Nox practicing his sit stay at Tractor Supply 😊

04/13/2022

Inherited temperament…….

When a dog kills a human, we are all left stunned and confused. These animals are integrated in our homes, our community, and they sleep in our beds. To hear about one killing a human is unsettling.

Fatal dog attacks to humans occur rarely. There are 1-2 per year in Canada and 25-40 per year in the US. There are certain risk factors for these incidents –included absence of an able-bodied person to intervene , incidental or no familiar relationship of victims with dogs, owner failure to neuter dogs, compromised ability of victims to interact appropriately with dogs, dogs kept isolated from regular positive human interactions versus family dogs, owners' prior mismanagement of dogs and owners' history of abuse or neglect of dogs.

One risk factor that we are seeing more of is the individual genetics of the dogs. Aggression can be genetic. It can be set in place by genes at the time of conception, or during pregnancy. This predisposition can be made better or worse by intervention after birth, but if fear, anxiety or aggression is hard-wired it will be very difficult to eliminate completely.

When dogs attack, most people assume – and desperately want to believe – that the dog was abused or neglected. That someone else was responsible for this tragedy. It allows us to feel like we have some control and this would never happen to us.

But this is denial and as advocates it doesn’t help our cause. In previous Canadian dog bite fatalities people have come up with all kinds of explanations, even saying that one of the victims was murdered and the dog was framed.

Take for instance the dog bite related fatality in Nova Scotia. The dog was from a high-profile breeder in BC who charges thousands of dollars for their puppies. These dogs are not bred to standard and bred for size and appearance. This same breeder has provided stud services to breeders who operate all over North America. The breeder shipped littermates across the country, which tells us they were interested in profit and not setting his dogs up for success.

By all accounts the owner was an animal lover. A vegan who worked at a wildlife rescue. Everyone who knows her said she loved her dogs. She worked with a trainer and she posted photos of them on comfy beds on her social media. There are multiple accounts showing at least one dog had a history of aggression – she walked the dogs separately and one in a muzzle. We can’t know everything but we feel comfortable assuming the dogs were ‘raised right’.

And one of them killed. Since this incident more information about this litter has also come forward. Another dog in the litter had killed a dog and redirected on a human with a fairly bad bite this dog was euthanized for showing human aggression but not before breeding it back to back. Social media information suggested that this dog attacked a few other people but we are unable to confirm this.

In the United States a well known American Bully named Kimbo and his productions have left an incredibly sad path of fatalities and attacks.

If we can’t accept this as proof of genetic aggression, we are in denial. We need to use this tragedy to hold breeders to a higher standard and hold them accountable for temperament and safety in the dogs they put into the world.

Individual owners need to be accountable for safely managing their dogs.

Municipalities need to have bylaws in place and enforce them, which includes penalties and ultimately, seizure of the dog if public safety is at risk.

Breeders and rescues need to be accountable for placing safe dogs in our community.

Image credit to Canva.

11/29/2021

Tank (bulldog/4 months) - a current board & train working his sit stay at the park!

11/29/2021

Lilly (lab/5 months)- a current board & train working her sit stay at Lowe’s!

11/04/2021

Some photos of current board & trains at K9 Fun Works! I will have an opening mid November and an opening mid December. Check out the board & train page on my website for details!

11/04/2021

After we train, we play! 😊

03/28/2021

https://cooperativepaws.com/service-dog-certification/?fbclid=IwAR3NHq3LLJfXevasYqasaPGqhF0A47ACcl5btWYVIJCRRwmvdilU6SWjcJk

Will I be able to certify a service dog? That is one of the most common questions I receive from pet dog trainers interested in learning how to train service dogs. The surprising answer: there is no government provision for certification of service dogs in the United States. The Department of Justic...