Venture K9 Training & Grooming LLC

15/02/2025

Happy Valentine's Day! We hope everyone had a great day, with fur and human valentines alike!
What ways did you celebrate?

13/02/2025

Here at Venture K9, we aren't just about the obedience. We strive to build strong bond between human and dog, and work on mutual trust, not fear or force. We work on building a partnership that is extremely important for everyone to have with their dog. I walk side by side with you to help you understand your dog and how to help them understand what you are asking of them.
I started Venture K9 to help others achieve with their dogs what I was able to achieve with my dog, Pickle (and later, the rest of the pack that followed). Not only do we work on obedience and manners, but we also train for real life, outside of their 4 walls they live in. When you and your dog are ready, we can do pet friendly public outings like Tractor Supply or the park. On a case by case basis we may even meet at a more exciting park near Springfield. This enriches their life, builds confidence, and teaches them to problem solve. Along the way we might meet other dogs, people, people riding bikes or skateboards, etc. It really ups the game and prepares you and them to tackle anything that may come your way.
If you want the perfect adventure buddy, don't hesitate to text me, message, or email.
I would love to hear from you and get to know you!
We offer half hour lessons (typically geared towards younger puppies or dogs that need a little sprucing up) at $40 per session, and full hour lessons (for adult dogs/dogs that may need a little more focus) at $70 per session.
We have lots of other exciting things in store so stay tuned!!

(417) 987-0067
[email protected]

02/01/2025

We hope every had a wonderful Christmas and new year! I want to thank all of my clients that supported me through 2024 and I am so excited to continue helping more owners and dogs this 2025.
We will be opening more appointment slots to account for the growing number of amazing clientele.

20/12/2024

Want to do something fun with your dog? Maybe even looking for your new best friend?
Here at Venture K9, we do more than just obedience/behavior training!
We offer trick training! Tricks are so much fun and can build a strong bond between you and your dog. It stimulates your dog's mind which helps prevent destructive behaviors caused from boredom.
The tricks we teach can also be used to earn some fun AKC titles! Then you can deck your walls with pretty ribbons and show off your dog's smarts!

If you're looking for your new best friend, we also offer pet matchmaking! Whether you're deciding to adopt from a rescue, or purchase from a breeder, we help find the perfect match. We gather some information on what your goals are, what your wants and needs in a dog, etc. Then we go to your choice of breeder or rescue and using the criteria you gave, we will pick out the best puppy/dog for you!

*Prices vary for both trick training and pet matching

Reach out today to get started!

17/12/2024

I am posting on behalf of a client I'm working with. We are located in Bolivar/springfield MO area.
She ended up with a german shepherd (may be a mix, unsure) female (unsure if spayed or intact) that is roughly a year and a half old. She has adult teeth but they're still sparkling clean.
She is very sweet, has been good with the male dog that is in the same house. She is high energy and very smart. Crate trained and house broken. Her manners and obedience could use some work, she pulls on the leash but responds well to leash pressure. When I was evaluating her, she settled on leash almost immediately and lounged right next to me for about 15 minutes.
She has high food drive and ball drive, not so much drive for ropes or tug. I gave a some what hunt drive test for food and ball, it was only in home though.
She had great focus and impulse control and searched well, using her nose.
She would excel in detection or scent work, maybe tracking. She has potential to be a great OB demo dog as well. Honestly she could go in a lot of different directions
On December 30th I will be evaluating her in a pet friendly public space to test for service potential. I will add videos of that.
My client isn't looking for a rehoming fee, but she may ask just vaccine cost to recuperate. She wants her to go to a fulfilling home.
No rescues or shelters are an option right now
She needs to go to a working home with some knowledge of the breed.
Message for videos

10/12/2024

We have a half hour private lesson slot available for Monday December 16th at 8:00-8:30. Shoot me a message to grab your spot!!

04/12/2024

Important Venture K9 updates!
Featuring Jocko, one of the best German Shepherd boys ever and a wonderful client of mine.
As the new year approaches, we have some exciting new adventures that will be announced in January or February.
Stay tuned for more!
Starting January 1st, there will be a price increase for all lessons. Half hour lessons will now be $40 (currently $35) and hour long lessons will be $70 (currently $65. This will not apply to existing customers.
As another update, we will not be offering grooming services for the near future (we will still be keeping the full business name and we will still be offering grooming rehabilitation sevices).
For full grooming services, I highly recommend That Groomy Girl LLC in Bolivar. She is amazing.
As part of the new updates, we will be adding in home nail trimming services. Price dependent upon dog size and behavior but will most likely range from $10-$25.
Each training client will receive one optional free nail trim per month.
I am so thankful for all of my clients, both two legged and four. This has been a great year for us and we couldn't do it without you. We are excited for 2025 and hope to see you there!
Please bare with us as we navigate our changes amd the new upcoming year and we will be posting further updates. As always, feel free to reach out to schedule an appointment!

28/11/2024

Happy Thanksgiving from us at Venture K9! I hope everyone has had a fantastic holiday with family, friends, and furry friends!

09/11/2024

Training tip of the week: Socialization

Socializing is a vital part in your dog's development and life. It's what helps them be happy, healthy, and able to take on the world around them. Every dog should have socialization, even if you happen to get them as an older puppy or even an adult.

The most critical stages in a puppy's life is before 16 weeks. This is when they are learning from their mom and littermates how to interact with others of their kind. Then when they reach that 8 week mark, that's ideally when they should start to be paired up with their forever person as that's when the next stage of socialization comes into play and they bond to their person/people. They're learning how to be away from their mom and littermates and function as an individual. They are learning what's scary and what's not scary.

So how can you socialize your dog or puppy?
Well, a lot of people think that having anybody and everybody pet their dog, and having their dog play and meet all other dogs, and even go to doggie daycare, is a great way to socialize.
However, this tends to create either fear and avoidance with more nervous dogs, over excitment with the more outgoing dogs, and it creates bad habits. Dogs that attend doggie daycare have higher occurrences and chances if rudeness, overstimulation, and reactivity because they think every dog they meet means play time

I have seen COUNTLESS dogs that are great on leash and they start to go to daycare and their obedience and behavior goes way downhill. I will say, some dogs really di enjoy daycare and do fine with it, this is just an over arching air on the side of caution. Most dogs don't actually truly enjoy daycare.
Imagine if you take your children to a place like McDonald's or other fast food places with the play areas and turning them loose with a bunch of other children, all day, every day. Chaos, right?

At its core, socialization is letting the dog observe the world and learn that it isn't scary, it isn't going to hurt them, and learning how to cope in this world of humans.
So of course let some people here and there pet your dog when they're being polite. Make sure to know your dog's signals of discomfort and remove them from the situation if they become uncomfortable. But don't be afraid to politely decline people's requests to pet your dog and do some focus work with your dog.
Go to a walmart parking lot, tractor supply, anywhere and just sit with your dog. Pop your trunk and sit with your dog and people watch. Bring treats and cookies and reward occasionally. Keep it short and sweet.
Socializing also includes exposing to different sounds, sights, smells, flooring textures, etc.
I like to play the game of 7's, where I find 7 different sounds, sights, smells, textures, you name it, and work with them around it. Starting slow and at your dog's comfort level. And spread it out.

Play some soft road construction sounds from youtube near your dog while they get treats or eat their dinner. Play different firework sounds, cafe sounds, baby sounds, anything you can think of. Make sure they are exposed to 7 different types of people, wearing different style clothing. Hats, no hats, beards, no beards, men, women, children, teenagers, old, young. This is where people watching in parking lots come in handy.
The purpose of this isn't to prepare your dog for every possible scenario or situation they will encounter in life because let's face it, that's impossible. However, if you practice with at least 7 different things as mentioned above, it will give your dog a solid foundation to handle new situations and you will also be prepared to help your dog handle new situations.
And of course, make sure you are socializing them to vets and groomers, ESPECIALLY if you have a breed that requires haircuts like doodles, poodles, etc. Ask your vet or groomer if you can bring your dog in just to hang out for a few minutes in the lobby, get some treats, and maybe some of the staff give them treats as well. Don't take them there just for the vaccines or other not fun stuff that happens.
Start as early as possible. Chat with your vet and groomer about other ways you can help make their job easier and help your dog feel more comfortable as well while in their care.

There are so so many more ways to socialize your dog, but these are just touching the surface. And every dog is different, so always do your own research, ask other people, explore what works for you and your dog.

If you have any questions or would like to get an appointment scheduled for training, feel free to drop a comment or shoot me an email. Thank you all for tuning in and I'll see you guys next week for more training tips

07/11/2024

Holiday Discount!!
Wyatt says if you sign up for 2 or more private lessons with us for December 2nd, 9th, or 16th, you get $5 off your first lesson! *only applies to new clients for full hour lessons within the Bolivar area. Second lesson and forward will be the regular pricing of $65.
Reach out today to get on our schedule!

27/10/2024

Here at Venture K9, we welcome any and all breeds, big or small, young or old.
Whether you have a new puppy that needs potty training and manners, or a little bit older pup that needs some help with some bigger issues like jumping, pulling on the leash, barking, etc. we help you achieve your goals!
Each lesson is formulated for your unique situation and dog.
We work with you directly in your home (and we do pet friendly outings too!). We also offer training outside of obedience and manners, like tricks, nosework, and backyard agility! (Obstacles not included)
Contact us today to get on our schedule!

(417)987-0067
[email protected]
venturek9bolivar.com

29/09/2024

So excited to be partnering with Trident Counseling Consulting & Wellness to offer pet matching and training!

While our service list already fills this page, we have plans for SO MUCH MORE!! To keep up with all that we are doing Like & Follow us!!

27/06/2024

Pet owners:
What are the behavior struggles you had/are having with your dogs? Mild to moderate behavior problems like jumping or barking at guests.
I'm compiling a breakdown of how to handle common behavior struggles and want to include as many helpful topics as I can!

17/06/2024

We have 2 half hour private lesson slots open on Monday the 24th at 12:15-12:45 and 1:15-1:45
Shoot us a message if you'd like to reserve your spot today!
Half hour lessons are $35 each

03/04/2024

Update on our upcoming classes:
Unfortunately our April group classes have been cancelled
We will be posting new dates here soon so stay tuned!

26/03/2024

Only a week and a half away for our group classes!
Location is Polk County Humane Society Bolivar Missouri
The trick group class was changed from 4 weeks to 6 weeks. By the end of the 6 weeks, we will have covered enough tricks for you to earn your AKC TKN (A novice trick title. Dogs must be registered with AKC.) The price for this is $180.
The obedience class starts April 6th at 12 and goes for 6 weeks, same time each week
The trick class starts April 6th at 1:15 and goes for 6 weeks
Dogs must be up to date on all vaccines.

Week one is owner orientation so no dogs.
Message me or comment to sign up!

We look forward to seeing you there!

13/03/2024

Just a few weeks left to join our group classes!
All pets must be current on all vaccines with proof shown day of.
Payment is due before or on first day.

6 week Beginner Group Class: $260 per pet, starting April 6th at noon on Polk County Humane Society Bolivar Missouri property! First week is owner orientation, NO DOGS.

5 week Trick Class: $170 per pet, starting April 6th at 1:15 on Polk County Humane Society property.
First week is owner orientation, NO DOGS.

02/03/2024

Today was graduation day for our group class! We were sad to miss Susan Nelson and Elizabeth Dawson.
It has been so much fun teaching this class. I love seeing the progress everyone makes .

Also can we appreciate the head tilt that G***k is rockin?😂