Alan's K9 Academy

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Why Tennis Balls Can Be Dangerous for Dogs?

Many people don’t realize that tennis balls can be harmful—even deadly—for dogs. One major concern is the risk of choking. As dogs chew on the ball, it can split or collapse in their throat, blocking their airway. This can lead to a tragic and sudden emergency. Pieces of the ball can also break off and be swallowed, potentially causing internal blockages.
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Alan Carr
April 26, 2025
Why Tennis Balls Can Be Dangerous for Dogs?
Many people don’t realize that tennis balls can be harmful—even deadly—for dogs. One major concern is the risk of choking. As dogs chew on the ball, it can split or collapse in their throat, blocking their airway. This can lead to a tragic and sudden emergency. Pieces of the ball can also break off and be swallowed, potentially causing internal blockages.
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How Age Affects Learning in Dogs: What Every Pet Owner Should Know
As dog owners, we all want our furry friends to learn new tricks, behave well, and adapt to different environments. But did you know that your dog’s age can significantly impact how they learn? Just like humans, dogs experience changes in their cognitive abilities, energy levels, and responsiveness as they grow older. Understanding how age affects learning in dogs can help you tailor your training methods to suit their developmental stage and ensure successful results. Let’s dive into how age plays a role in your dog’s ability to learn and how you can adjust your training approach for puppies, adult dogs, and senior dogs.
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Find Your Dog’s Motivation: The Key to Successful Training
Training your dog can be one of the most rewarding experiences for both you and your furry friend. But how do you make sure your dog is motivated to learn and behave as you’d like? Just like people, dogs have unique motivators that drive their behavior, and identifying these can be the key to unlocking their full potential in training. Let’s explore how you can find your dog’s motivation for successful and effective training.
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Why Teaching Your Dog to Wait at the Door is a Game-Changer in Training! 🚪🐾
One of the most useful and practical skills you can teach your dog is to wait calmly at the door until they're released. While this may seem like a simple task, it’s an essential behavior that can make a big difference in your dog's manners and overall obedience. But why is it so important? Let’s dive into why teaching your dog to wait at the door is a game-changer in dog training.
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How Can You Tell if Your Dog is Improving? Key Signs of Progress in Dog Training
As a dog owner, one of the most rewarding aspects of training your dog is seeing them improve over time. Whether you're teaching basic commands, addressing behavioral issues, or working on advanced tricks, tracking your dog's progress is essential to understanding their development. But how can you tell if your dog is actually improving? Improvement can be subtle, and not all progress is immediately noticeable. To help you assess whether your dog is on the right track, here are some key signs to look out for:
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Mistakes to Avoid After Training: How to Maintain Progress and Ensure Long-Term Success
Training your dog is a rewarding experience, but the work doesn't stop once the formal sessions are over. The real challenge comes after the training, as it’s essential to maintain the progress you’ve made and reinforce the lessons your dog has learned. It’s easy to fall into habits that can undermine all the hard work you've put in. To help ensure long-term success and avoid setbacks, here are some common mistakes to avoid after training:
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The Benefits of Playtime for Dogs: More Than Just Fun!
Playtime is not only a source of entertainment for dogs, but it’s also an essential part of their overall well-being. As pet owners, we often focus on training and obedience, but play is just as important for a dog’s mental, physical, and emotional health. Whether it's a game of fetch, tug-of-war, or a simple romp in the yard, playtime offers various benefits that contribute to your dog’s happiness and behavior.
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How to Introduce a Jealous Dog to Your Family or Other Pets: A Step-by-Step Guide
Introducing a new family member, be it a human or another pet, to a dog that may be feeling jealous can be challenging. Jealousy is a natural emotional response for dogs, especially when they perceive a threat to their relationship with their human or their position in the household. Whether it’s a new puppy, a baby, or even a new adult dog, it's essential to approach the introduction thoughtfully to avoid behavioral issues.
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Keeping Your Dog Focused, Not Distracted from People: Tips for Better Attention and Obedience 🐕‍🦺🐾
One of the biggest challenges many dog owners face is keeping their dog focused on them, especially in situations where distractions like other people, animals, or even interesting smells are present. Whether you're walking down the street or sitting in a park, it’s essential that your dog remains attentive to you and responds to commands, despite the distractions. Here’s why keeping your dog focused is important and some strategies to help reinforce their attention and obedience.
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Frequently asked questions

Is it worth training someone to train your dog?

Absolutely! Investing in professional training for your furry friend is like giving them the gift of communication. It's not just about obedience; it's about building a deeper bond. Trained dogs are happier, more confident, and safer companions. Plus, it fosters mutual respect and understanding.

What Type Of Training Methods Do You Use?

We promote positive reinforcement training. We also use a variety of training methods and training aids to achieve the goals of our dog owners and their pets.

How Much Does Your Obedience Training Cost? 

Each of our dog training programs is custom-tailored to the specific situation. There are a number of factors that we evaluate prior to building a training package for you, such as your dog's age, temperament, previous training, as well as the desired goals of the dog's parents. Our programs vary in price depending on where your dog is currently, and how long we estimate it will take to reach your goals. The only way we can give an accurate quote is by evaluating your dog. Our signature 6-week program is $2,900, but not every single dog we meet is a great fit.

Where Do We Train?

Alan's K9 Academy offers personalized, in-home dog training, as well as training sessions at our 8 Acre facility in Cartersville. Our 8-acre facility location allows us to train dogs in real-world settings, such as parks, downtown area, pet friendly stores ensuring they learn to stay calm and well-behaved in various environments. Each dog enjoys multiple walks and daily field trips around the neighborhood, promoting socialization and building a calm, neutral demeanor. Our training approach emphasizes desensitization, social skills, and confidence-building for balanced, happy dogs. For our clients, we also provide exclusive boarding at our 8-acre training facility, where dogs can enjoy continued training, playtime, and exercise. Convenient pick-up and drop-off services are available to make the experience stress-free.

Do We Offer Payment Plans?

Yes, we offer financing through AFFFIRM, Klarna, or Lending USA options to our clients. Payment plans can vary as low as $120 a month for up to 3 years.

Do you take all dogs regardless of age, breed, or issues?

We take any breed and any age needing obedience training or behavioral issues. Our goal is to assist as many dogs and owners as possible. Aggression and behavioral issues would require a much longer and more intensive program. We are happy to work with any dog needing help with insecurity, anxiety, impulse control, hyperactivity, leash reactivity, dog reactivity, etc. We have decades of experience working with high-drive breeds.

Do you offer therapy or service dog training?

Yes! We also offer therapy dog training and service dog training, though we don't currently advertise them. If this is a need, please contact us with the form for more information. To answer this question, we will start by explaining what a service dog does and how a service dog is different from a therapy dog and an emotional support dog. A service dog, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, is a dog individually trained to perform specific tasks and to work with people with disabilities. The work of a service dog must be directly related to the handler's disability. The ADA mandates that service dogs have full public access rights. Therapy dogs are trained to be comfortable in new environments and to interact with different people. They typically have certain personality traits, and they volunteer in clinical settings such as hospitals, schools, and nursing homes. Therapy dogs do not have the same legal right to access service dogs, and although a dog can be certified as a therapy dog through an organization, there are no uniform state or national rules that regulate the certification. Emotional support dogs are not considered service dogs under the ADA. They may be trained for a specific owner, but they are not trained for specific tasks or duties to aid a person with a disability. ESA owners have only limited legal rights, and those typically require a letter of diagnosis from a doctor or psychiatrist. They have certain access when it comes to housing but do not have unlimited access to public spaces.

Why should I work with you instead of a less expensive trainer?

Veterinarians wholeheartedly trust and endorse our exceptional dog training services. We have over 50 years of combined experience training dogs to obey. Alan, the owner, holds a master trainer certification. Most dog trainers and stores like Petco and PetSmart just don't have the same level of knowledge and expertise that we do. In fact, one of our clients was referred to us by PetSmart because they couldn't help them! When you work with a higher-quality trainer, you skip many of the struggles that come with hiring someone cheaper, including unintended and negative consequences for your dog's behavior! Our training method builds a rewarding relationship with you and your dog.