Close

Alan's K9 Academy

Read Our Blog

Our newest blog

Therapy Dog Training in Bartow County: The 2026 Guide to Certification & Community Impact

Imagine walking into a busy Cartersville hospital with your dog at your side. Instead of pulling toward the sliding doors or shrinking away from a rattling gurney, your companion remains focused and calm, ready to offer comfort to someone in need. Achieving this level of reliability requires special...
Read Blog
Alan Carr
August 16, 2026
Socialization Checklist: Exposing Your Dog to the World at Any Age
Socialization isn’t just for puppies — it’s a vital part of a dog’s development and well-being throughout their life. Whether you have a young dog, an adolescent, or a mature canine, consistent exposure to new experiences helps build confidence, reduces anxiety, and encourages good behavior.
Read Blog
Playful Learning: Fun and Games to Boost Your Dog’s Training Success
Training your dog doesn’t have to be all serious business. In fact, incorporating fun and games into training sessions can make learning more enjoyable, effective, and strengthen the bond between you and your furry friend. Dogs learn best when they’re engaged and motivated—and playful activities do just that!
Read Blog
🚫 Debunking Dog Training Myths: What You REALLY Need to Know! 🐶
Dog training is an incredible journey full of learning, growth, and bonding. But with so much information circulating—some of it misleading—it’s easy to get confused about the best way to train your dog. At Alan’s K9 Academy, we’re here to set the record straight by busting the most common dog training myths that might be holding you back from achieving the best results.
Read Blog
Does Your Dog Rush Through Doors? Here’s Why It’s Time to Fix It!
If your dog habitually charges through doors without hesitation, what might seem like a harmless quirk can actually lead to significant safety concerns and behavioral challenges. At first glance, rushing through doors may appear to be simple excitement, but this habit signals deeper issues that, if left unchecked, could impact your dog’s well-being and your training efforts.
Read Blog
Tracking Your Dog’s Training Progress: How to Know if They’re Improving
Training your dog is an incredibly rewarding experience, but it can sometimes be difficult to measure how far you’ve come. Unlike human learning, dog training progress may be subtle and gradual, requiring patience and keen observation. Understanding the signs that your dog is improving can boost your confidence as a trainer and motivate you to keep going.
Read Blog
The Importance of Teaching Your Dog the "Stay" Command
Training a dog is more than just teaching tricks; it’s about building a foundation of safety, trust, and effective communication. One of the most essential commands every dog should master is the “stay” command. This simple but powerful cue can dramatically improve your dog’s safety, behavior, and your relationship with them.
Read Blog
Flea and Tick Season is Here! Protect Your Dog Today!
As the warmth of spring and summer settles in, it brings along many joys — longer walks, more playtime, and plenty of outdoor adventures for your furry friend. But it also signals the start of flea and tick season, a time when these tiny parasites become a major threat to your dog’s health and comfort. Understanding the risks and taking proactive steps is essential to keeping your dog safe, happy, and healthy.
Read Blog
What Kind of Trainer Am I? Let’s Cut Through the Noise.
No Labels. Just Dogs. A Straightforward Approach from a K9 Master Trainer
Read Blog
The Role of Nutrition in Your Dog’s Confidence
When we think about building our dog’s confidence, we often focus on training, socialization, and exposure to new experiences. However, there’s another key factor that can significantly impact your dog’s emotional well-being: nutrition. Just like humans, dogs need the right balance of nutrients to maintain a healthy mind and body, and their diet can play a pivotal role in shaping their confidence levels. In this blog, we’ll explore how nutrition impacts your dog’s emotional health, how deficiencies can lead to fear and anxiety, and how you can use food to support your dog’s confidence-building journey.
Read Blog

shortcut your dog's training

Want a professional to train your dog?

Skip the learning curve & leverage our 50+ years of experience to handle your dog's training needs.
Simply click "TRAIN MY DOG" to get started.
TRAIN MY DOG

Frequently asked questions

Is it worth hiring 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?

Alan’s K9 Academy uses a balanced, customized training approach. We combine positive reinforcement, clear communication, structure, and appropriate training tools based on each dog’s temperament, behavior, and individual needs. Our goal is to create reliable results while strengthening the relationship between dogs and their owners.

How Much Does Your Obedience Training Cost? 

Each of our training programs is customized to the individual dog and owner. We consider your dog’s age, temperament, previous training, behavioral concerns, and your goals before recommending a program. Pricing depends on your dog’s needs and the amount of training required. The best way to receive an accurate recommendation and price is to schedule an evaluation.

Where Do We Train?

Alan’s K9 Academy provides personalized, one-on-one training in clients’ homes and in appropriate real-world environments. Depending on the dog’s needs and progress, training may also take place in backyards, neighborhoods, parks, downtown areas, and pet-friendly stores. These carefully selected environments help dogs develop calm behavior, confidence, social skills, and reliable obedience around everyday distractions.

‍Do We Offer Payment Plans?

Yes. Financing options may be available through Affirm, Klarna, or LendingUSA, subject to approval and the terms established by each financing provider. Please contact us for current financing information.

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

We work with dogs of many breeds, ages, temperaments, and experience levels. Our programs can address obedience needs and behavioral concerns such as insecurity, anxiety, impulse-control problems, hyperactivity, leash reactivity, dog reactivity, aggression, and other challenging behaviors. Because every dog and situation is different, acceptance into a program and the recommended training plan are determined through an evaluation.

Do you offer therapy or service dog training?

Yes. Alan’s K9 Academy offers customized Therapy Dog and Service Dog Training programs. Please contact us to discuss your dog, your goals, and whether one of these programs is appropriate for your needs. 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?

Alan’s K9 Academy is built on more than 35 years of professional dog-training experience from founder and Master Trainer Alan Carr. Our programs are customized to each dog and owner rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all system. We focus on practical, real-world results, clear owner instruction, and continued support through our Life-of-Dog Support Guarantee. Alan’s K9 Academy was also selected as Georgia’s Number One Best of Georgia winner for Pet Training in both 2024 and 2025.