Yes, we hold puppy socials regularly at Premier K9. Proper socialization is essential to the success of any pup's future.

Unlike many schools, and provided all shots are current, we offer training at 12 weeks old. Just like infants, young puppies have a great capacity to learn. Our puppy-training program was specifically designed to utilize your pup's energy and curiosity.

Each person and his dog must pass an obedience test. This test is administered and scored by a qualified Premier K9 trainer. Before any type of protection training can be done, the owner must demonstrate that he has complete on leash control over the dog.

No. Not all breeds have the proper temperament to function as protection dogs. There are several breeds that are notorious for serving as protection dogs; however, even dogs within these breeds fail to successfully serve as protection dogs. More important than the type of breed, is the genetic code and temperament of the dog at hand. It is essential that bloodlines be thoroughly understood and researched before breeding occurs. Possessing the proper "genetic code" is key to successful protection training.

There are quite a few breeds that are well suited for protection work. However, as I mentioned before, many of the characteristics that make these dogs good protection dogs have been breed out of them. I'll mention first those breeds that have been over bred and need to be studied in depth before purchasing. These are the Rottweiler, German Shepherd, Doberman, Boxer, and the Mastiff family. Unfortunately, the tremendous popularity of these breeds has contributed to these canines being poorly bred.

Our handlers are extremely qualified and have very diverse backgrounds.

Yes. We welcome all breeds for in kennel training. Before we do any type of training, a trainer will evaluate your dog. During the evaluation, you will discuss your training goals and concerns with the trainer. Based on his evaluation, he will outline a customized training program for you. The length of in kennel training is determined by your dog's learning capacity. While your dog is in training, you will come out and work with him and his trainer. All training is a team effort, owner participation is key. We guarantee all in kennel training; however, continued success depends entirely on owner consistency and participation.

There are several types protection training. Some dogs are trained and used strictly as property guard dogs. These dogs will bite anybody that trespasses into the perimeter that they are protecting. However, a dog that is trained for home and family protection is trained to bite only on command or if there family is threatened

There is not a set "pricelist". The price of the dog is determined by the type and level of training that the dog has received. Also, factors such as titles and pedigree affect the price.

Each of the aforementioned breeds are excellent candidates for protection work provided proper breeding and training has taken place. Out of the three, the Presa has the most powerful bite. However, that fact alone does not make the Rottweiler or the German Shepherd any less effective. Each breed is undoubtedly able to neutralize any intruder. Basically, personal preference is the deciding factor.

Yes we do reserve the right to breeding restrictions although we do sell pups with full breeding rights to the right client.

Within any breed, there are basically two types of bloodlines, working bloodlines and show bloodlines. A dog from either type of bloodline will make a wonderful pet; however, dogs that descend from properly bred working bloodlines make the best protection dogs. In fact, dogs bred purely for show are not good candidates for protection. This is because the temperament qualities that are required to make a dog suitable for show are in direct contrast with those that are favorable for a protection dog. Do not misunderstand, both bloodlines have stable temperaments; however, the working bloodline characteristics are more defensive, assertive, and dominant than the show bloodline.

All owners must provide proof that their pet is current in all mandatory vaccinations prior to any boarding or in-kennel stays. Your veterinarian can give you a list of and administer all required vaccinations.

We have a licensed vet on call 24hrs a day. If the illness is life threatening, our vet will treat your pet immediately, and you will be notified of his condition. If the illness is not life threatening, we will contact you first and then proceed accordingly.

Yes, for a fee our males are available at stud to select bitches.

Our bitches are bred on their 3rd to 4th heat cycle or by the time that they are 2 years of age.

Once your program is complete, we will create a customized maintenance program for you. This may include follow-up sessions at our facility, in-home agitation sessions, as well as owner handling guidelines and exercises.

The answer to this question is very complex and I will answer it with the assumption that the dog in question is between 6 to 8 months old. The time it takes to train a dog in protection depends on several factors. Those factors are your dog's mental, physical, and emotional growth, as well as his bloodline. If you are raising your protection K9 from a puppy, you will go through several ups and downs and a lot of training for two or three years. Every dog owner needs to understand that protection training is a fairly short-term process in the sense that a dog can learn the commands in a period of weeks. However, conditioning takes months and maturity can take years. Each dog has its own set of strengths and weaknesses and matures at his own pace. With this said, our clients usually enroll their dogs in our in-kennel program. When this in-kennel phase is complete, then we proceed to the next phase, which may consist of in-home sessions and follow-up sessions at our facility. Some clients skip some or all of these phases by purchasing dogs already trained in protection.

Our in-kennel basic obedience program is approximately 3 weeks. Advanced in-kennel obedience is between 4 to 6 weeks. As with protection, the actual length of training varies with each dog.

We no longer offer group classes. Training is done either in private sessions or in-kennel. We have found that our clients prefer the one on one attention provided by these programs. However, in order to provide proper socialization, we will schedule 3 to 4 clients to work together.

Yes. Please call us for more information.

The key to success is not what you do in the sessions, but what type of reinforcement is done between sessions. For example, if we are working on the heel command and you don't go home and practice, then we will have to spend more time perfecting your dog's heel during your next session.

Once you make the decision to train your dog for protection, there are certain behaviors of yours and your dog that may need to be modified. These changes are unique to each dog and to the owner's training goals. These changes generally include limiting strangers from arbitrarily interacting with your dog.

Yes. We also use food and praise. As previously stated, our training programs are custom designed for each dog and owner. Contrary to popular belief, when administered correctly, these forms of correction are not cruel and are highly effective. Before any type of training is done, all owners are required to have their dogs evaluated. There is no charge for evaluations. The evaluation gives the client the opportunity to express his concerns and training goals with a trainer. After listening to these concerns, the trainer evaluates the dog and then recommends a training program. The program will consist of training techniques, dog-owner behavior modification, and methods of correction and proper praise.