A Very Good K9

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A Very Good K9 At A Very Good K9, we strive to help enhance the relationships between dogs + their people!

10/21/2026

The other day on the trail, someone asked us, “How do you get your dogs to be like that?”

And the simplest answer is: we practice.

We practice taking them places. We practice around distractions. We practice recall, neutrality, engagement, settling, and simply existing together in the real world.

Not every rep is pretty. Not every outing goes perfectly. And there are plenty of days when putting in the work would be less convenient than staying home.

But you can’t expect your dog to know how to navigate a life they’ve never had the opportunity to practice.

If you want to hike together, practice hiking together.

If you want to sit at a brewery, practice settling in public.

If you want reliability around distractions, practice around distractions.

The dogs you see enjoying freedom didn’t get there by avoiding the hard parts.

Practice the life you want to live with your dog!

BIG NEWS — WE’RE COMING HOME TO MAINE! đŸĄđŸŸStarting November 1st, A Very Good K9 will officially be based in Maine full-ti...
10/06/2026

BIG NEWS — WE’RE COMING HOME TO MAINE! đŸĄđŸŸ

Starting November 1st, A Very Good K9 will officially be based in Maine full-time!

This move is happening quickly, but sometimes an opportunity comes along that you simply can’t pass up. After a lot of consideration, we made the decision to take it — and we are SO excited to be bringing A Very Good K9 back to Maine.

With that being said, we want to make something very clear: moving our home base does not mean leaving our out-of-state clients behind.

We are still fully committed to supporting, training, and working with every single one of you. Our Connecticut clients especially can expect us to continue making frequent trips back to CT for follow-up and refresher lessons, pickups/drop-offs, and continued support. Our Board & Train programs will remain available to our out-of-state clients, and we will continue doing everything we can to make working with us as accessible as possible.

We ask for a little patience and grace over the next few weeks as we navigate a pretty big move on a pretty short timeline. We just finalized everything, so there are still some logistics we’re working through — but our clients are at the forefront of every decision we make. We have spent a lot of time thinking about how to make this transition without sacrificing the relationships we’ve built or the support we provide.

Connecticut has given us some incredible clients, dogs, friendships, and experiences, and we have absolutely no intention of disappearing. You’ll still be seeing plenty of us đŸ€

At the same time, we are incredibly excited to return to Maine, reconnect with our Maine community, and see what this next chapter brings for A Very Good K9.

Maine, we’re coming home. November 1st. đŸŸ

Meeting your dog’s needs before asking them to meet your expectations? Kinda chic. ✹How our dogs interact with the world...
08/28/2026

Meeting your dog’s needs before asking them to meet your expectations? Kinda chic. ✹

How our dogs interact with the world, how they feel within it, how their needs are met, and how they respond to training are all heavily influenced by us.

Give them the communication, the mental + physical outlets, and the opportunity to be successful đŸŸ

Luke found his person this AM đŸ„șFrom the moment we met Mark, we realized that they needed each other. Both individuals lo...
08/24/2026

Luke found his person this AM đŸ„ș

From the moment we met Mark, we realized that they needed each other. Both individuals looking for companionship and love— we are so thrilled that we could have helped cultivate this connection.

Back when we met + fostered Luke, we made the promise to always make sure he would end up in the best position. Austin’s Mom & Dad gave him everything and more, but now it’s time for Luke to share his big heart with someone else who also has so much love to give.

Whatever happens, Luke will always have a home here with us, but his next chapter is looking bright ✹

We couldn’t thank everyone enough for their inquiries, interest, and help during this process. It’s never an easy one, but with outcomes like this
 it’s always worth it đŸ˜ŒđŸŸâ€ïž

One of the most rewarding parts of a Board & Train happens after the program is over.We get to spend weeks building skil...
08/21/2026

One of the most rewarding parts of a Board & Train happens after the program is over.

We get to spend weeks building skills, creating clearer communication, working through challenges, and getting to know each dog for exactly who they are.

While we absolutely grow attached to many of the dogs who stay with us, keeping them here was never the goal.

The goal is what happens when they go home.

It’s hearing that they went on a hike their owners never would have felt comfortable taking before. That they were able to bring their dog somewhere new. That something which used to feel stressful has become part of their normal routine. Or simply that they understand their dog a little better than they did before.

Training gives us the opportunity to be a small part of a much bigger life between a dog and their owner.

We may get pups for a few weeks, but their families get all of the experiences, adventures, and everyday moments that come afterward.

That’s the part we really love!!

Training can feel incredibly daunting when we view it as one more thing we have to squeeze into an already busy day.Did ...
08/19/2026

Training can feel incredibly daunting when we view it as one more thing we have to squeeze into an already busy day.

Did I train today? Did we practice enough? Do I need to set aside another 30 minutes?

But what if training wasn’t something separate from your everyday life?

And for us, it isn’t + not just because we’re dog trainers!

Every interaction we have with our dogs is technically an opportunity to train. We’re maintaining skills they already know, reinforcing good decisions, creating boundaries, building new behaviors, or simply practicing how to exist together.

Training happens when we walk out the door. When we make dinner. When guests come over. When we play. When we settle on the couch. When we explore somewhere new. Even when seemingly nothing is happening.

Of course, there are times when intentional training sessions are important—especially when teaching something new. But the goal is for those skills to eventually become part of your everyday rhythm.

Because ultimately, we’re not training for the sake of training.

We’re training to build a life with our dogs that feels harmonious, clear, and enjoyable for everyone involved đŸ¶đŸ€

At A Very Good K9, our protection sessions focus on developing confident dogs with strong foundations and purposeful wor...
07/27/2026

At A Very Good K9, our protection sessions focus on developing confident dogs with strong foundations and purposeful work.

Whether you’re looking to build toward personal protection or further your sport goals, every session is designed with the individual team in mind.

All protection training is led by our trainer and decoy, Austin Avery. As a two-time Regional Select Decoy and two-time World Select Decoy, Austin brings years of experience working dogs across all stages— ranging from building puppy foundations to helping experienced teams continue progressing in their training.

If you’re interested in personal protection or looking to strengthen your sport foundation, A Very Good K9 would love to help you and your dog take the next step!

One of the biggest mindset shifts we ever made as trainers was coming to the realization that many of the “arguments” we...
07/15/2026

One of the biggest mindset shifts we ever made as trainers was coming to the realization that many of the “arguments” we have with our dogs aren’t really arguments at all.

They’re mismatched expectations.

We expect reliability before fluency, we expect neutrality before exposure, and we expect impulse control before we’ve spent enough time teaching it.

Then we assume our dog is being stubborn, disrespectful, or blowing us off.

More often than not, they’re simply showing us the gap between what we expect and what we’ve actually prepared them for.

This doesn’t mean we lower our standards, but it does mean we have to become better teachers.

Meet your dog where they are & train the dog in front of you, and you’ll be amazed how much less conflict there is between the two of you.

Stop picking fights with your dog.

Start building the dog you want.

07/02/2026

Your dog’s crate shouldn’t feel like confinement


It should feel like home!

When a dog understands their crate as a safe place, it becomes something familiar they can rely on during stressful moments, new environments, travel, or busy households.

Crates are often overlooked, but they often can be an amazing option for setting our pups up for success.

Remember, it’s all in how we use them that makes the difference!!

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Brooklyn, CT
06234

Telephone

+12074238555

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