01/25/2026
For the last 6 years, owning and operating Smokey Oaks K9 has been a dream come true, but sometimes dreams come with stark realizations.
Business ownership just isn’t for me. I despise and dread the “paperwork” side of the business and I miss just training dogs. Owning a business has been a blessing, but it’s also taken a serious toll on my mental health.
Something had to change, so I made the leap and applied for another training company. I’m proud to announce that I have accepted a position with Command Canine.
I’ve battled this decision for over a year now. I thought owning your own training company was the pinnacle of being a dog trainer, and to be honest, I fought with my pride and ego over letting my company go. In the end, I realized that what’s most important is the well being of me and my family, and that I get to continue helping dogs and their owners.
Not owning your own business doesn’t make you less of a trainer. So if you’re a dog trainer struggling right now, it’s okay to look for other options! You have to take care of yourself before you can help others!
I will still be working with my current clients but will not take on any new clients through SOK9. It was a sad moment to send this update to everyone, but I’m so excited about what’s coming in the future.
Here’s to new beginnings in 2026!
(I will still post training videos here but they will be mostly of my own pups!)