K9U

Steve Brooks, the certified trainer behind K9U, has worked with dogs for over 30 years and claims to have trained more than 25,000 of them. He holds a CPDT-KA certification and belongs to several professional organizations including the Pet Professional Guild, which focuses on force-free methods. His site describes an approach built on reward-based training without yelling or physical corrections—what he calls teaching dogs to "listen because they want to, not because they have to."

According to his website, Brooks has appeared as a dog training expert on CBS, NBC, Animal Planet, and National Geographic, and was featured in the Marley and Me Blu-ray. He's also authored a book called "Dog Bites" and has written for publications including Fido Friendly Magazine. His listed past clients include several Hollywood names—Kristen Bell, Dax Shepard, Robert Downey Jr., and Sheryl Crow among them.

The Los Angeles-based business offers in-home sessions and virtual coaching, with a stated specialty in behavior modification for issues like aggression, separation anxiety, and phobias. A veterinarian testimonial on the site mentions Brooks takes on difficult cases other trainers have declined. His approach, as he describes it, goes beyond obedience commands to address owner education, environment, and even nutrition—framing training as what he calls "real-life manners" rather than tricks.