K-9 Companions was founded in 1979 and operates from a three-acre training facility near Lake Mathews and Corona in Riverside County. The company describes its training staff as certified master trainers with backgrounds that include veterinary medicine, animal behavior, animal biology, veterinary science, and U.S. military K-9 service. Every trainer also completes an internal apprenticeship before joining the training staff full time.
Its signature K-9 Boot Camp is a residential program lasting two, three, or four weeks. Training can address fundamental obedience, manners, household behaviors, aggression, biting, barking, digging, chewing, and house soiling. Owners receive an in-home reinforcement session after Boot Camp, onsite follow-up for one year, and access to Board & Brush-Up for the dog's lifetime. Other offerings include private lessons, advanced obedience and agility, service dog training, Level One Protection, Canine Good Citizen testing, and AKC conformation training.
K-9 Companions describes its approach as using positive reinforcement, motivation, and mild correction. The website specifically states that trainers do not kick, hit, hang, shock, or otherwise abuse dogs, while also emphasizing owner leadership and appropriate correction when needed. The facility includes three training fields and climate-controlled barracks-style sleeping quarters with individual beds. A professional groomer is on staff, and an on-call veterinarian is available.
