Most shelters I visit are full of good people trying to do the right thing — but they’re exhausted.
They love the dogs, but they’re stretched thin, understaffed, and constantly putting out fires.
One reactive dog can throw off an entire day. A volunteer gets scared. Someone gets bitten.
Before long, everyone starts walking on eggshells.
That’s usually when I get the call.
I’ve been doing this for over 40 years — and I’ve worked with thousands of dogs, from family pets to severely reactive cases that other trainers turned away. But the work that means the most to me happens inside shelters — helping staff and volunteers feel safe again, and helping dogs finally relax enough to show who they really are.
Why most training fails in shelters
Most programs teach commands.
But commands don’t work if the dog is living in panic.
And handlers can’t stay calm if they’re afraid of being bitten.
That’s where K911 Transformative Dog Handling & Training is different.
We focus on what really matters — understanding the dog’s emotional state, reading body language before things go wrong, and handling dogs in ways that keep everyone safe.
What happens in a K911 Workshop
We work on-site — with your dogs, your people, and your space.
You’ll learn hands-on techniques to:
Read stress before it turns into aggression.
Handle fearful, anxious, or reactive dogs safely and calmly.
Prevent bites and build trust through body language.
Establish consistent routines that make dogs feel secure.
Redirect high-energy or barrier-reactive dogs before they escalate.
It’s not a lecture. It’s learning by doing — side by side, in real time.
For shelters and fosters who feel “stuck”
You’re not alone.
I’ve walked into shelters where people were ready to give up. Dogs were spinning, barking, or hiding.
Two days later, handlers were moving through the kennels confidently, and the dogs were watching them with trust — not fear.
That’s the shift that saves lives.
When you understand how to connect instead of control, everything changes:
Bites go down.
Volunteers stay longer.
Adoptions go up.
And dogs that once had no chance start to thrive.
Why K911 works
Because it’s built on experience — not theory. Read my next blog and I will tell you about Chewy
Because it’s real.
And because it’s personal.
I’ve worked with dogs no one else would touch — dogs labeled “dangerous” or “hopeless.”
But there’s no such thing as a hopeless dog. There’s only a dog waiting for someone who knows how to reach them.
If your shelter or rescue is ready to change how you handle and understand dogs, I’ll come to you.
Let’s rebuild safety, confidence, and hope — together.
Learn more or request a workshop: https://k911animalrescue.org/