Akina K9

We’ve been with Akina K9 for over a year now and wanted to take the time to thoughtfully share our experience with Rich and his team. Before meeting Akina K9, I thought I understood what it meant to be a dog owner. I loved my dogs deeply, but when it came to training, my knowledge was limited to the basics: sit, down, go home, and come. There wasn’t much structure or true obedience. Looking back at our two dogs of 10 years, I now realize I could have given them an even better quality of life—if only I had understood what real training meant. Fast forward five years, we decided to bring a larger breed into our family. This time, we agreed that proper training would not only make our lives easier but also give our dog the best life possible. Throughout our journey, Rich has been incredibl

I cannot say enough good things about Rich. He is INCREDIBLY knowledgeable about dogs in general. We brought in our senior dog, and Rich created a custom training plan for our dog's age, abilities, and needs. We needed to focus on muzzle training, tolerance, and the basics too after our dog bit our vet! After working with Rich, our dog will happily walk into a muzzle and it's not scary or annoying for him to do. In busy settings, our dog can still focus on us. Now, when we go to the vet, our dog can get his care while keeping the staff and our dog safe. Our dog had fun and was engaged during training sessions both at the Akina K9 headquarters and also when we did our training at home with our dog. Rich was extremely patient with us and our dog. He paced sessions well so our dog could take

Hands down best trainer in the bay area. Rich makes training your dog fun. He always finds a way to teach you on a level that you will understand and always welcomes questions. If you follow his direction and do your homework you WILL see results with your dog. His facility in Gilroy is private, clean, smells great and amazing AC! They also host boarding and board & train but they book up fast so call as soon as you know your travel dates. Overall one of the best experiences with my dog!

Rich is the best there is. I'm so blessed to have been able to work with him with multiple dogs. He's taken us from can't be in public, to, can be off leash in public. It's like a miracle, a totally different dog. Rich is an excellent teacher, he's got patience to spare, never gets his feathers ruffled, no matter how difficult the situation. I can't recommend Akina K9 highly enough. We drove seven hours round trip for the better part of a year go to go him. He's worth driving ANY distance! He will help you have a relationship with your dog you never thought was possible.

Training with Rich (Akina K9) has been the best thing to happen to my dog, Chico, and I. Rich has always been extremely patient, helpful, and professional. He explains his training so that everything makes sense to the dog handler. Training sessions and group classes are always fun and useful. I strongly recommend this service to any dog owners looking to fix unwanted behaviors and communicate effectively with their dog. Tell them Juan and Chico sent you.