MLK9

MLK9 Your search to find the right dog trainer ends today. Ditch the frustration and make your dog training goals a reality.

NWB Dogs coaches dog owners how to clearly communicate with their dogs so they can get back to enjoying their favorite activities. NWB Dogs believes in real-world training and creating a strong bond between you and your best friend. The way we accomplish this is through structure and balance. So, whether you have an aggressive/reactive dog or just have some behaviors that you want changed, here at

NWB Dogs we can offer you the proper tools and guidance to make sure you achieve your goals! Using the same philosophy as in our training, we have also created a unique boarding and daycare concept where your pup is provided daily adventures in the outdoors, monitored play time, and active rest sessions throughout the day. When you train with us, your pup will experience what The Gorge has to offer all while getting a first-class education!

08/16/2026

This is what clarity looks like at 4 months old.

Vic is 4 months and 9 days old, working off leash in a busy public park with people, dogs, wing foilers, windsurfers, and distractions all around us.

But watch the language.

FETCH = leave me, go retrieve the object, and bring it back.

TAKE = engage the object in my hand and tug with me.

Two words. Two completely different behaviors.

And he knows the difference.

That doesn’t happen because I drilled obedience into a puppy. It happens because from day one, we’ve focused on building communication and clarity.

Every interaction teaches something. Every word has meaning. Every repetition builds understanding.

Communication creates clarity.
Clarity creates reliability.
Reliability creates freedom.

The off-leash work you see here isn’t the goal by itself—it’s simply evidence of the system working.

He’s four months old.

Imagine what this communication looks like at a year. 🔥

08/15/2026

4 months old. 4½ minutes. Uncut.

This isn’t about showing a “perfect” puppy. It’s about showing what clarity can create at a very young age when you have a system and take the time to build it.

In this session with Vic, we’re working through:

• Heeling
• Retrieve work
• Casting and directionals
• Recall and call-offs from the toy
• Sits in motion
• Impulse control
• “Take” and pushing into the bite
• Engagement and desire to work

You’ll also notice I’m using multiple toys throughout the session. That’s intentional.

I almost always have another toy available as a distraction, a draw, or something competing for his attention. Sometimes that toy is actually pulling him toward the wrong choice.

That means Vic can’t simply chase whatever moves or grab whatever toy is available. He has to listen to the communication, process the information, and make the correct choice.

Go to this toy. Leave that one. Call off this one. Turn this direction. Come back to me. Sit. Take.

That’s where clarity starts becoming reliability.

And one of my favorite parts of this video is that Vic naturally isn’t the strongest retriever. When something doesn’t go right, there’s no frustration and no punishment.

We stop. We reset. We give him better information. Then we try again.

That’s training.

At four months old, I’m not looking for perfection. I’m building a dog who understands how to learn, how to work through problems, how to make choices, and how to find value in working with me.

Every interaction is an investment.
Every investment creates value.

Clarity builds reliability.
Reliability builds freedom.

There is still a LOT of dog to build here. His desire to work is still developing, and we have a long road ahead of us.

But this is what the foundation can look like at just four months old.

🔥🐕

08/13/2026

🥩 WHAT I FEED MY DOGS — AND WHY

I get asked quite a bit what I feed my dogs, so I figured I’d make a quick video showing exactly what goes into their bowls.

Right now, I’m feeding a mixture of raw food from Willamette Valley Raw Food, and then I’ll rotate in different whole-food additions.

In this meal, I added:

🐾 Turkey neck
🐾 Chicken foot
🐾 Raw food blend

Throughout the week, I’ll also add things like sardines, whole larger sardines when I can get them, baby clams, eggs, and other quality whole-food additions.

Why do I like feeding this way?

For me, one of the biggest things is knowing what is actually going into my dogs. A properly balanced fresh/raw diet can provide highly digestible protein, fats, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients while giving me the ability to rotate different whole-food sources.

I’ve also seen dogs make some pretty incredible changes after improving their diet—better-looking skin and coats, better digestion, improved body condition, and in some dogs, improvements in issues their owners associated with food sensitivities.

And yes… let’s talk about p**p. 😂

One of the funniest benefits people notice when switching from a highly processed diet is just how much smaller the stool can become. My dogs’ p**ps are TINY. When feeding raw meaty bones, you may even see stool become lighter, dry out, crumble, and basically disappear.

Nutrition matters.

What we put into our dogs every single day plays a role in their health, energy, recovery, digestion, and overall quality of life.

Now, does everybody need to feed 100% raw?

No.

If feeding completely raw isn’t realistic for you, I’m a huge believer in what I call a “kibble-plus” approach.

Feed a quality kibble, adjust the amount appropriately, and start incorporating fresh foods where they make sense—things like sardines, eggs, fresh meat, and other appropriate whole foods.

You don’t necessarily have to completely change how you feed your dog tomorrow.

Just start thinking beyond the bag.

Food is one of the biggest investments we make in our dogs because we make that investment every single day.

Here’s a look at what goes into my dogs’ bowls. 👇🐕

EVERY INTERACTION IS AN INVESTMENT.One of the biggest shifts I want people to make in dog training is to stop looking on...
08/11/2026

EVERY INTERACTION IS AN INVESTMENT.

One of the biggest shifts I want people to make in dog training is to stop looking only at behavior and start looking at value.

Every time you feed your dog, play with them, give affection, open a door, throw the ball, allow freedom, or give access to something they want—you are investing somewhere.

And every investment creates value.

Why does that matter?

Because dogs pursue what they value most.

If the environment consistently holds more value than you do, the environment will win.

If another dog holds more value, that dog will win.

If chasing wildlife holds more value than returning to you, the wildlife will win.

This is why I don't believe great training begins with obedience.

It begins with a much more important question:

Where is my dog learning that the greatest value exists?

Food, toys, play and freedom are incredible resources. Use them to build something.

Use food to build engagement.
Use play to build connection.
Use freedom to build responsibility.

Rewards should reinforce the relationship—they should never replace the relationship.

Every interaction is an investment.
Every investment creates value.
Value determines priorities.
Priorities determine behavior.
Behavior creates habits.
Habits become lifestyle.

Before asking, “How do I stop this behavior?”

Ask:

“What have I been teaching my dog to value?”

If you're ready to stop chasing individual behaviors and start building a stronger relationship, clearer communication, and a more reliable dog, let's work together.

📧 Email: [email protected]
📱 For the fastest response, call or text: 541-399-0333

Build the relationship. Create clarity. Earn reliability. Live with more freedom.

— MLK9

08/05/2026

People have asked me why I got rid of training packages.

The answer is simple.

Because not every dog—or every person—needs the same amount of coaching.

Some teams need one deep dive to completely change the direction they're headed. Others want ongoing coaching as new challenges come up. So instead of locking people into packages, I decided to let you buy exactly what you need.

MLK9 Pay-As-You-Go Coaching

🐕 Initial Coaching Session – $500
• 2–4 hour in-depth coaching session
• We identify your biggest struggles
• Build a customized training plan
• Work with your dog in your home or out in the real world where life actually happens

🐾 Follow-Up Sessions – $200 each
Book only when you need them. No contracts. No commitment. Just coaching when it makes sense for you and your dog.

I don't believe in selling you sessions you'll never use.

I believe in giving you the education, communication, and coaching that creates lasting change.

Because at MLK9, we're not just teaching dogs commands.

We're building investment.
We're creating clarity.
We're developing reliability.
And reliability is what creates the freedom every dog owner is looking for.

If you've been putting off training because you thought it meant signing up for an expensive package, this was built for you.

📩 Ready to get started?

Email: [email protected]
Call or Text (usually the fastest response): 541-399-0333

Coaching availability is limited, so if you'd like to get started, don't wait. I'd love to help you and your dog build the relationship you've always wanted.

07/29/2026

The most misunderstood tool in dog training isn't the remote collar. It's the person holding it.

I'm often asked why I use a remote collar and why I believe it's one of the most humane training tools available.

My answer is simple:

Because I don't use it to hurt my dog. I use it to communicate with my dog.

Can a remote collar be used poorly? Absolutely.

So can a leash.
So can a slip lead.
So can your hands.
So can your voice.

As the old saying goes:

"It's never the tool. It's the fool behind it."

The remote collar isn't inherently good or bad. It's simply a tool. The outcome depends entirely on the education, timing, and intent of the person using it.

Years ago, like many trainers, I viewed the remote collar through the lens of reinforcement and correction. Today, I see it differently.

I see it as a language.

Dogs naturally communicate through touch first and movement second. That's how they guide one another. That's how they create clarity.

When I use a remote collar, I pair that tactile information with my body language and movement. The remote becomes an extension of me.

When I crouch down and invite a dog to me, the collar helps carry that invitation.

When I guide a dog to a place board, the collar helps relay that direction.

When my dog is off leash and I can't physically touch them, the remote allows me to maintain that conversation from a distance.

It's not about saying, "You're wrong."

It's about saying, "Come with me. Here's what we're doing together."

As the dog begins to understand that language, something incredible happens.

The remote fades into the background.

My movement becomes enough.

My body becomes the communication.

The relationship becomes the guide.

That has always been the goal—not dependence on a tool, but clarity between two partners.

The goal has never been control.

The goal has always been clarity.

And clarity creates confidence.

Here's a short clip from my latest MLK9 school of my students learning exactly that—how to truly communicate through touch and movement and, for the first time, have a real conversation with their dogs. Watch the dogs closely. You'll notice less conflict, less confusion, and more understanding. That's the power of clear communication.

07/29/2026

People often tell me...

"I don't want my dog to be a robot."

Neither do I.

I don’t want a dog that looks at me waiting for permission to exist. I want a dog that can think, explore, play, and genuinely enjoy life.

I actually saw a post earlier that made me think about this, and I wanted to share a bit more perspective on it.

But here’s where the misunderstanding usually happens...

Control is not the goal.

Reliability is.

Obedience is simply the evidence of reliability. Reliability is built through clarity. Clarity comes from communication. Communication grows through relationship.

And when all of those pieces come together, something powerful emerges...

Freedom.

The more reliable your dog becomes, the more freedom you both gain.

Freedom to hike off leash.
Freedom to explore new places.
Freedom to go to the beach.
Freedom to bike the trails.
Freedom to bring your dog to cafés, parks, and family gatherings with confidence.

But here’s the part most people don’t expect...

Dogs who are given unstructured freedom early on often end up with the least reliability later. They pull on leash, ignore recall, make unsafe choices, and create problems not just for themselves, but for the people and dogs around them.

As they get older, that lack of reliability usually leads to the opposite of freedom—more restrictions, more confinement, more leashes, more gates, and more isolation "for their safety."

Meanwhile, the dogs who are given structure, clear expectations, boundaries, and guidance early on are the ones who actually earn real freedom later in life.

The irony is simple:

The dogs with the most true freedom are the ones with the most reliability.

Not because they’ve been turned into robots...

But because they’ve been given the clarity, communication, and relationship needed to make good decisions.

That’s why I always say:

Obedience is not the destination. Obedience is the evidence.

The destination has always been freedom.

Now enjoy this short 40-second clip of Vic at just 16 weeks old. Every game we play is building something bigger than obedience. We're building communication, clarity, reliability, and the relationship that will eventually give him the freedom to go just about anywhere with me.

And yes...he's also in that wonderfully goofy puppy stage where he completely wipes out coming off the place board. 😂 I couldn't help but leave it in.

07/27/2026

One of the most important parts of training isn't what your dog does.

It's what your dog doesn't feel the need to do.

Here's Vic at 16 weeks old tomorrow, hanging out with me in the lobby at Les Schwab while I wait on a tire repair. No commands. No constant corrections. No entertainment. No chaos.

Just one job.

Be calm. Be relaxed. Be with me.

This is a huge part of what I believe training should create. Whether you have a high-drive sport dog or a family pet, if your dog can't settle in the real world and simply exist with you, then you're missing one of the greatest gifts a trained dog can offer.

A great dog knows when it's time to work, and just as importantly, when it's time to switch off.

That on/off switch doesn't happen by accident. It's built through investment, clear communication, and countless everyday moments just like this one.

The goal isn't a dog that's always "doing."

The goal is a dog that's content simply being with you.

That's freedom.

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Bingen, WA
98605

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