Modern Full-Service Dog Training. Serving all VA - MD - DC - WVA (and other locations nation wide) Boarding, Training, Importing, Sales
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07/05/2025
Training That Translates to Everyday Life
Over the week, RSK9 Michael's training crew took on a few real-world challenges that every dog owner faces: door manners, leash confidence, off-leash recall, and more! While it might seem like a small thing, having a dog bolt out the front door can lead to scary and preventable situations.
Through focused sessions, these dogs are learning that an open door is not an invitation to charge out. Instead, they are building impulse control, awareness, and responsiveness to commands, even with distractions.
Meanwhile, other members of the crew hit the trail to work on structured walks and reinforcing foundational commands in new environments.
📞 Call or Text: 571-271-5595
💰 Financing Available for All Training Programs!
🌐 Visit: www.RidgesideK9.com
👨✈️ Veteran & Police Owned
Do you have a dog that needs to learn boundaries at the door or out on the trails? Let’s build the structure together. Drop a comment below: Has your dog ever tried to dash out the door? Let’s talk about it!
07/05/2025
📍 July is National Lost Pet Prevention Month 🐾
1 in 3 pets will go missing in their lifetime — and without proper training, most don’t make it back home.
Our Off-Leash Dog Training gives your pup the structure, recall, and confidence to safely explore the world by your side. Whether it’s daily walks, outdoor adventures, or just hanging in the yard — they’ll come when called.
Secure your spot before summer ends. Training saves lives.
🐕 Elite Training. Lifelong Impact. 🐾
We’re proud to recognize one of our annual sponsors at Ridgeside K9 in Summerville, SC, for their commitment to the highest standards in working dog training. Their dedication supports dogs throughout their careers—and into retirement.
Learn more about their programs at:
🌐 ridgesidek9summerville.com
07/04/2025
From Chaos to Calm: How Kodi & Hank Became the Dogs Their Family Always Dreamed Of
Kodi and Hank came to us with loving hearts, but very different needs. Their family, like many, was juggling a busy household and just needed a little more structure to enjoy daily life with two energetic dogs.
Hank, the more reserved of the pair, needed help building confidence in unfamiliar situations. Kodi, on the other hand, needed to learn that patience and impulse control matter, even when he is excited. Both dogs had great potential; they just needed the right communication, leadership, and structure to bring it out.
Over the two weeks of our board and train program, we worked on calmness, leash skills, polite greetings, and helping both dogs settle into their roles as family companions. The transformation was incredible, not just in the dogs but in the confidence of their family as well.
🐾 Trainer: Ridgeside K9 Rachel
📞 Call or Text: 571-271-5595
💰 Financing Available for All Training Programs!
🌐 Visit: www.RidgesideK9.com
👨✈️ Veteran & Police Owned
The best part? This is not the end; it is the beginning of a stronger bond and more quality time together. If your dog has a few quirks, lacks manners, or just needs more structure to thrive in your busy life, our board and train program could be exactly what you are looking for!
07/04/2025
🎆 Happy Independence Day from all of us at Ridgeside K9! 🇺🇸
Wishing you a fun, safe, and freedom-filled 4th of July. Whether you're hitting the trails, lounging by the lake, or just enjoying some backyard BBQ — don’t forget to keep your pups cool, calm, and close by.
Thank you to everyone who serves and protects this great country — two-legged and four-legged alike.
🎆 BOOM! CRACK! POP!
Fireworks are fun for us… but for many dogs, it’s pure stress. 🐾😬
Let’s help your pup stay calm during the celebrations!
✅ Burn off that extra energy with a good walk or play session
✅ Set up a comfy, quiet space they know and love
✅ Offer a special toy or treat to keep their mind busy
✅ Mask the noise — TV, fans, white noise — whatever helps
And remember — confidence around chaos starts with solid training. Our programs build the focus, control, and trust your dog needs to face the world (yes, even fireworks) with less fear.
📞 Call or Text: 571-271-5595
🌐 Book your training consult: www.RidgesideK9.com
Let’s make this summer a safe, happy one!
07/03/2025
Walks Should Not Be a Struggle—See Tripp’s Transformation
Before training with us, Tripp’s daily walks were filled with stress and danger. Despite having gone through training elsewhere, he still pulled hard on the leash, especially risky since his mom relies on a cane for balance. Add in his reactivity to kids, dogs, squirrels, and just about anything that moved, and outings became overwhelming, unpredictable, and unsafe.
To make matters worse, Tripp had grown collar-wise. His past experience with an e-collar left him anxious and confused, associating it only with correction, not communication.
But today, Tripp went home a completely transformed dog. Now, Tripp and his mom walk together in sync, with the right tools, clarity, and confidence to take on the world safely.
🐾 Trainer: Ridgeside K9 Johnnie Oakes
📞 Call or Text: 571-271-5595
💰 Financing Available for All Training Programs!
🌐 Visit: www.RidgesideK9.com
👨✈️ Veteran & Police Owned
This is what balanced training looks like. It is not about control; it is about understanding, communication, and creating a life where both human and dog feel confident, connected, and at peace. Are you ready to turn chaos into calm?
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Contact The Business
Send a message to Ridgeside K9 - Modern Dog Training:
Aaron (Owner of Ridgeside K9, LLC) served six years in the Marine Corps in both the Infantry and Diplomatic Security; transitioning out of the Marines and directly into Law Enforcement in the Northern Virginia region where he served for 15 years with the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office. Aaron started in patrol and quickly moved into specialty units with community policing, narcotics, full-time SWAT, Patrol K9 and SWAT K9. During his tenure in law enforcement, Aaron went back to school full-time at night and earned a bachelor’s degree in security studies from The George Washington University.
In 2013 Aaron began transitioning his hobby and lifelong passion of dog training into a small side business, all through word of mouth. In 2016 Aaron made it official and started his veteran owned business “Ridgeside K9, LLC” while still working as a patrol K9 on the midnight shift. Ridgeside K9 started as a small, family-based operation focusing on rehabilitating dogs with behavior problems. Ridgeside K9 literally started with one wire crate. Ridgeside K9 is now represented in 7 states, employs multiple trainers and routinely picks up and trains dogs all up and down the east coast. Ridgeside K9 grew expeditiously in the DC metro area during 2016 and 2017 due to word of mouth. Within 18 months Ridgeside K9 grew to boarding, board and trains, dog sales, private lessons, and coast to coast transports. Within two years Ridgeside K9, LLC bypassed its 20-year goal of growth and revenue. In August 2018 Aaron retired from law enforcement and now focuses solely on Ridgeside K9 and its continued growth. Ridgeside K9 now has locations in MO, IL, (3) in VA, WVA, MD, NC and OH. All locations are owned by Military Veterans and Police K9 Handlers.
Ridgeside K9 brings a realism to the pet dog training world that is unmatched in the industry. Prior to coming to Ridgeside K9 as a location owner or trainer, individuals must already be heavily established in the dog training world with hundreds of dogs under their belt. Ridgeside K9 employs numerous active and retired police K9 trainers and military veterans that now specialize in amazing obedience and control on household pets.
Ridgeside K9 believes there is no “one size fits all” approach to dog training. Each dog is and owner are evaluated for issues, goals and wants. We customize each training package using a mix of marker training, free shaping, classical and operant conditioning to establish real world, measurable and reliable obedience and control. We always push for the dog to achieve clarity of task. Showing a dog, a new way of “being” and the owners a new way of communicating.
Education – The George Washington University (Bachelor's Degree in security studies)
