Desired K-9 - Dog Training

06/17/2026

“Goose”
Black Lab • 1-year-old Male
Session-Based Training

During our off-leash session, I heard one of his owners say:

“I’ve always wanted a dog that could listen like this off leash.”

That right there is why I love what I do.

Once you go through off-leash training, your dog’s quality of life improves, and so does yours.

More freedom. More control. Less stress.

Every dog that leaves my program is taught a reliable recall system that owners can actually use in the real world.

Because recall is not just a cool trick — its about keeping your dog safe.

Owners don’t go to State Farm for recall insurance.

They come to me.

Goose is an absolutely wonderful dog, and I’ve been happy to work with him. I’m looking forward to spending more time with him as he continues training, and hopefully seeing him in future group classes with the Trained Dogs Club.

Good boy, Goose.

06/17/2026

Quick rant.

“My dog just needs the basics.”

I hear that all the time.

Then I ask what “basics” means, and usually it means the dog can sit, down, shake, and “listen better.”

Which is funny, because “listen better” is not a command.

And teaching your dog “shake” is basically just teaching your dog to smack you for fun.

Your dog does not speak English.

And if they did, I promise some of them would be airing out family secrets by session two.

When most owners say basics, they mean kitchen obedience.

When I say basics, I mean real-world obedience.

Leash manners.
Walking in position.
Minimal pulling.
Sit and down with leash pressure.
Anchoring out.
Walking in the bubble.
Stop-and-pop corrections.
Corrective U-turns.
Recall.
E-collar conditioning.
Off-leash control.
Working around other dogs.
Working through high-value distractions.

That is basic obedience to me.

It is the foundation your dog actually needs to live with more freedom and less chaos.

It is also the knowledge owners need to maintain a trained dog after the sessions are over.

Most dogs do not need advanced training.

They need the basics taught at an advanced level.

06/17/2026

"Trooper"
Pitbull mix-Male
Session Based Training

Oh my gawd...

Ain't he cute?

06/16/2026

I have 1 spot available for my Short-Term Summer Training Program in August.

Dates:
August 4th, August 11th, and August 18th
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM

This program is focused on:
• Recall
• On/off-leash skills
• Outdoor control
• Building better communication between you and your dog

This is a great chance to get started at a reduced summer rate.

Program includes access to the Trained Dogs Club, which gives you access to:
• Boarding
• Play’in & Train’in
• FREE group classes for your dog’s lifetime

Requirements:
Dogs must be 6+ months old with no aggression or serious fear issues.

Message me to claim the spot!

06/13/2026

Kicking off this summer’s group classes with sweets, treats, caffeinated beverages, and a donation drive for our local shelter!

Today was absolutely a success. I’m thankful for everyone who showed up, donated, helped out, and supported the dogs in our community.

Wonderful dogs, wonderful owners, and a great start to our summer group classes.

See you all again soon!

I’ll leave you with a few pictures of some of the dogs who attended today!

Thank you!
Country Roads Bakery
Lewisburg Nutrition
Main Street Massage Studio, LLC

06/13/2026

Thank you to every member of the Trained Dogs Club who donated an item today at group class!

Everything has been delivered, and the picture truly doesn’t do it justice.

Together, we collected over 100 lbs of dog food, cat food, cat litter, plus bleach, collars, leashes, harnesses, laundry detergent, and other much-needed supplies!

And of course, the employees also got a much-needed caffeinated beverage to help get them through a hot day.

I’m proud of this group and thankful for everyone who showed up, donated, and helped support the animals and people who care for them!

🐾💜 A Huge Thank You to Desired-K9! 💜🐾
We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Desired-K9 for their incredible donation to the Greenbrier Humane Society! The generous supplies they provided will go a long way in helping us care for the animals who rely on us every day.
We would also like to give a special shoutout to Gaige, who has been an amazing supporter of our shelter and a tremendous asset to our community. His dedication to helping dogs and their owners build stronger relationships through training has made a positive impact on countless lives.
If you're looking for professional dog training, we highly recommend reaching out to Desired-K9. Whether you're working on basic obedience, behavior challenges, or building a stronger bond with your dog, Gaige has the knowledge and experience to help.
📞 Call Gaige at 304-667-2808 to learn more about his training programs.
Thank you again, Desired-K9, for your generosity, your partnership, and for everything you do for the pets and people of our community! 🐶🐾❤️

06/13/2026

Group Class will start at 10:30 AM!

Reminder: All dogs must be leashed and under control at all times unless instructed otherwise.

This class is for dogs who have already completed a training program. Anyone is welcome to come spectate, but please come dog-free if your dog has not gone through my training program.

We will also have drinks, treats for the dogs, and something for the owners arriving around 12:30 PM.

Looking forward to seeing everyone there!

P-S-Free drink with a donation item for the Greenbrier Humane Society!

06/12/2026

“Winnie”
3-year-old-Female Australian Shepherd

Winnie previously went through a positive-reinforcement-based training program in another state. Positive reinforcement is a great part of dog training, and yes — I use food, praise, love & affection, in my programs too.

But training does not stop there.

There are other parts of learning that many dog owners have never been taught. That is why, when you train with me, owner education is a big part of the process. We go over how behavior works, how to reinforce the right choices, how to fairly correct unwanted behavior, and how to give the dog a clearer path forward.

Winnie is a wonderful dog who struggled with reactivity around other dogs. At her assessment, she was barky, growly, overstimulated, and having a hard time staying under control especially around other large dogs.

What made Winnie unique is that she showed signs of true leash-related reactivity, where the pressure and restriction from the leash made her reactions around other dogs worse.

After a few sessions, clear communication, structure, reinforcement, and fair correction. Winnie has made a huge improvement.

She has honestly become one of my favorite dogs I’ve worked with this year. She is a great, loving companion, and I’m happy I got the chance to work with her!

06/11/2026

My June Summer Training Program kicked off this week with a wide variety of awesome dogs! We had about 7 different breeds & owners, training goals, personalities, and challenges represented.

I figured I'd highlight these two little cuties as my first shout-outs.

Typically, I don't work with many small-breed dogs. Most of the dogs I train are over 30 pounds.

However, I decided to change things up because there are plenty of small dog owners who need help with obedience training too.

These two were here yesterday, and both left with a solid introduction to loose-leash walking and some basic obedience skills.

Standing at a massive 6 inches off the ground and weighing in at less than 10 pounds of pure small dog furry.....

Introducing Echo & Holly! 🐾

I'm looking forward to watching their progress over the next few weeks!

I'm considering offering this short-term training program again in August. If you're interested in joining the Trained Dogs Club and getting your dog started on the right path, send me a message for more information!

06/10/2026

When your owner grabs the ecollar and the peanut butter spread.