COURSE 1: FOUNDATIONAL OBEDIENCE

Build the foundation. Build the culture.

Every great working dog starts here. Every great handler starts here too.

Foundational Obedience at Miller Ranch K9 isn’t about teaching your dog to sit and stay for a treat. It’s about building a communication system — a shared language between you and your dog that holds up in the real world, not just in your living room.

This program is built for both pet owners who want a dog they can actually live with, and working dog handlers who want to build something serious from the ground up. The foundation is the same. The only difference is where you take it from here.

What you’ll learn:

- What training culture actually means — and what your role as a handler looks like day to day
- How to use leash pressure as directional language — a gas pedal and a brake, not a correction tool
- How to build core positions and behaviors with clarity and consistency
- How to introduce food, play, and prey as reward systems that build genuine motivation
- How to proof and generalize skills so they hold up in real-life environments — not just the training field
- How to set up your dog for success before you ever ask for compliance

What’s included:

- Full video series — 41 lessons with corresponding PDF handouts (produced in partnership with Work Your Pack Productions)
- Online self-study access — watch on any device, at your own pace
- Option to add virtual coaching — live sessions, video submission, and personalized feedback from an MRK9 trainer
- Option to add in-person coaching — private lessons at the ranch in Rocky Mountain House, Alberta
- Option to add Board & Train — your dog comes to MRK9 for 3 weeks, lives and trains on the ranch, and comes home with a foundation. Includes 3 private lessons to transfer the skills to you.
 
Who this is for:
New handlers. Experienced handlers starting fresh. Anyone who wants to stop guessing and start communicating.

Prerequisite: None. This is where you start.


COURSE 2: ADVANCED OBEDIENCE

You built the foundation. Now build the machine.

Advanced Obedience at Miller Ranch K9 is for handlers who’ve done the work — and are ready to take it to the next level. Off-leash reliability. Distance and distraction work. E-collar integration done right. This is where your training culture graduates from the controlled environment into the real world, on your terms.

If Foundational Obedience is about building communication — Advanced Obedience is about trusting it.

What you’ll learn:

- E-collar fundamentals — introduction, conditioning, and how to use it as an extension of your leash language, not a replacement for it
- Off-leash obedience — reliable recall, heel, positions, and stays with distance and distraction
- Variable reward systems — how to maintain drive and attitude without being a treat dispenser
- Proofing under pressure — training your dog to perform in environments that actually challenge them
- Handler mechanics — timing, positioning, and the subtle communication habits that separate good handlers from great ones
- Building a training culture that evolves as your dog grows

What’s included:

- Full advanced video series with PDF handouts
- Online self-study access
- Option to add virtual coaching — live video sessions and video submission for feedback
- Option to add in-person private lessons at MRK9
- Option to add Board & Train — advanced program, your dog lives and trains at the ranch

Equipment note: Students are responsible for sourcing an approved e-collar (Dogtra or Garmin recommended) before starting the e-collar portion of this program.

Who this is for:
Handlers who have completed Foundational Obedience — at MRK9 or elsewhere — and are ready to build real off-leash reliability. Working dog handlers looking to sharpen their obedience picture before moving into sport or application work.

Prerequisite:Foundational Obedience or equivalent foundation recommended.

COURSE 3: PROTECTION / BITEWORK

**This is not for every dog. And it’s not for every handler.**

But if you have the right dog and the right mindset — this is where things get real.

Protection training at Miller Ranch K9 is built on the same NePoPo® foundation as everything else we do. Pressure and release. Drive development. Clear communication. Dogs that protect with confidence and clarity — not aggression, not anxiety. Dogs that are on when they need to be on, and off when they need to be off.

We develop dogs for personal protection, family protection, sport (PSA, IGP, Mondio), and professional application. The principles are the same. The picture is different.

What you’ll learn:

- Drive development — building and shaping prey drive, fight drive, and civil drive correctly
- Foundational grip work — how a correct bite is developed, not just demanded
- The out and the call-off — reliability under real pressure
- Handler position and safety — your role when the dog is working
- How to build a protection dog that is confident, controllable, and trustworthy
- The NePoPo® approach to bitework — correctable without submission, driven without chaos

What’s included:

- Video series covering foundational through advanced protection concepts
- In-person training at MRK9 strongly recommended for this program — contact us to discuss options
- Board & Train available — dogs evaluated and developed at the ranch
- Private lessons and seminar opportunities with MRK9 and affiliated trainers

**Important:** Protection training requires an honest evaluation of your dog and your goals. Not every dog is a candidate for protection work — and that’s okay. Contact us before enrolling and we’ll tell you straight.

Who this is for:
Handlers with working-line dogs (Belgian Malinois, Dutch Shepherd, GSD) who want to develop a legitimate protection dog — for personal use, sport, or professional application. Serious handlers only.

Pre-requisite: Solid obedience foundation required. Dog evaluation and approval, handler evaluation and approval required, and criminal background check required before beginning the program.