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Our Mission

SK9 is committed to helping owners across the Florida panhandle live a more stress free and fulfilling life with their dogs. It is our mission to continue to educate the owners within our community and empower you all with the knowledge and resources you need to achieve that lifestyle you've always wanted to share with your dog, the life we are meant to share with them.

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MEET YOUR TRAINER

Tory - owner of SK9

From the very beginning, working with dogs has been a passion of mine. Labradors and Blue Heelers formed some of my earliest memories as a child. Our Blue Heelers were incredibly sharp and intelligent dogs. Being raised around them gave me a lot of time to learn how they would communicate through their body language. I spent hours and hours each summer as a child in the pasture with them, watching how they would study and respond to the behaviors of the livestock. These were the first dogs to teach me how to communicate with and understand them. 

 

A large part of my background has come from working with rescues and shelters. During my time spent in the Mat-Su Valley, Alaska I had the opportunity to foster and rehabilitate dogs and litters of puppies. Many of these dogs were brought in to rescue from northern villages living as strays, and needed some help adjusting to life as an indoor family member before placing them into their new homes. Many of them came into rescue because they were unwelcomed within their local villages and communities, causing a fear and skepticism regarding people. These village dogs taught me the importance of trust in a relationship.

 

I have since returned home to the Florida panhandle, with my two children and my personal dogs. I train and compete in high level dog sports such as PSA, continuing to push the bounds of my knowledge and skills. Working alongside these powerful dogs and being witness to their incredible strength and athleticism has taught me to have a profound respect for their capabilities. 

 

My approach to training directly stems from the dogs that have come and gone from my life, and all that they have taught me. You must have a foundation of communication, trust and respect in order to achieve the type of impactful relationship capable of overcoming any obstacles you might face together. I focus on forming these relationships between dog and owner through teaching the art of play, clarity and structure. 

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