Welcome to The Beloved K9! 

 

Hi, I'm Nikki Norris and I'm a dog trainer based in Phoenix, Arizona. My passion is to use training to help build—or rebuild—the bond between dog and owner. Your dog might be a hot mess now, but he doesn't have to stay that way! Take a look around my website and social media accounts to get a feel for me and my style of training, and then contact me when you're ready to get started. I look forward to meeting you and your dog!

 
 
 
 

Phoenix Dog Training Options

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3-week Board & Train

This is our most comprehensive program that delivers the most astonishing results! Your dog will come to live with me for 3 weeks before returning home where we'll begin training lessons in your home.

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Private lessons

I travel to your home to work with you and your dog in your home environment. Private lessons are good for obedience commands and creating more mannerly behavior. You become the primary trainer!

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virtual dog training

If you live outside of the Phoenix Valley area, you're more than welcome to schedule a Skype session with me to discuss your dog's behavior, determine his/her needs, & develop a plan of action.

 

Follow along on Instagram!

I publish photos and videos of each dog's progress and TONS of free dog training advice on social media sites including Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Check out the most recent posts below! 

Handsome Diesel sporting his graduation tie! He went home on Sunday morning to reunite with his big (but little) brother, Brian. I’m so proud of him... he gained so many new skills and so much confidence over the last few weeks. I can’t wait to hear about all his future adventures! 💜💜💜
There is a gap between learning a new skill, and that skill becoming second nature. ⠀ We readily acknowledge this when it comes to our human endeavors. For example, I first learned to play the clarinet at age 9. I wasn’t anywhere near proficiency at that point, and no one expected that. But 6 or so years later I was expected to be able to sight read (pick up a new sheet of music and play) some pretty high level music. What got me from one point to another? Practice, persistence, and patience. ⠀ Our dogs are similar. Dogs can learn new skills quickly, but it might be a while before they’re on auto pilot and don’t need any prompting or feedback from you. ⠀ For example, your dog has learned the down/stay, but she’s still a novice—in order to master the skill you must practice! Persist! Be patient! It won’t take 6 years to master the down/stay, but it won’t happen overnight either. (It also won’t happen without your effort!) 😉 ⠀ Be patient, my dear! 💜 You will get there! ⠀ #dogtrainingtips #dogstagram #dogbehaviormodification #itsaprocess #patiencepaysoff
Another successful date—*clears throat*—field trip. I meant to say field trip. 😜 ⠀ Diesel is going home later today, but I have a strong suspicion that his “field trips” with P will continue! ⠀ #traineddogshavemorefun #doggiedate #realworlddogtraining
(I know no one likes to swipe but I think this video is worth it!!!) ⠀ Last night we met Diesel's mom in downtown Phoenix for their second field trip together. We were planning to walk around outside Chase Field as everyone filed in for the Diamondbacks game, but someone (yours truly) failed to notice that the Diamondbacks were AT San Diego this week. Damn! ⠀ Luckily there was plenty going on downtown, and the trip turned out better than I could have planned. The purpose of this trip was to give Diesel and his mom an opportunity to practice navigating a high foot traffic area. People are Diesel's favorite distraction of all time, so this is quite the challenge for him. He has also been known to fixate on flashing lights and shadows, so the timing of our trip (dusk) made this even more of a challenge. Oh, and he experienced both an escalator and an elevator for the first time! ⠀ This point in the training process—when we start handing off the leash to his owner—is absolutely vital. Ultimately, Diesel doesn't need to behave for me; he needs to behave for his mom! This trip was a valuable opportunity for his mom to practice her handling skills, for Diesel to practice his new behaviors, and for both to build their confidence. They totally nailed it!!! ⠀ #dogtrainingisfun #dogmeetsworld #realworlddogtraining #everywheredogs
“Why so serious all the time?” ⠀ “Can’t he run around and be happy?” ⠀ “How will he get enough exercise?!” ⠀ These are some of the more common concerns I hear when we start talking about a more structured lifestyle for our beloved dogs. ⠀ There are a few points I typically make in response: 1 ) A lot of what we call “running around and being happy” is actually creating or perpetuating an anxious state of mind. Think of how you feel after you’ve been rushing around between activities all day. Exhausted, but not the good kind of exhausted, right? Same applies to our dogs. ⠀ 2 ) There is a place for running around and getting exercise, but the inside of the house is not it! Don’t think of the house as a dog park, think of it as a doggie relaxation spa. Inside = chill. Backyard = play. Don’t have a yard? Get a long line, find a fenced in area, an empty dog park, etc. Anything but the house. Remember your mom yelling at you and your siblings to take your ruckus outside? Same applies to our dogs. Inside isn’t the place for it. ⠀ 3 ) Structure isn’t taking away anything—it’s *adding* something! It’s adding patterns and expectations that help your dog learn to control himself, learn to cope with triggers, chaos and change, and learn to look to you for guidance. These are the things we all want from our dogs anyway, and structure is a vital part of getting there. It’s a healthy thing! ⠀ #realworlddogtraining #balancedtraining #dogtrainingadvice