Gallery | Ivy League Canine Academy

We turn BAD dogs into GOOD dogs!

ilk9academy

Yesterday, Bass was recognized as the 75th recipie

Yesterday, Bass was recognized as the 75th recipient of the PDSA Dickin Medal. He is the first Special Operations MPC to ever earn this award. I am extremely proud and grateful for Bass’ time in service, especially his abilities and resolve in some very intense moments. I owe a lot to Bass for getting me through those deployments safely. I am eternally grateful to have gotten paired up with an animal like Bass - the best dog I’ve ever worked with.

The most important part of this award, however, is not about Bass or myself. As I did a couple of interviews and took pictures with Bass in the months leading up to this, I got to relive our career together. It was truly an incredible experience that I miss every day. The men that I was fortunate enough to call team mates are the highest caliber of people in every facet. Great Warfighters and even better people. Bass and I would not be here without the men of 8232, 8313, and 8244.

I have also had some of the most infamous and battle tested dog trainers surrounding me for my entire career. I came up in the Marine Corps with the 2 MEF Hellhounds giving me every piece of info from their experiences downrange. I was trained and mentored from some of the most incredible minds in the K9 career field, still today. When I first got to my last duty assignment at MARSOC MPC I was surrounded and pushed on a daily basis to be the best dog team I could be, by the best damn dog teams in the US Armed Forces.

This award recognizes Bass and his truly amazing career, but it also represents every MPC I served with. I have served with many teams that have done unbelievable things and deserve their own individual recognition, and I hope that day comes.

It is truly an honor to represent what MARSOC, the David Sonka MPC Kennels, and the military working dog community is all about, and has done for the last two decades.

Thank you all for the support.

K9 leads the way!

This good boy finished his last round of chemo yes

This good boy finished his last round of chemo yesterday afternoon! The doc said his cancer is in remission since no new masses have been detected. In two weeks, we’ll head back up to Austin for another check-up and to begin 6 months of medication to help keep this at bay for as long as we can. Thankfully and as expected, Bass has been handling all of his treatments very well. His personality and energy have remained constant throughout the whole process. We are beyond grateful that our boy is feeling great!

We cannot thank @uswardogs_official enough for their continued support throughout this whole process. This organization immediately stepped in to ensure that Bass received the best care possible, resulting in giving him the quality of life he deserves.

We also cannot thank the staff at @vcacapitalarea enough! Their expertise, guidance and uplifting personalities have continued to shine light on an otherwise heavy and somber journey.

We picked Bass up Wednesday afternoon after hours of tests and treatment. He busted through those doors with Bass energy and immediately brought his new hamburger toy to mom with visible excitement. His brother Rooster and him enjoyed some time in the sun and finished the celebratory day with hamburgers and ice cream.

Body Language Is Important!! If you are teachin

Body Language Is Important!!

If you are teaching your dog a down with duration check out their body language to see if they are showing comfortability or potential insecurity. Something I have found to be very helpful is gently showing dogs how to roll their hips over to achieve a little more comfort in the “Down” position.

It’s a minor thing, but it makes a big difference for the dog. Once they can relax physically, then we can teach a relaxed mental state.

Look for the signals your dog is showing you!

#ivyleaguecanineacademy #dog #dogsofinstagram #dogteamleader #dogtraining #dogtrainer #balancedtraining #reactivity #calm #focus #doglogic #obedience #sanantonio #texas

Let’s give it up for the class of 2022! A lot we

Let’s give it up for the class of 2022! A lot went into getting these grad caps on all 88 of our graduates from ILK9 Academy this year. Each one of these graduation photos represents a long and difficult journey that each dog and their family committed to. I love looking back at these photos and remembering all the details of each family and their specific struggles to now hearing about their successes.

Thank you to the Ivy League team, (which continues to grow every day) and to the owners who have trusted me with their dogs. Lastly, thank you to my wife @maddielouschnell for supporting me every step of the way!! Thankfully, she’s just as a big of a dog lover as I am!

We’re excited for all the dogs that are already in the shoot for 2023. Here’s to creating a new lifestyle for each dog team that comes through, forming relationships with new owners and continuing to foster relationships with our previous clients and pups. We love you ILK9 fam!

#ivyleaguecanineacademy #dog #dogsofinstagram #dogteamleader #dogtraining #dogtrainer #balancedtraining #reactivity #calm #focus #doglogic #obedience #sanantonio #texas

Thresholds can be a great place to stop your dog a

Thresholds can be a great place to stop your dog and work on impulse control. When a dog sees an open door, 9 times out of 10 they want to bolt through to the other side. Make them wait in a controlled state until you give them the release command or a follow on obedience task.

Expecting this behavior for doorways, vehicles, and even kennels will make your dog more responsive to your commands and more calm.

#ivyleaguecanineacademy #dog #dogsofinstagram #dogteamleader #dogtraining #dogtrainer #balancedtraining #reactivity #calm #focus #doglogic #obedience #sanantonio #texas

Our last Alumni session for the year is in the boo

Our last Alumni session for the year is in the books! We always look forward to maintaining a relationship with the ILK9 dog teams after graduation, and these are the perfect opportunity! We are looking forward to expanding these training opportunities more to our growing community in 2023!

#ivyleaguecanineacademy #dog #dogsofinstagram #dogteamleader #dogtraining #dogtrainer #balancedtraining #reactivity #calm #focus #doglogic #obedience #sanantonio #texas

Bass Update - Bass has been through a lot the pa

Bass Update -

Bass has been through a lot the past month. He had emergency surgery at the end of October to remove a mass on his spleen. The results came back about 3 weeks ago and Bass was diagnosed with a type of blood cancer called Hemangiosarcoma. Although the prognosis isn’t great, we are fortunate to be able to help him fight the spread because of support from @uswardogs_official and get some more very quality time with our boy. Bass has been acting like his normal crazy self and that is so great to see. We have three more sessions of chemotherapy left, but he is doing great so far and enjoys his pup cups post therapy. Every day is a gift, squeeze your dogs tight tonight!

How do you give your dog true freedom? The answer

How do you give your dog true freedom? The answer that not many want to hear is to take freedom away. Taking freedoms away, initially, allows you to show your dog what you expect from them, conditioning their behavior. Soon, when you give your dog more freedoms they will choose the right behavior INDEPENDENTLY!

Giving your dog zero guidance and unlimited freedom may be the easier route initially, but I promise you it will come back home to roost.

Love your dog by leading them!

#ivyleaguecanineacademy #dog #dogsofinstagram #dogteamleader #dogtraining #dogtrainer #balancedtraining #reactivity #calm #focus #doglogic #obedience #sanantonio #texas

This is the VERY FIRST training session I do with

This is the VERY FIRST training session I do with our board and train dogs. It’s also one of the first things I will have owners show me during training sessions. There are so many foundational skills that you can teach with this simple drill. The kennel is what I like to use because it has clear boundaries and most dogs have some understanding of it.

You can make insane changes in your dogs mind just by changing your expectations with the kennel and teaching your dog that everything in their life requires your permission and guidance, initially.

I challenge you to try this game. If your dog is great at it, try this game during moments of high stimulation. Becoming your dog’s leader has to start somewhere!

#ivyleaguecanineacademy #dog #dogsofinstagram #dogteamleader #dogtraining #dogtrainer #balancedtraining #reactivity #calm #focus #doglogic #obedience #sanantonio #texas

Here are some considerations to make this evenings

Here are some considerations to make this evenings craziness a productive training opportunity! Have fun and lead your dog!

#ivyleaguecanineacademy #dog #dogsofinstagram #dogteamleader #dogtraining #dogtrainer #balancedtraining #reactivity #calm #focus #doglogic #obedience #sanantonio #texas

* @uswardogs_official is an amazing organization a

* @uswardogs_official is an amazing organization and here is why*

We had quite the unsettling week with our war dog, Bass. On Monday , Maddie noticed something off with Bass (he didn’t want his ball) and took him in to the emergency vet. Bass had a mass on his spleen that ruptured and he was bleeding internally. The vet hospital performed an emergency surgery to remove the mass and stop the bleeding. He is now home recovering and doing much better. We are not out of the woods yet and will find out if the mass is cancerous or not next week. We are just glad to have our boy home!

@uswardogs_official covered the ENTIRE cost of Bass’ care, surgery, and stay. This organization exists to help heroes like Bass, and we are so grateful that they do. USWDA helped save Bass’ life, and they do this for retired war dogs on a daily basis by covering medical costs. Check them out and support their mission!

When you give your dog a verbal command, do they l

When you give your dog a verbal command, do they listen? Does “No” get your dog to stop doing what they are doing, or do they ignore you?

What you need to understand as a dog team leader is that your dog doesn’t speak the same language as you. Words are just sounds put together. We can condition those sounds to mean something to our dog, but the key word is condition. Without training, teaching, showing, and reinforcing our words your dog will never learn.

Show your dogs what you want your words to mean by using training tools like leashes and collars, reinforcement and punishment, and consistency!

#ivyleaguecanineacademy #dog #dogsofinstagram #dogteamleader #dogtraining #dogtrainer #balancedtraining #reactivity #calm #focus #doglogic #obedience #sanantonio #texas

What is your MENTALITY?? Training your dog can be

What is your MENTALITY??

Training your dog can be frustrating, overwhelming, and even scary at times. When you’re dealing with severe behaviors like reactivity and aggression, exposing your dog to those triggers is serious business.

Overcoming those behaviors has so much to do with owner mentality. You need to know what the game plan is and what your actions could be, sure. But, you also need to have the mentality that you can overcome anything.

Mentality is everything!!

#ivyleaguecanineacademy #dog #dogsofinstagram #dogteamleader #dogtraining #dogtrainer #balancedtraining #reactivity #calm #focus #doglogic #obedience #sanantonio #texas

Gucci Friday! Our long training leashes are not on

Gucci Friday! Our long training leashes are not only crucial for independence and conditioning off leash skills, but are certified “fresh” and can be used to accentuate any outfit.

Who wore it better, Snoop or Draco??

#ivyleaguecanineacademy #dog #dogsofinstagram #dogteamleader #dogtraining #dogtrainer #balancedtraining #reactivity #calm #focus #doglogic #obedience #sanantonio #texas

Your dog needs you!! I have worked with so many

Your dog needs you!!

I have worked with so many owners that tell me they have had dogs their whole life, and never one as challenging as the one they have now. First time dog owners may end up with a pup that has crazy impulses and tons of drive.

Regardless of the situation that brought you to this point, it’s very important you don’t compare yourself to others, or be critical of yourself.

You may need to use equipment others don’t, and methods others don’t. If you let all the good idea fairies and voices around you tell you what is good and bad for your dog, progress may be difficult.

Get help if you need it. Use whatever tools make communication with your dog successful. Lead your dog the way they need to be led. Stop worrying about what others are saying or doing and advocate for what’s best for your team!!

#ivyleaguecanineacademy #dog #dogsofinstagram #dogteamleader #dogtraining #dogtrainer #balancedtraining #reactivity #calm #focus #doglogic #obedience #sanantonio #texas

What is your vote? Rocky may be one of the cutest

What is your vote? Rocky may be one of the cutest ILK9ACADEMY pups yet!

#ivyleaguecanineacademy #dog #dogsofinstagram #dogteamleader #dogtraining #dogtrainer #balancedtraining #reactivity #calm #focus #doglogic #obedience #sanantonio #texas

How do you improve your dog’s confidence? One

How do you improve your dog’s confidence?

One the best ways to improve your dog’s confidence in specific situations is through OBEDIENCE. This, of course, implies that you need to have taught your obedience prior to exposing them to stimulating environments - WHICH IS CORRECT.

You have no business trying to overcome environmental insecurities if your dog can’t maintain basic commands. But, once they can, you can use them to improve confidence by helping control their body to fight that “fight or flight” reflex.

Theoretically, the more air brakes that happen for Myla, the less reactive she will get. This concept can be applied to endless stimulus including other dogs, noises, people, or environments.

If you control the body, you can control the mind!!

Be the leader your dog needs!

#ivyleaguecanineacademy #dog #dogsofinstagram #dogteamleader #dogtraining #dogtrainer #balancedtraining #reactivity #calm #focus #doglogic #obedience #sanantonio #texas

We had an incredible time with our first Alumni ap

We had an incredible time with our first Alumni appreciation meet. The ILK9 army is so supportive we wanted to have a chance to give some of that support back! We had a great afternoon eating Texas BBQ, getting the dogs in the lake, and hanging with owners that have become friends!

#ivyleaguecanineacademy #dog #dogsofinstagram #dogteamleader #dogtraining #dogtrainer #balancedtraining #reactivity #calm #focus #doglogic #obedience #sanantonio #texas

Here is a tip to work your dog’s position during

Here is a tip to work your dog’s position during the walk! Keep your expectations consistent and use your environment to your advantage!!

#ivyleaguecanineacademy #dog #dogsofinstagram #dogteamleader #dogtraining #dogtrainer #balancedtraining #reactivity #calm #focus #doglogic #obedience #sanantonio #texas

We had a busy month at ILK9ACADEMY!! These pups al

We had a busy month at ILK9ACADEMY!! These pups all graduated our board and train program, and are now back home with their owners living their new life. Congrats to the newest group of the Class of 2022!

#ivyleaguecanineacademy #dog #dogsofinstagram #dogteamleader #dogtraining #dogtrainer #balancedtraining #reactivity #calm #focus #doglogic #obedience #sanantonio #texas

Load More Follow on Instagram