More than 10,000 dogs have been trained by Absolute K-9 since Mike Stone founded the company in April 1994. We work from our facility in San Diego’s Sorrento Valley, and after more than 30 years we are still doing the same thing: turning difficult dogs into dogs families actually enjoy living with.
Training at our Sorrento Valley facility. See more of the facility →
What You Get When You Train With Us
Every dog that comes to us starts the same way, and no two programs end up identical.
1. An honest evaluation
We start by talking through what your dog is actually doing, what you have already tried, and what your household looks like. If we do not think you need a program, we will tell you.
2. A plan built around your dog
Breed, temperament, history and the specific behaviours you are struggling with all shape the plan. You are not buying a fixed package off a shelf.
3. Training for you, not just your dog
This is the part most people underestimate. Before your dog goes home we show you how to give the commands, hold the boundaries, and handle it when old habits resurface.
4. Support after you leave
Refresher sessions and ongoing guidance are available to graduates. The goal is training that still holds a year later, not a fortnight later.
Who Trains Your Dog
In April 1994, Mike Stone opened Absolute K-9 Training Inc. with his business partner, Toni Menard. Mike is a certified trainer in the United States, Germany and England, certified in both obedience and protection work, and is also a certified kennel technician and police dog trainer.
Mike, Toni and the certified trainers at Absolute K-9 bring more than 40 years of combined experience. We are the only training company in the area with licensed and certified trainers who actively compete and judge nationwide, and several hold international certifications from Germany and England.
Our trainers have worked with competition dogs, police dogs and other highly trained canines — well beyond what most household pets need. You almost certainly do not need your dog doing search and rescue work. But when the hard cases come to us, we have handled harder.
What matters more day to day is that we understand ordinary families with ordinary dogs. Read more about our training philosophy and methods.
Two Things No Other San Diego Trainer Offers
Veterinary care on the same site
We share our location with Snug Animal Hospital, so dogs staying with us have veterinary support right here. For older dogs, dogs on medication, or owners who have been nervous about boarding before, this is usually the detail that settles it.
0% financing
Good training should not have to wait for the right month. Absolute K-9 and Snug Pet Resort offer 0% financing through CareCredit, subject to credit approval, so you can enrol straight after buying or adopting.
KFMB Channel 8 · Channel 10 · Fox 6 · Animal Planet · Star 100.7 · Rick Roberts KFMB · KCBQ · San Diego Magazine · Ranch & Coast Magazine · Fear Factor on NBC
Celebrities and everyday owners alike travel to us from across San Diego County. You can read what our clients have written about us, or see the facility for yourself.
Come and See For Yourself
Tell us what is going on with your dog and we will tell you honestly which program fits — or whether you need one at all.