Dog Obedience Training in Sarasota, FL

About Nicholas D'Amato

Nicholas Graduated with a Masters Certification  from the National K9 Learning Center in Ohio. An internationally recognized facility with graduates from all 50 states and over 45 foreign countries. Nick is a member of the IACP (International Association of Canine Professionals),  The National K9 School for Dog Trainers Association and is an AKC certified CGC (Canine Good Citizen) Evaluator.  He is in full time practice and offers programs from basic obedience to service dog levels of canine education.  He has worked in the area for over a decade, successfully training  over 100 dogs of all sizes, breeds, temperaments and behavioral problems, many of which were brought from other parts of the state. Now he has chosen a kennel to associate with here in Sarasota. His training  includes a lifetime guarantee and  free tuneup training whenever you board your dog at the kennel/property where he trains, right here in Sarasota, just off Bee Ridge Road. 

Marlin's K-9 Training Academy

If you would like to enjoy your dog to the fullest, you need a relationship built on mutual trust and understanding. A consistent language needs to be shared between you and your dog. Nicholas is an excellent communicator and will teach your dog and then you, a language that you can both understand. 

Few people have the education and even fewer have the time needed to devote the hours of gentle loving repetition needed for a dog to learn this language. Nicholas uses residential training to give a dog many short lessons in one day, each separated by short rest (processing) times, enabling your dog to link that language to the requested action it represents. In this manner an animal learns far more quickly than 1 private lesson. He is gentle and consistent and empathetic. His training academy progressively takes a puppy from their initial exposure to their second language and builds upon it in each successive program. Consistency throughout his programs enable dogs to trust him, step right back into the program and continue on from where they finished his last lessons with him. Their love for him is evident in his graduates. They know his language, he knows theirs and he'll teach and transfer that relationship to you. 

A Free Puppy Personality Evaluation is where Nicholas likes to begin. 

This is a professionally delivered test that breeders typically use in classifying puppies individual personalities. Armed with this information Nicholas  customizes his training program to the individual style best suited for your dog. It accelerates your puppy's learning ability. Upon completion you'll receive a written evaluation detailing the specific scores on several different personality traits.

Marlin's Group Puppy School is an inexpensive first step in creating a proper training foundation for you and your new companion. Usually taught in small groups (3-6), these 4 weekly  classes are fun and light-hearted. 

Marlin's K-9  Pre-School is an early development, 1 week residential program designed to build a structured foundation for owners with puppies who want to prevent bad habits from ever getting started. By carefully instilling proper and beneficial habits right from the start,  the need for the breaking of bad habits and negative behaviors can be almost eliminated.

Marlin's K-9 Prep-School is a 1-week Residential Program where your dog learns the skills required to complete the K9 Good Citizen Certification. Many people like  returning from a vacation to reunite with their dog who now possess a new set of manners and  skills.  If you and your pup did the Group Puppy Program with Nicholas, they will fondly remember him and he'll serve as an acceptable surrogate. It works beautifully. 

From here you and your companion can move on to 

Marlin's K-9 Finishing School. This is where your dog becomes one of those special dogs you occasionally see people walking around (usually off leash with) . The dog sticks to their owner like glue and seems to almost know without commands what the owner wants. It's a very special relationship of mutual trust and confidence and understanding that is a treasured rarity.

K-9 Pre-School

• 1 week residential program includes.
• Housebreaking
• Chewing Issues
• Socialization - with other people and other dogs
• Confidence Building - desensitization of sights and sounds
• Basic Obedience (sit, down, place, no)
• Contact Tolerance  - desensitization of contact of lips, toes, ears, tail etc.
• Leash Walking (without pulling)
• Manners (no jumping, no mouthing, no resource (food, toy, etc. guarding)
• Crate Training
• Feeding Time Manners

Price: $1650 (plus boarding) 

K-9 Prep School

 This 1 week residential program is perfect for those with a busy schedule who own a dog of any age with minimal behavioral issues. Many people choose this program when they go on vacation, during which there would commonly be some separation from your dog anyway. Think of it like summer camp for your dog. You all reunite after a week with your dog possessing improved manners and a whole new skill set.  In addition to puppy pre-school skills, this program expands your dog's vocabulary and attention span and distraction tolerance to stay focused on you to have ON LEASH obedience skills that include.

• Heel
• Sit & Hold
• Down
• Come
• Place (stay in location)
• Off

Price: $1995.00  (plus boarding) 

K-9 Finishing School

 This 2 week residential program is designed for dog owners that want a lifetime companion animal. If you are involved in our Marlin's K-9 Continuing Education discounts will apply. Expanding the mutual levels of trust and understanding beyond the leash. K-9 Finishing School Graduates become proficient in OFF LEASH obedience communication skills, trust and confidence in each other. K-9 Finishing School enables you and your companion the freedom to go places and do things that few teams can ever experience together.

• Off Leash Control of your Dog
• Total Focus on Handler
• Heel when you Walk and Sit when you Stop.
• Sit and Stay
• Down
• Come 
• Place  (Extended Time & Distance Stay
• Some Additional Customized Commands

Price: $2995.00 (plus boarding) 

K-9 Service College

The deepest relationship of trust and dependence and commitment is the Service Dog Level of Education. Often times, the very lives of the owners are put into the trust of their service animals.  Not all dogs are physically or mentally or emotionally created for this type of commitment, but if you think your dog is, they could serve no higher purpose.   These are customized special skill-sets relying on the same basic language but expanded 10 fold!  K-9 Finishing School levels of certification are required for consideration into this program which is customarily 2 -12 months and ranges in cost dependent on skill set required from $5,000.00 to $35,000.

Price: Dependent of Skill Set rquired

Private Lessons Of Course, private lessons are always available for people and their dog.

Individual private lessons are by the hour and can be customized to specific problems you and your dog are having.

Caution: Many, subtle things that have a cumulative effect go on during a lesson, (not the least of which is consistency) such as but not limited to hand signals, voice inflection,  timed response, etc. 

It is not uncommon for a professional handler like Nicholas to show incredibly rapid improvements, even within the hour lesson time, only to have the gains not seem to be kept. This is because extremely consistent repetition is the missing ingredient and another reason why he suggests his residential programs. Seemingly inconsequential differences in auditory, visual and kinesthetic cues during your later practice sessions, can be confusing to a dog and can produce frustration and diminished results. If you choose Nicholas's private lesson approach we suggest 1 handler with attention to detail.