All About Our Team
Hi again! I'm Sarah and I live in Bigfork, MT with my family (Husband, son and our dog, Nikko). I am the owner and lead trainer for Last Best K9. My husband, Aaron, assists with training anytime he is able and if you have taken a look on the website or social media you will see Nikko featured frequently as a demo pup. When we're not training dogs our family enjoys hiking, fishing, and exploring new places around Montana.
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​I founded Last Best K9 in 2021 after completing an internship at Georgia K9 NTC. I grew up training and showing dogs in 4-h and AKC competitions and always hoped I would make my way to owning my own business. My internship gave me the business and handling experience I needed to start out on my own successfully. My favorite part about owning a dog training business is watching people begin to truly enjoy time with their dog and have more freedom!
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​My training style falls under a Balanced Dog Training philosophy and I am happy to offer a bit of information on this in the section below! I am constantly updating services that LBK9 offers to best fit the needs of dog owners in Montana. I am have clients in all stages of life, with different goals and needs for their own dog, and I strive to assist in narrowing down goals, simplifying commands, and teaching clear communication techniques for each situation. Check out our training services page for the most up to date training options!
Balanced Dog Training
​I love giving dogs freedom. What I mean by this is setting your dog up with structure and consistency for them to learn and thrive in different environments and, in turn, get to enjoy more life adventures with you, their owner. Balanced dog training is all about finding a way to lead your dog clearly and find new enjoyment with them, whether it is basic leash walking, off-leash reliability, or clearing up behavioral issues.
I train dogs using different tools for clear communication produced in a way that dogs can understand. "Training tools" is a broad term and encompasses: E-Collar, Prong Collar, Slip Lead, Crate, Treats and more. By using a balanced approach of praise, correction, and motivation while using training tools, tone, and body language, I will train your dog in a way that is clear and simple for them to understand. I also educate you, the owner, on correct use of training tools, obedience commands and manners work. It is important that you feel confident in training technique and changes that I make to your dog's lifestyle.
My training programs are personalized for every dog and owner and it is important to not generalize training plans only by your dog's age, background, or breed. Instead, I do a full evaluation to determine the best training plan based on many factors: environmental stressors, health history, owner/family involvement, basic lifestyle, exposure/socialization, and drive vs. personality.​ My balanced training style relies on taking all those factors into account as we progress through a training program.
Calm & Confident Dogs are two results that balanced training produces as you learn how to communicate expectations to your dog clearly and your dog develops impulse control and consistency within those expectations. This might mean working with your dog to balance excitement levels, ignore distractions, or using techniques to build confidence and lesson fearful reactions. Balanced training is suitable for all behavioral issues from reactivity to simple command control.