About the Trainer

Hi I'm Robin

​The trainer, and owner, of K9 Academics with more than 40 years experience training service, working, and companion dogs professionally. 

​Over my years I have trained service dogs, therapy dogs, and competitive obedience dogs. I have a military background as a former MP. More recently, I was a certified Search and Rescue Dog handler, Training Director and Lead Certification Evaluator for SAR dogs here in Colorado. I've even assisted with the training of patrol dogs for law enforcement. 

​K9 Academics informally began in the summer of 1988 when I was asked to help numerous friends and several strangers train their dogs.

​Training has always been my passion, gaining experience in several disciplines as well as training different species, not just dogs. As a teen, I began teaching our family dogs tricks, as well as basic obedience. Growing up in Alaska I learned how to train sled dogs, and Ski-jor. Ski-joring also covers the exciting sport of Canine Cross. I've participated in competition obedience and tracking events which open doors to more advanced performance sports, including protection work and scent detection work.

Framed print of a man in a field, herding a dog, with a stick in his hand and a black dog nearby, against a landscape background.
A woman wearing a blue cap and black jacket with an orange vest sits on a snowmobile in a snowy outdoor setting, holding a black and white dog. The background features snow-covered trees and mountains.

My training style is patient, looking at the whole dog - owner combination, then customizing a training plan to fit their individual needs. Over the years I've developed a variety of methods to train and create a partnership with my dogs, and I am happy to relay my skills to you and your dog, in order to help you achieve success.  

As part of K9 Academics I've helped pet owners correct behavioral issues as well as provide instruction in activities that owners and pets alike can enjoy, such as pulling carts or nose work for games or adventure. A good portion of my training years have been devoted to the training of service and working dogs. From this background I received advanced education for myself to become a successful professional handler and I now enjoy helping other to learn as well.

In 2001 I took a break from formally offering lessons in order to participate as a K9 handler of a certified Wilderness Search Dog for Search and Rescue. My dog, Toss and I searched vast areas of mountainous terrain and urban areas for lost, missing, and deceased persons in Colorado and surrounding states. Search and Rescue was a wonderful experience, expanding my education on a variety of subjects, such as k9 health, travel, camping and hiking, and weather. During our years in Search and Rescue Toss and I had five Finds as well as multiple Assist to Finds using Toss ability to scent his subjects from longs distances. Unfortunately, as years tend to do, he and I both became older and stiffer until the sad day came when Toss was fielded to Heaven, December of 2015 leaving me without a dog for the first time in my life. 

Looking for direction, I decided to reestablish K9 Academics and use my knowledge to help others improve their relationship with their own dog via my style of training and knowledge.

In the 40 plus years that I have been training dogs my understanding of dog behavior spans a variety of breeds, training methods, as well as K9 skills levels.

My training is always patient using whichever training style best helps a dog and its owner achieve their goals.  

I welcome the opportunity to speak with you and set up a training plan to meet your specific dog training needs.

Sincerely,

Robin Anderson
K9 Academics

Three of my children sitting on a red wagon while two dogs run alongside, pulling the wagon on a grassy area with trees in the background.

Brav and Coffy pulling my kids as part of their daily job delivering newspapers. Our family couldn’t have survived without Brav and Coffy’s help.