MEET THE VIGILANT K9 TEAM
Get to know our team a bit! We are a small business full of dog loving individualizes that cant wait to help you make your best friend even better!
Allison Case
Certified Dog Trainer
Owner/Foudner
Allison started and is the president of Vigilant K9. She has worked with dogs (training and competing) since she was 8 years old in obedience and agility with all sorts of breeds - including Bear a Newfoundland, Ghost a malamute X, Moxie a border collie mix and Saide a rottweiler! Allison worked for a doggy daycare before attending dog training school where she was able to learn all about Pack play, dog body language, temperment pairing, and kennel management! In 2013 she completed the Canine Training and Behavior Specialist Program at Starmark Academy under Rob Dunn and Jesse Gabriel. Where she learned all about service dog training, SAR and detection work, basic and advanced obedience, protection training skills, and how to run a dog training business. Since then she continued to grow and learn, With her late German Shepherd x Belgian Malinois she spent many hours training and certifying in Human Remains Detection work with a local SAR group. Sadly the dog who helped form our company (Niko) passed away in January 2021 due to Hemangiosarcoma. Allison now spends her time with their newest addition, Reef, Actively training in PSA (protection sports association) as well as dabbling in Dock Diving and Agility!
Allisons favorite skills to work through are resource gaurding, nervous dogs, advanced obedience, and specialtiy skills such as sports!
William Case
Assistant and Co-Owner
William was introduced to the world of dogs through his wife Allison. He is now a co-owner of Vigilant K9 and actively trains in the realm of hunting dogs. He currently trains his Labrador, Hobie in bird retrieving for hunting as well as for AKC Hunt tests. William works with his Labrador out at the North Dakota Retrievers Club.
Haley Kramer
Dog Trainer
Haley has been involved in the dog world since she was a child, becoming a junior handler in both competetive agility and obedience with her childhoold austrailain shepherds, Brisbee and Brody. In high school she fostered dogs and was able to learn a lot about the shelter systems and behaviors that can come from that system. Haley attended college at NDSU and graduated with a strategic communications degree in 2019. While in college she worked at a local doggy daycare and leared about pack play, dog body language, and how to manage a kennel setting. Haley has undergone extensive training under head trainer Allison Case (over 1,000 hours!) to become the trainer she is today.
Haley has four personal dogs: Stella, Fenway, Kipp, and Newt! In her free time she enjoys training stella and kipp in obedience, tricks and agility, and PSA (protection sports association) with Fenway and Newt!
Haleys favorite things to work with are puppy OB, nervouse and fearful dogs, and reactivity!
Kayleigh Omang
Dog Trainer
Kayleigh Omang is one of our trainers. She graduated in 2017 from MSUM in photojournalism, mass communications and entrepreneurism, and is excited to use that knowledge in the dog training business. Kayleigh has always had a love of dogs, which started from 101 Dalmatians cartoon. Her favorite part about dog training is bridging the communication gap between people and dogs, and helping families and dogs live happier lives together. Her family dog is a Papillon named Louis, who loves learning new tricks, going to the park and riding in the car. Kayleigh underwent training under our lead trainer (Allison). Her personal dog is a border collie pup named Sailor who trains and competes in AKC Scent work, Agility, and Rally, And Rush, who trains in PSA (protection sports association)
Training Philosophy
We believe in training the dog (and human!) in front of us. We do not think training is a one size fits all blanket. We promote balanced reward based training. Meaning we use treats to teach - we access what and how the dog has learned behaviors, we access why the dog is having troubles with some commands in various areas - WE TROUBLESHOOT behaviors. We make sure our dogs have a full understand of what is expected (and a reward history to keep the behavior strong). Once we can establish that we MAY add in training tools to aid your dog in their learning journey. We believe there is no bad tool, only misuse of that tool (harnesses, leashes, flat collars, prong collars, e-collars all have a place - and its our job to ensure your dog is using the communication that best fits THEM!). Are we treat trainers? YES and no - we use what motivates YOUR dog (that may be food, toys, praise, or even ice cubes 🤣), we let your dog tell us what motivates them as that is how we will get consistent behaviors. Just like kids every dog is different, some a martingale or flat collar and a verbal marker that something was wrong fits them perfectly, others need a bit of a different style communication.
We like to use all 4 quadrants of learning to aid in the dogs full understanding of what we are teaching them in all aspects that they will be exposed to. We train in various settings to set the picture that obedience and manners is expected everywhere, but possibly the most important, we teach you how to better communicate with your dog and provide them a life style they can truly thrive in!
Our promise to you is to always listen to you and your dog, you as the owner can provide us as the trainer with valuable information on how you and your dog can work together as a team. We promise to continually keep up on our education in this field we feel passionately about in order to always provide you and your dog the most up to date knowledge. We promise a life time of support to ensure you and your dog always stay in sync!
When Booking a stay and train program or a private lesson program we do require the program to be paid in full.
Weekly classes we do require the class program be paid in full at time of booking. We do not offer refunds on our group classes.
Weekly class will only be reschedule if weather demands it, the instructor becomes ill or If 1/2 or more of the students cannot make it. If the weekly class has the need to be rescheduled a make up class will be added onto the end of the package. If you and your dog miss a week of class no make up class will be rescheduled. You may request to come early to be verbally caught up on what was covered.
While our obedience class is set up to help dogs achieve a canine good citizen level of obedience, with trainer permission we will accept behavior cases to join our group class (price may vary and safety of all participating will take priority).
Being more then 15 minuets late without letting your instructor know counts as a missed session and no make up lesson will be scheduled. Again we understand that life happens, we just ask that you let us know so we are not waiting!
While we do NOT require an evaluation for any of our programs. We DO require our behavior form be filled out for board and train boot camps geared towards behavior modifications as well as behavior modification private lesson clients.
This is something we do because we love the human and canine bond and want everyone to be able to enjoy their canine companion. That being said the people who make Vigilant K9 run do both work full time jobs, have training commitments for their personal dogs, and a toddler does reside on the VK9 team. With that being said we dedicate a large amount of our life and our time to our company and we truly love to see the success of all of our clients. We try our hardest to respond within 48 hours to online and phone requests however at times it may be more delayed then others, thank you for understanding!
Our clients very much become a part of our lives, we create bonds that last a lifetime. To be accepted into our training programs we look for hard working and dedicated owners that are wanting the best for their dogs and are looking for a trainer that will be there every step of the way! We've had clients from years ago that we still regularly speak with and meet up with. Once you join our VK9 pack you join a family that wants to see the best for each other! Training and the up keep of training is a commitment, we'll give you the tools needed, but we do need you to follow through with the instructions , teamwork makes the dream work!
VK9 POLICIES
