K9 Crew

At K9 Crew we encourage responsibility, respect, self-discipline, self-confidence, peer support - and that's just the tip of the iceberg!  

How do we do this? 

With the help of a few working dogs, several rescue dogs, sometimes puppies, and other times the Crew Kids' very own pet dogs - our instructor (professional dog trainer, Joe Fluge of Urban K9) teaches the Crew Kids how to train and work with dogs of different types, breeds, ages, and temperaments. The class size is limited to four kids for optimal learning, safety, and more hands-on training time.

Through working with the dogs, the Crew Kids learn and enhance positive character traits such as patience, discipline, confidence, kindness, and more. While the specific character traits that develop within each Crew Kid cannot be predicted, it is certain that each Crew Kid will end the year-long program having had an experience like no other - and they will have opportunities ahead of them that would not otherwise be possible. 

K9 Crew is for at-risk kids ages 12-16 who have a love of dogs. At K9 Crew, we believe that we are ALL ‘at-risk,’ but young teens are especially at-risk. At-risk for what?

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Bullying
• Negative peer influence
• Juvenile delinquency

At this juncture in their lives, kids are vulnerable, stubborn, independent, and sensitive just to name a few (in addition to helpful, kind, funny, sweet, etc.; it’s a rollercoaster and parents are just hanging on for the ride trying to keep from derailing). The point is this: one poor choice can make the rest of a kid’s life more challenging than necessary. K9 Crew is here to give interested kids the opportunity to start themselves off on the path to success in life.