Questions, answered.

Fill out a quick application about your dog and your goals. Your trainer reviews it, then you'll book a call to talk it through and find the right program. There's no commitment until that call.

Most dogs start with Foundations. It combines private sessions, group classes, and online support, so it covers everything from leash pulling to reactivity while building toward off-leash freedom. If you'd rather learn the basics in a group first, start with Groundwork, and your $300 counts toward Foundations if you upgrade within your first 3 sessions. Not sure? Apply, and your trainer will recommend the right fit on your call.

Our in-person programs in Long Beach range from $300 to $4,500. Groundwork, our weekly group class, is $300. Foundations, our core program with 6 private sessions, 6 group sessions, and online support, is $1,250. Adventure Academy is $450 a month for 2 outings or $775 a month for 4, and Board & Train starts at $4,500 for 4 weeks.

Yes. You can pay over time with Affirm, so cost doesn't have to be the reason you wait. Your trainer can walk you through your options on your call.

Our programs start at 5 months old, but we love working with you before that. We can help you get set up before your puppy comes home and guide you through the early stages of puppyhood. We highly recommend a puppy socialization program starting at 8 weeks, and we're happy to suggest some.

It depends on the program. Foundations and Off-Leash start at Marina Vista Park in Long Beach, and in the final sessions we train wherever you want to take your dog. Groundwork classes meet at Pet Food Express on Long Beach Blvd. Adventure Academy heads out to local trails, parks, breweries, and coffee shops around Long Beach. Board & Train dogs train all over Long Beach and beyond, and some even join road trips for experience in new places.

We use both motivation and clear communication. Dogs learn new skills through food luring, and early on we reward often with food and toys. As training advances, rewards become more occasional, but they never disappear; the reward just changes form. A dog motivated by things it enjoys performs with enthusiasm, and a dog trained with both rewards it loves and consequences it wants to avoid is a dog you can trust. Every program runs on our FFF method: Fulfilled, Focused, Free.

Sometimes, and only when a dog is ready. Every dog starts on a slip collar and leather leash, which is what we use most. Some dogs progress to a prong collar in Foundations or Board & Train. We use e-collars in our Off-Leash program once a dog understands commands and leash pressure, either by graduating from Foundations or by testing into Off-Leash, and occasionally in Foundations when it's the best fit for that dog and owner. We never use prong collars or e-collars in Groundwork.

The Core 4 are the four skills every BAMK9 dog learns: Place, Down, Heel, and Recall. Together they answer the four questions that come up constantly when living with a dog: Where should you be? Can you stay here? Can you move with me? Can you come back to me? You don't need 30 commands to have a dog that's easy to live with, just a few skills strong enough to use when you actually need them.

Yes. We work with reactive dogs in Long Beach all the time, and Jordan loves working with them. For reactive dogs, we recommend Foundations, where private sessions come first and group work is added as your dog is ready. Groundwork is a group class, so it isn't the right fit for dogs with serious aggression, and dogs that are reactive or very disruptive may be asked to practice away from the group there.

It depends on your dog, but every program is built to move you toward it. Off leash is earned one reliable rep at a time: focus and recall on a leash, then a long line, then no line. Once the foundation is solid, our Off-Leash program takes you and your dog further.

Dogs are living beings, so no honest trainer can guarantee perfection. What we can guarantee is that your dog will finish with better behavior and stronger skills than when you started.

Yes, and we recommend it. Anyone actively involved in training your dog should come. For safety, kids under 10 can't attend, since sessions can get overwhelming and some dogs aren't comfortable around kids. Kids 10 and up who are part of the training and can stay engaged for the full session are welcome.

You're not on your own. Foundations includes lifetime support through our online platform, with live Q&As, replays, and a growing training library. Every graduate stays part of the BAMK9 pack, with options like Adventure Academy, pack walks, and community events to keep building together.

Foundations is 6 weeks, with one private session and one group session each week, plus weekly homework and feedback through Skool in between.

Each week you'll get homework through Skool with written instructions, plus a practice video to submit 4 days before your next session. Your trainer replies within 24 hours, so you have time to adjust before you meet again. Most of the progress happens between sessions, so this part matters.

You can reschedule a session with at least 24 hours' notice. If you miss a group class, makeups are up to your trainer, since you'd be joining the next round of Foundations students for their group class.

For most dogs, six weeks is the sweet spot to get the foundations down, as long as you show up to every session and group class and do your homework. If your dog needs more time, you can schedule extra sessions with your trainer at an additional cost.

Everything you need to know, including what to bring, is covered in your onboarding before your first session.

Groundwork is 7 weeks: an owners-only kickoff in week 1, then 6 weekly group classes with your dog. Each class runs 45 minutes to an hour, and classes are capped at 6 dogs.

Yes, the owners-only kickoff is required. It's where you learn the tools, marker words, how to deliver treats, how to handle your tools properly, and what to bring, so you and your dog get the most out of every class after.

Because of how classes are scheduled, we don't offer makeup classes, and missing one means missing an important part of the learning process. If you have an emergency, talk to your trainer, and they may be able to work something out.

No. Groundwork is focused on your weekly classes. If you want homework feedback and lifetime support through Skool, that's included in Foundations.

Yes. If within your first 3 sessions, including the owners-only kickoff, you decide your dog needs more help or you want to go further, your $300 is applied toward Foundations.

The AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test checks that a dog has good manners at home and in public. By the end of Groundwork, your dog should be ready to pass it.

Adventure Academy is for dogs who have trained with BAMK9 and been approved by their trainer. Dogs need to be at least 6 months old, fully vaccinated, and on flea and tick medication. If you're new to BAMK9, start with Foundations.

It's a full day, with pickups typically starting around 8:30 am and drop-offs around 4:30 pm. Adventure Academy runs Tuesdays and Thursdays. You choose one, and your dog keeps that day so we can build the best possible group.

Pickup and drop-off anywhere in Long Beach is included, and outside Long Beach we can talk about a travel fee. Groups are never more than 4 dogs.

Yes. Photos and videos are posted to our Instagram, @bamk9_lbc, throughout the day. If you'd like a photo or video sent directly to you, just ask.

We go out rain or shine, and the weather shapes the day. In the heat, we exercise early and do more urban enrichment and practice. In the rain, it's a free-for-all, and one of the best times to practice skills.

Adventure Academy is month-to-month with automatic monthly payments: $450 a month for 2 outings, or $775 a month for 4. We need 30 days' notice to cancel. Missed or skipped outings don't roll over.