Become a certified dog trainer in as little as 6 months. • Get Instant Access •
Tuition Payment Plans
Start Your Career as a
Certified Dog Trainer
Become a certified dog trainer in as little as 6 months.
Get Instant Access • Tuition Payment Plans
11,000+
Enrollments
850+
Video Lessons
10,000 +
Dogs Trained
350+
Five Star Reviews
Start Your Career as a Certified Dog Trainer
Our Mission: Behavior First.
Our entire purpose is to help behavioral dogs, those struggling with fear, anxiety, reactivity, and aggression in all forms. We are dedicated to keeping dogs in homes, emptying shelters, and reducing euthanasia rates. While many schools take an "adequate at everything, master of none" approach, we refuse to train mediocre trainers. We prepare our students to become true behavior masters, whether you're working with pet dogs, rescue animals, or working dogs.
Lifetime Support: A Partner For Your Career
Most schools end their relationship with you the moment you graduate. At Method K9 Institute, we are your school for life. To ensure your long-term success, all graduates receive ongoing lifetime mentorship, including 2 hours of live training coaching and 2 hours of live business coaching every single month. *
Proven Business Blueprint
You wouldn’t take financial advice from someone who is broke, so why take business advice from someone who hasn't built a thriving training company? We give you the exact step-by-step blueprint behind our years of proven success. From marketing, web design, and social media to insurance, software, client acquisition, employee management, and public speaking, we cover every aspect of building a profitable business.
Comprehensive, Real-World Curriculum
Our students master foundational skills like on and off-leash obedience and puppy raising, alongside advanced behavioral rehabilitation for resource guarding, human aggression, dog aggression, reactivity, anxiety, and OCD. You gain access to over 120 hours of in-depth study footage paired with hands-on instruction. Real dogs. Real problems. Real results.
Master-Level Instructors
You learn directly from active trainers with over 16 years of real-world experience in the trenches of complex behavioral work. No AI, no fluff, and no trimmed 6-second highlight reels. You get authentic, step-by-step problem-solving from professionals who do this work every day.
Customized Education Pathways
Every graduate must prove their expertise through rigorous written knowledge exams and physical skill evaluations- but how you reach that standard is up to you. We offer flexible online and in-person learning pathways tailored to your needs, ensuring you receive the support required to succeed and graduate.
Once a month, every month, you get on a live coaching call with Stephanie to ask your training questions. For life, even after graduation.*
$4,200+ in Annual Coaching Value with your Certification.
Live monthly coaching with Julius Vichinsky covering insurance, marketing, business systems, and the strategies we’ve used to grow successful dog-training businesses.
$4,200+ in Annual Coaching Value with your Certification.
Every Certification student gets a tool box with a variety of training tools: treat pouch, collars, and leashes*. Also included is various MK9 Institute merch!
$200+ Value in Gear & Merch
Direct Access to Founders & Lead Staff
When you have questions, you talk directly to us. We don't outsource our support, hide behind automated phone prompts, or leave you waiting in a endless cue to speak to a real person. You get direct, personal access to our founders and senior instruction team, ensuring you get clear, expert guidance whenever you need it.
Once a month, every month, you get on a live coaching call with Stephanie to ask your training questions. For life, even after graduation.*
Receive Up to $8,400 in Annual Coaching Value
Live monthly coaching with Julius Vichinsky covering insurance, marketing, business systems, and the strategies we’ve used to grow successful dog-training businesses.
Receive Up to $4,200 in Annual Coaching Value
Every student gets a tool box with a variety of training tools: treat pouch, collars, and leashes*. Also included is various Institute merch!
$200+ Value in Gear & Merch
Malayna Massie
The education I am receiving is helping me create dogs that are reliable with boundaries and commands without relying too much on any tool.
Level 1 Certified
Brittany
The live monthly group coaching sessions truly set it apart for me. They gave me a sense of community and reminded me that you’re never doing this alone.
Level 1 Certified
Ciara Morales
The knowledge and structure I learned through METHOD K9 helped establish more legitimacy in my business, which built greater trust with clients and ultimately helped increase both sales and revenue.
Level 4 Certified
Malayna Massie
The education I am receiving is helping me create dogs that are reliable with boundaries and commands without relying too much on any tool.
Level 1 Certified
Brittany
The live monthly group coaching sessions truly set it apart for me. They gave me a sense of community and reminded me that you’re never doing this alone.
Level 1 Certified
Ciara Morales
The knowledge and structure I learned through METHOD K9 helped establish more legitimacy in my business, which built greater trust with clients and ultimately helped increase both sales and revenue.
Level 4 Certified
Uncompromised Reputation & Integrity
Your reputation is built on who you learn from. Method K9 Institute holds top-tier standards with the Better Business Bureau, leading organizations like the IACP and the Association of Service Dog Providers, rescue networks nationwide, and thousands of satisfied clients. Respect, ethics, and integrity toward both dogs and humans are our foundation.
The Method K9 Team
Stephanie Vichinsky is the Owner of Method K9 and Method K9 Institute, a professional dog training school dedicated to canine behavior rehabilitation and dog trainer education.
With more than 16 years of experience as a professional dog trainer and canine behavior specialist, Stephanie has built a reputation as one of the leading experts in dog behavior modification and advanced dog training programs.
​
Throughout her career, she has successfully rehabilitated thousands of dogs with behavioral challenges while also focusing on training and mentoring the next generation of professional dog trainers through the Method K9 Institute’s dog trainer certification and education programs.
Julius is the Owner and General Manager at Method K9 and Method K9 Institute. A New York native with a strong background in business, entrepreneurship, and economics, Julius has been building and managing businesses from a young age.
​
At Method K9, he oversees sales, marketing, accounting, staff management, public relations, and IT, helping ensure that dog owners and students have a smooth experience when enrolling in dog training programs, behavior services, and dog trainer education courses.
​
Julius is passionate about building strong relationships with the community and works to ensure Method K9 continues delivering high-quality dog training services and professional dog trainer education.
Hope is the Head Trainer at Method K9 and Method K9 Institute, where she specializes in canine behavior modification, advanced dog training, and rehabilitation of complex behavioral cases.
After a life-changing motorcycle accident ended her career as a corrections officer, her Husky/Shepherd, Murphy, helped her through recovery and inspired her to pursue a career helping dogs and their owners.
​
For more than a decade, Hope has worked with aggressive, reactive, and difficult behavioral cases, successfully rehabilitating thousands of dogs. At Method K9 Institute, she also plays a key role in educating and mentoring students enrolled in the dog training school’s professional trainer programs.
Karrie is the Office Manager at Method K9 and Method K9 Institute. She is often the first person dog owners or aspiring dog trainers speak with when reaching out to Method K9 for help. With more than 30 years of customer service experience, she helps guide clients through the process of finding the right dog training program, behavior consultation, or dog trainer certification course.
​
Karrie manages scheduling, student enrollment, billing, and communication, making sure every client and student feels supported as they begin their journey with Method K9’s professional dog training and education programs.
​
Outside the office, she enjoys spending time with her husband, kids, and their Australian Shepherds: River, Cooper, and Maddie.
Aurora Bacowsky is the Marketing Director at Method K9 Institute, where she creates the digital marketing, website design, and media content for the dog training school’s education programs. She manages video production, website updates, and marketing materials that help connect dog owners and aspiring trainers with Method K9’s professional dog training and dog trainer certification programs.
Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, camping, and spending time outdoors with her son and her dogs.
Not interested in becoming a dog trainer but need help with your dog?
View our other services
.jpg)
.jpg)
Have Questions?
At Method K9 Institute we believe in a balanced approach to training by
addressing everything from genetics, environment, diet, learning patterns,
and more!
We have Tuition Payment plans from 12-36 months. Available
to ALL students, guaranteed, with no credit check. Start for
only $47.00 down. View Payment plans on our certification
page.
Yes we do, feel free to visit www.methodk9.com or fill
out a contact form and we will be in touch shortly.
If you don't want to join our certification program but are wanting to gain more
knowledge we offer a variety of services including in-person, guided online
courses, and our subscription page.