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Your dog(s) will love it here

Spacious climate-controlled kennels. A staff of carefully selected, highly experienced trainers. Wide-open spaces with play equipment where dogs can exercise and socialize under close supervision.

 

 

 

Whether it’s training, boarding or daycare, you want the best for your dog. Which is perfect because at TK-9, we won’t settle for less than the best.

  • We provide expert group training, plus individual training in oversized rooms
  • We work with dogs of all ages and all behavior styles—even “difficult” dogs that have been turned down at other places
  • We provide large boarding kennels with plenty of room to run (and supervised play)
  • We offer outstanding daycare, with a special playroom for puppies only
 
 
 
 
 
Meet Our Trainers

 
Tecla Walton

CEO & Training Director

Tecla Walton, Pack to Basics Certified, has 24 years of experience as a music educator and 15 years of experience as a dog trainer. Her unique ability to educate dog owners as well as train their dogs is a product of the way she has blended her two worlds. Tecla’s deep love for and commitment to the canine species has led her to continually seek out and implement the best training methods for the dogs she trains. Her emphasis is on balancing the relationship between dog and handler through sound training principles, clear communication, and trust.

Tecla’s dog training experience spans the worlds of pet obedience and competitive dog sports alike. She has studied under Bart Bellon, Chad Mackin, Tom Rose, and Michael Ellis. Tecla holds multiple high-in-obedience, high-in-trial, high-in-tracking awards, and “V” scores with her dogs and has helped many clients to do the same. She has also earned High In Trial honors with three different dogs in three different disciplines in an 18 month period of time.

While her dog sport achievements are impressive, she is equally adept as a pet dog trainer. Whether your goal is raising a happy, well-adjusted puppy or rehabilitating a dog that other trainers have given up on, Tecla is the “go-to” trainer in her area.

Her dog training business is TK-9 located in Elkridge, Maryland and is highly recommended by veterinarians, breeders, and rescues in the Baltimore/Washington area as well as across the country.
William Hendrix
Senior Trainer

William Hendrix has had an affinity for dogs ever since he was young. He thought about working with dogs as a profession and began his internship at Tecla’s K-9 Academy in March 2015. Since then his love for dogs has only grown.

William completed an extensive 18-month internship under Training Director / Owner, Tecla Walton. He was then hired by TK9 following the completion of his internship and has been working in the capacity as a trainer for over 2 years.

William has over 6,000 training hours under his belt at TK9. He grew up in San Antonio Texas, moved to Maryland because his dad was in the military, and holds an Associates's Degree in General Studies at Carroll Community College.
Cathy Ferguson
Agility Instructor

Cathy Ferguson is a former professional musician whose day job is with the Howard County School System as a special education teacher.

She started working with Tecla in 2009 due to her adopting a 9-month old, exuberant dog from the Howard County Animal Shelter. Previous owners said that “Roxy,” now named Thais, was agressive. Tecla’s initial evaluation revealed not an aggressive dog, but a highly energetic dog. Tecla had started teaching Rally and recommended that Cathy and Thais give it a try. At the first lesson, Thais did everything that Cathy asked her to do. Thais needed mental stimulation and Rally was it! They went on to compete in Rally, earning their Arch, Arch X, Arch EX, and their Arch MX. At the Breakaway Action Dogs 10 year Anniversary Rally Competition, Cathy and Thais earned Judges Best Team Award amongst other awards.

Cathy started taking agility lessons with Thais and quickly brought her other dog Ange into agility training. Cathy is now the agility instructor at TK-9.
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    Love Tecla’s K-9 Academy!!! My dog Reagen loves going to play with her friends at daycare. The staff is professional, friendly, and they show so much love to my sweet girl. The facility is clean and very quiet. Not your typical daycare when you walk in and all you hear is dogs barking. We enjoy a calm drop off with classical music!

    Pamela H.

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    There are no words to describe how truly grateful I am to Tecla and her staff for continuing to work with us. From Day 1, it was all about putting a plan in place to set Eclipse up for success in altering the way she perceives the world. In a relatively short amount of time she’s much more comfortable with other animals and people. While we still have a long way to go, the progress to date has been amazing! She loves the staff and trainers there, and it puts my heart at ease to know I have a place where I can take her for daycare and boarding that she enjoys. It is truly an environment where dogs feel safe and can have fun.

    Deepu D.

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Your health & safety is always our first priority.

Here’s how we are ensuring a healthy environment for you and your dog as well as our team in accordance with the COVID-19 pandemic:

Daycare / Boarding:

  • Implementation of Contactless Curb-Side Drop Off / Pick Up: TK-9 meets dog & owner outside, employee puts our slip lead around dogs neck, owner removes their leash from dog’s collar and dog is then taken inside with staff member
  • 6 ft. distance between client & employee maintained at all times during drop off / pick up interaction
  • All employees are required to wear vinyl gloves while handling dogs, and put on a new pair in between each interaction during drop off / pick up
  • Each dog is wiped down using a non-toxic / unscented antimicrobial wipe to remove any germs living on the surface of their coat when entering & when leaving the facility
  • Slip leads are disinfected in between each interaction & washed overnight daily
  • Employees keep a 6 ft. distance between one another during their shifts
  • Employees required to wear a mask for the duration of their shift
  • Employees consistently utilizing hand sanitizer and washing hands thoroughly throughout the duration of their shift

Group / Private Training:

  • All training clients are required to sign our COVID Liability Release Form prior to attending any in person group or private training sessions at TK-9
  • Classes and Lessons will be held in our large training room allowing more than 6 feet distance between clients.
  • Classes cannot exceed a 12 person maximum (1 handler per dog), this allows for an instructor and instructor’s assistant 
  • Clients will be required to wear a mask while in the building *If a client has a health concern that requires they do can not wear a mask, please contact our office to discuss
  • Client temperatures will be taken at entry with a hand held thermometer
  • Clients will hand sanitize upon entry & exit of the building. Hand sanitizing stations are located at the building entrance and throughout the building for client and staff use
  • Clients will be provided with a non-toxic unscented antimicrobial wipe with which to wipe their dog down
  • The trainer’s temperature will be taken when they report for their classes
  • The trainer will wear a mask during check-in but cannot teach/lecture with a mask on, however they will stay more than 6 feet away from clients
  • Restroom Usage: There is a restroom reserved for clients only, clients may use the restroom at their own risk. TK-9 staff will clean and sanitize the bathrooms at the end of each day
  • Employees and clients are required keep a 6 foot distance or more between one another during their visit

Have more questions about how we are handling COVID-19? We’re happy to answer them.