3 minute read
INFOCUS
DEEPENING THE CONNECTION WITH MAN’S BEST FRIEND
VITAL K9’S CUSTOMIZED DOG TRAINING ALLOWS PETS & OWNERS TO ENHANCE THEIR BOND
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WRITTEN BY ALLISON GIBESON PHOTOS BY JAMI BOWMAN
Growing up in rural Arkansas, Abigail Wilmoth spent countless hours bonding with her family’s Australian Shepherds. Her passion for dogs only grew over the years, and she is now the owner of Vital K9, where she offers services in pet training, puppy development, and service dog training.
As a professional dog trainer, Wilmoth has trained more than 200 dogs. She says her focus on individualized training and improving the bond between pet and owner sets her apart in the services she provides. “We make sure our training is specialized to the dog and specialized to the dog-human relationship,” Wilmoth explains. Wilmoth attended the University of Arkansas and obtained a degree in animal science. During college she was not sure what she wanted to do in the field, but she did know she wanted to help people through animals. When someone mentioned professional dog training, her interest piqued. After she went to a dog training school and obtained two certificates, she knew she’d found her niche.
With her background in animal science, she offers more than a typical trainer. She has a broader understanding of canine medical issues and how they play into behaviors the animals exhibit. “I understand the behavior of dogs, but I also understand the welfare and husbandry of dogs,” Wilmoth says.
Abigail Wilmoth with her two personal working dogs, Nugget and Vita.
Training The Pet and The Owner
She originally started her business in Arkansas, but relocated and brought Vital K9 to Kansas City this past summer. She currently offers her services through private appointments, and she believes it’s important to engage and train the owner so they become more connected to their furry family member.
Wilmoth says dogs are often sent away for training, but the owners do not know what to do with that training upon its completion. Instead, her training is centered around the pet-owner relationship.
One especially rewarding component to her work is training service dogs. She recalls one client with a severe food allergy who has been able to do things they never thought possible before, all because of the assistance of a service dog.
Wilmoth takes satisfaction knowing she can improve the quality of people’s lives. In addition to training service dogs to sniff out allergens, she also trains them in assisting with mobility and PTSD needs. In the future she would like to hire more trainers, open a facility, and offer other services such as a doggy day care.
Wilmoth’s personal touch and individualized attention are what clients say stand out about her training. “We are able to create a customized training plan, and we are there for dog and owner during and after training,” she says.
Stephanie Davis turned to Vital K9 to help train her six-month-old dog Cooper, and she says it was a uniquely gratifying experience. She says Wilmoth trains with such positive reinforcement that Cooper was excited to see her for each session.
“Instead of having a standard course set out, she tailored each of our lessons not only to what we wanted from Cooper but also to his abilities to learn,” Davis says. “If he caught on to a task quickly, we would up the challenge or the distraction.”
Davis says their first lesson taught Cooper not to run when the door opened and not to jump on the guests, and the lessons continued to build on that foundation.
“We thought we were putting our puppy in lessons, but Vital K9 and Abigail were training us humans,” Davis explains. “She truly taught us how our dog thinks, how he responds, and then how to interact in a positive way. The lessons were so engaging and entertaining that we all looked forward to them.” Wilmoth offers a free consultation and tips. She says there is so much about dogs that need to be understood as they simply can’t state all their needs, and she enjoys helping offer insights into what dogs are truly telling their owners.
“We want to help people bridge that gap between human and dog,” she explains. “We want to create better communication.”
Vital K9 • vitalk9training.com • 816.339.8555
