KC Dawgz Dog Training Academy

What KC Dawgz Dog Training Academy does

KC Dawgz Dog Training Academy is a Kansas City-area professional dog training company operating three physical facilities — a 23,000 sq ft headquarters in Overland Park, KS, plus Olathe, KS, and Gladstone, MO locations — alongside an in-home training service within roughly 25 minutes of Overland Park. Founded in 2017 by Mike Sligh, the company delivers a structured curriculum of Board & Train ($2,000–$3,600), Day Training, Private Training ($299–$1,699), Group Classes, and comprehensive Puppy Packages ($749–$4,999), organized around a proprietary balanced-methodology framework the company brands as the 4A's Learning Framework (Acquisition, Reflexive, Generalization, Maintenance). Instruction is delivered by a small team of trainers educated at multiple external academies (Michael Ellis, Karen Pryor, Starmark, STSK9, AKC CGC), differentiating the offering from typical local pet trainers.

The business is a direct-to-consumer, sales-led professional services operation: prospective customers begin with a free evaluation, then convert into in-facility, in-home, or multi-week residential engagements, with scheduling and billing handled through ProPetWare. Booking is supplemented by an in-house referral channel created by a physical co-location and partnership with Woof's Play and Stay, a boarding operator embedded in the Overland Park facility. The Overland Park facility is purpose-built for both training and boarding, with on-site video monitoring, climate-controlled boarding rooms, and indoor/outdoor play yards that support the higher-priced residential and extended puppy programs. The company is private, unfunded, and operates with a stated headcount in the 1–10 range, relying on organic growth funded by service revenue rather than outside capital.

Externally, the company carries a 4.9-star Google rating across 580+ reviews and has been a multiple-year Best of Kansas City finalist, signaling durable local brand equity within its metro. All visible customers are individual pet owners; no enterprise, veterinary, or government accounts are disclosed, and there is no indication of franchising, licensing, or technology licensing of the 4A's framework. The competitive set is other regional balanced-methodology trainers rather than national brands.

Name

KC Dawgz Dog Training Academy

Legal name

KC Dawgz Dog Training Academy

Website

https://kcdawgz.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

KC Dawgz is a Kansas City-area professional dog training academy operating three facilities (Overland Park, Olathe, Gladstone) that delivers board-and-train, day training, private, group, and puppy programs using a proprietary balanced-training methodology for individual pet owners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pet Training Services

NAICS

Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Training-Integrated Dog Daycare (Day Training) (HSANAFAE)

Keywords

• Dog training services
• Canine obedience training
• Puppy training programs
• Board and train
• Pet behavior modification

Headquarters

HQ city

Kansas City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Board & Train Programs: Intensive residential dog training programs where dogs stay at facility. Programs range from 2-6 weeks with daily training sessions. Pricing varies by duration and program type (obedience vs behavior modification).
2. Day Training Programs: Dogs attend training during the day and return home each night. Multiple program durations available (2, 3, 4 weeks) plus single-day sessions and bundles. Lower cost alternative to board & train.
3. Private Training Sessions: One-on-one training at facility, in-home, or virtual. Sold in packages of 4-8 sessions with hourly pricing.
4. Group Classes: Puppy classes (Puppy 101, 201), agility, and scent work classes. Offered as individual classes or bundled packages.
5. Training Packages: Comprehensive bundled programs (Master Puppy Package, Puppy Privates, Group Puppy Package) providing multi-session training across different modalities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

KC Dawgz Dog Training Academy is a Kansas City-based dog training service that delivers multi-format canine training programs including board-and-train, day training, private lessons, group classes, and puppy training. The academy uses a balanced training methodology underpinned by its proprietary 4A's Learning Framework and serves dog owners seeking behavior modification and obedience training.

Product overview

KC Dawgz Dog Training Academy offers a comprehensive suite of dog training services centered around three delivery models: Board & Train (residential intensive programs), Day Training (daily drop-off programs), and Private Training (one-on-one sessions). The core Board & Train programs include Obedience Training (2-4 weeks) and Behavior Modification Training (3-6 weeks) for issues like reactivity, aggression, and anxiety. Day Training offers flexible 2-4 week programs plus single-day sessions. Puppy-specific offerings include Puppy Training 101 and 201 group classes, along with bundled packages (Master Puppy Package, Puppy Privates Package, Group Puppy Package). Additional services include Companionship Dog Agility Class, Scent Work Class, Private In-Facility/In-Home/Virtual Training, and the Raise & Train Program. The company operates three locations in the Kansas City metro area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Board and Train Program
• Day Training
• Private Training Lessons
• Group Classes
• Puppy Training Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Dogs can show improved behavior in as little as 2 weeks through intensive board & train program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Woof's Play and StaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoarding partner physically attached to KC Dawgz Overland Park facility via shared hallway. Dogs in board & train program stay at Woof's overnight. Natural referral relationship between training and boarding services.
• Kennelwood AcademyminorOthersTraining academy where KC Dawgz trainers obtained certifications. Part of broader professional development network.
• Michael Ellis School for Dog TrainerscoreOthersPrestigious professional dog training school whose curriculum and methods are incorporated into KC Dawgz training approach. Team members trained under Michael Ellis.
• Karen Pryor AcademycoreOthersLeading academy for positive reinforcement and clicker training. KC Dawgz trainers bring knowledge from this institution.
• STSK9 University of Professional Dog Training (Belgium)minorOthersInternationally recognized dog training institution in Belgium. Some trainers completed advanced coursework for global-level certification.
• Starmark Academy for Professional Dog TrainersminorOthersTraining academy providing foundation in obedience, behavior modification, and specialized dog training techniques.
• American Kennel Club (AKC)coreOthersNational kennel club that certifies KC Dawgz trainers as evaluators. Enables administration of Canine Good Citizen test and other AKC programs.
• EcollarminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEcollar Authorized Retailer. KC Dawgz sells and recommends Ecollar products as part of training toolkit.
• DogtraminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProduct partner. KC Dawgz uses and recommends Dogtra training collars as part of balanced training approach.
• RufflandminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProduct partner providing dog crates and equipment used at KC Dawgz facility.
• CCPDT (Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers)minorOthersProfessional certification body for dog trainers. Affiliated organization shown in KC Dawgz affiliations.
• IBPSAminorOthersInternational Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. Affiliated organization shown in KC Dawgz affiliations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Zoom Room Dog Training: National dog training franchise offering group classes, private training, and agility/scent work in dedicated retail-style facilities. Comparable to KC Dawgz in that it operates multi-location training academies with a structured curriculum and similar service mix.
• Off Leash K9 Training: Franchised dog training company specializing in obedience and behavior modification using balanced training methods. Directly comparable to KC Dawgz's balanced methodology, board-and-train-style programs, and premium positioning.
• Bark Busters Home Dog Training: Largest in-home dog training franchise globally, offering behavior modification and obedience programs delivered in the owner's home. Comparable to KC Dawgz on private training delivery and behavior modification focus, though Bark Busters is primarily in-home rather than facility-based.
• Dog Training Elite: Franchised in-home and facility-based dog training company focused on obedience and behavior modification. Comparable to KC Dawgz on service mix (private in-home, board & train-style programs) and balanced training methodology.
• Sit Means Sit: Multi-location dog training franchise using balanced training methods with off-leash obedience focus. Overlaps with KC Dawgz on training philosophy, multi-modality service delivery (group, private, board & train), and franchise-style geographic expansion.

Emerging players

• Camp Bow Wow: Franchised dog daycare and boarding franchise with training offerings. Comparable to KC Dawgz's Board & Train model on the boarding-with-additional-services side, though training is a smaller part of its offering.
• Dogtopia: National dog daycare franchise with a growing web-based training add-on. Comparable on daycare-plus-training service bundle (similar to KC Dawgz's Day Training) and multi-location facility model.

Broad incumbents

• Petco Dog Training: National pet retailer with in-store Positive Dog Training programs at hundreds of locations. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering group classes and basic obedience that overlap with KC Dawgz's entry-level puppy and group class programs.
• PetSmart Dog Training: National big-box retailer offering group dog training classes across hundreds of locations. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the dog training category; competes with KC Dawgz's group class and puppy offerings at lower price points.

Others

• Starmark Academy for Professional Dog Trainers: Professional dog trainer education academy that certifies KC Dawgz's trainers. Adjacent rather than competitive — provides the curriculum and certifications KC Dawgz relies on, and would be an ecosystem partner rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/kcdawgz
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCJn4kOXOM-ussd1su2Iyhhw
• Facebookfacebook.com/kcdawgz
• Instagraminstagram.com/kcdawgz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kcdawgz

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about KC Dawgz Dog Training Academy