Solid K9 Training

What Solid K9 Training does

Solid K9 Training is a founder-owned dog training company headquartered in Sarasota, Florida, with a secondary presence in Bradenton, Florida. Founded by Jeff Gellman in 2003 and co-led with Joelle Gifford, the firm has built its reputation around rehabilitating dogs that other trainers refuse to handle — those exhibiting aggression, anxiety, reactivity, and serious behavioral issues — over a 20+ year operational history covering 10,000+ documented dogs. The operating model is a hybrid of high-touch in-person services (a Board & Train program at the Sarasota facility, $90/night boarding for existing clients, traveling RV seminars, and annual Bradenton-area Mastermind events) and a global digital distribution layer built out post-2020.

The core product offering is built around two flagship online courses, Green to Graduate 1 and 2 (comprehensive off-leash training, priced $297-$497), supplemented by 40+ specialty courses covering leash reactivity, separation anxiety, resource guarding, noise sensitivity, fearful dog rehabilitation, public access, multi-dog socialization, and care tasks. The Community membership ($997/year, with a 72-hour satisfaction guarantee) bundles the keystone courses with bi-monthly live coaching calls and a workshop library. Higher-ticket professional offerings include the Shadow Program ($3,000-$4,500 for 7-14 days of in-person apprenticeship), the Mastermind program ($3,000-$6,000 with a one-year Inner Circle mentorship track), and private video/phone consultations.

Revenue mechanics span one-time digital course sales, a recurring annual membership, premium in-person services, and event tickets distributed via Eventbrite. Customer acquisition is driven primarily by a 5,000+ hour free YouTube library (with live "What Would Jeff Do" Q&As, a podcast on iTunes, and 21 million cumulative hours of watch time) that funnels into paid courses, plus an active Facebook community and email newsletter. Pricing is publicly disclosed for digital and membership tiers but Board & Train pricing requires an inquiry. Solid K9 Training is bootstrapped with no institutional funding and operates with a 1-10 person team, making it operationally a small founder-led business scaled disproportionately through content and brand.

Name

Solid K9 Training

Legal name

Solid K9 Training

Website

https://solidk9training.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Solid K9 Training is a founder-owned Sarasota, Florida dog training company that rehabilitates aggressive, anxious, and reactive dogs through in-person Board & Train, 44+ online courses, $997/yr community membership, virtual consults, and global RV seminars led by founder Jeff Gellman.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bradenton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Board & Train Services: In-person board and train programs at the Sarasota facility where dogs stay for training, including follow-up support and owner coaching. This is the primary high-touch service offering.
2. Online Academy Courses: Digital courses sold through the website including the flagship Green to Graduate program, behavior modification courses, and specialized training programs. 33+ courses available across multiple price points.
3. Virtual Consultations: Private 30 or 60-minute video/phone consultations for dog training, business, social media, and marketing advice.
4. Seminars and Events: In-person seminars worldwide through RV seminars and Eventbrite events, plus the annual Mastermind program in Florida.
5. Community Membership: The Community membership providing ongoing coaching calls, courses, and support for dog owners, priced at $997/year.
6. Shadow Program: In-person training program for aspiring dog trainers to learn business operations and training methods. Priced at $4500 for 2 weeks or $3000 for 7 days.
7. Boarding Services: Dog boarding at $90/night for past and current clients only, including walks, treadmill time, swimming, and structure.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Solid K9 Training provides professional dog training services and educational content focused on behavior modification, obedience training, and owner coaching. The company's flagship offering is its in-person Board & Train program at the Sarasota FL facility, supplemented by 44+ online courses through the Solid K9 Academy, an annual Community membership with live coaching, virtual consultations, traveling RV seminars, and a Shadow Program/Mastermind for aspiring and professional dog trainers. The company specializes in rehabilitating dogs with aggression, anxiety, reactivity, and serious behavioral issues.

Product overview

Solid K9 Training is a dog training education company offering a comprehensive portfolio of video-based courses, in-person training services, and community memberships. The core offering consists of the Green to Graduate 1 and 2 comprehensive off-leash training courses, supplemented by over 30 specialty courses covering specific behavioral issues like leash reactivity, separation anxiety, resource guarding, noise sensitivity, and fearful dogs. The company operates an in-person Board and Train program at their Sarasota FL facility, offers Shadow Programs for aspiring trainers, and provides Mastermind events for professional development. Additional services include private video/phone consultations, boarding, and traveling RV seminars worldwide. The Community membership provides access to core courses, live coaching calls, and workshops for $997/year. The company is founded by Jeff Gellman and Joelle Gifford, who emphasize fair, balanced training methods for dogs other trainers refuse to work with.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Solid K9 Academy: Online training academy offering digital dog training courses, community membership, and virtual coaching programs.
• The Community
• Jeff and Joelle's Mastermind

Products and services

• Green to Graduate – Comprehensive Off-Leash Dog Training Course The keystone training course for comprehensive off-leash dog training, teaching owners to bring their dog anywhere with reliability even in challenging situations like wildlife encounters. Priced at $297 on sale from $497.
• Green to Graduate Part 2 – Comprehensive Off-Leash Dog Training Course Part two of the keystone training course focusing on troubleshooting, bomb-proof obedience, and step-by-step stages for advanced training results. Priced at $497.
• The Community Membership Online membership providing expert guidance, core training courses (Green to Graduate 1 + 2), live coaching calls with Jeff and Joelle twice monthly, 12+ workshops and masterclasses, and the Chaos to Control leash reactivity course. Priced at $997/year with a 72-hour satisfaction guarantee.
• Walk the Walk – Free Dog Training Course Free introductory video series teaching simple protocols to enjoy stress-free walks with dogs that pull or lunge. Used as a funnel entry point to paid courses.
• 5-Day Dog Training Remote Collar / e-collar Workshop Comprehensive 5-day workshop on e-collar training methods for dogs of any breed with any behavioral issue, including nervous, fearful, or reactive dogs. Priced at $197.
• Chaos to Control – The No BS Guide To Stopping Leash Reactivity Course for stopping leash pulling, lunging, and unwanted behaviors by teaching both reactive behavior cessation and proactive desired behaviors for lasting results.
• Separation Anxiety Solutions – Complete Course Training protocols and methods for dogs with separation anxiety, including dogs that break out of crates, harm themselves, or cannot be left alone.
• Bang and Boom – Dog Training Noiseproofing Course for helping dogs overcome fear of fireworks, thunder, and other loud noises using proven methods.
• Calm on Command – Complete Course Training course for challenging, overly-aroused, and high energy dogs to achieve calm behavior without training consuming the owner's life.
• Dog Training – Public Access Prep Course preparing dogs to access public spaces with confidence and demonstrate well-behaved, attentive behavior to commands.
• Mastering the Walk With Your Dog MASTERCLASS 2-day masterclass teaching e-collar heel training and stress-free walks, filmed with real client dogs for transparent results.
• Advanced Obedience and Public Access Advanced training course for handlers wanting to take dogs to higher-level public access situations, building on foundational training skills.
• Reactive Dog Rehab Case Study Start-to-finish documentation of a reactive dog's training transformation in 13 videos, from out-of-control intake to well-behaved companion, with step-by-step replication instructions.
• Shadow Program Experiential 7-14 day program teaching all aspects and systems for running a world-class board and train and online training academy, including dog rehabilitation, behavior modification, social media, and business operations. Priced at $4,500 for 2 weeks or $3,000 for 7 days.
• Mastermind with Jeff & Joelle 5-day exclusive in-person mastermind for dog trainers and business owners covering business growth, social media, brand building, and hands-on behavior modification. Located in Bradenton/Sarasota FL. Priced at $3,000-$6,000 with payment plans available through Affirm.
• Board and Train Full immersion board and train program at the Sarasota FL facility where Jeff Gellman personally works with dogs. Includes 90-day follow-up support at home. Dogs stay at the facility while receiving training. Pricing requires consultation inquiry.
• Boarding Dog boarding service at $90/night (holiday rates apply, extra $25/night) including walks, treadmill time, swimming (in season), off-leash play, and structure. Available for past and current clients only. 2-night minimum for holidays.
• Video/Phone Consults Private 30 or 60-minute video or phone consultations for dog training, business, marketing, and social media guidance. Also includes 1:1 sessions with Jeff Gellman.
• Jeff Gellman RV Seminars Traveling hands-on dog training seminars around the world at various locations, featuring 2-day problem-solving workshops for dogs and their owners. Marketed through Eventbrite.
• Consider the Human – The Dog Trainers Guide to Training Dog OWNERS Guide focusing on the human component of dog training, showing how to effectively train dog owners through go-home sessions and owner education.
• The Content Creation Course Course on content creation and social media marketing, teaching methods that generated multiple six figures in digital sales and 10,000+ Instagram followers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10,000+ dogs trained and documented
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Upstate Canine (Tom Davis): Founder-led board & train facility and online training content business focused on behavior modification and aggressive/reactive dogs. Comparable niche specialization and content-driven authority brand.
• SpiritDog Training: Online dog training course platform covering obedience, behavior, and agility with a structured curriculum sold direct-to-consumer. Overlapping digital course portfolio and target segment.
• The Online Dog Trainer (Doggy Dan): Founder-led online dog training subscription business selling video-based courses and a membership community globally. Closest direct analog in business model, customer base (dog owners), and digital-first delivery.
• McCann Dog Training: Multi-decade dog training school offering online courses, a professional dog trainer certification program, and live events. Strong overlap with Solid K9's combination of consumer training, trainer education, and online academy.
• Baxter & Bella: Online dog training curriculum sold as a self-paced lifetime course to dog owners. Directly comparable in digital course delivery and consumer pet training target market.
• Zak George's Dog Training Revolution: YouTube-driven pet dog training brand offering online courses, books, and a community of dog owners. Comparable founder-led, content-first GTM targeting the same consumer pet training buyer.
• Susan Garrett's DogsThat: Online dog training education platform offering courses, webinars, and a membership community aimed at dog owners and trainers. Similar diversified education + community revenue model and global digital reach.
• Absolute Dogs: Online dog training membership and course business targeting dog owners seeking structured, game-based training. Comparable subscription-style membership model and consumer focus.

Broad incumbents

• Petco / PetSmart Training Services: National big-box pet retailers offering in-store group dog training classes and curricula. Overlaps on consumer dog training services but operates a fundamentally different physical retail / franchise delivery model.
• Cesar Millan: Mass-market celebrity dog training brand with TV, online content, and courses. Overlaps in balanced/behavior-modification philosophy and founder-led content model, but at a much larger, mainstream scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/SolidK9Training
• Facebookfacebook.com/SolidK9TrainingRI
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/solid-k9-training

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Solid K9 Training