About Bay Area K9 Association
Training the team on both ends of the leash.
Steve Kenzler started Bay Area K9 Association in 2014 to give dogs and their handlers high-quality training. He has trained dogs of many breeds, sizes and temperaments, drawing on years of experience in the field.
He’s dedicated to every team he works with, and takes real pride in building strong relationships with dogs from all kinds of backgrounds.
01Philosophy
Experience plus a strong foundation.
“The Bay Area K9 Association looks at each dog and handler as a unique team that requires individualized attention.”
That’s the line on our current site, and it’s still the best summary of the work. Training pairs experiential knowledge with a strong foundational methodology: understand the dog in front of you, teach clearly, test it in the real world, and make sure the human can carry it forward.
Food is one of the reinforcers we use — often the easiest and most powerful — and it’s phased out once a behavior is mastered. Dogs who don’t care about food can still learn; it just takes understanding what makes them tick.
02Ethics
What we won’t do.
- 01
Guarantee outcomes. A dog’s history, genetics, experiences and your follow-through all matter.
- 02
Run every dog through the same one-size-fits-all class.
- 03
Train the dog and leave you out. Your participation is what makes it last.
- 04
Pretend a service dog can be “certified.” Under the ADA, it can’t.
“His technique is very methodical, and extremely powerful, 30 minute training to the point.”
Free · In person
Start with a free evaluation.
Bring your dog, meet a trainer and talk through what’s going on. Your trainer recommends a plan — and explains why — before you pick a package.
- Cost
- Free
- Where
- In person, with your dog
- When
- Tuesday–Saturday, by appointment only
Private field rental
No backyard? Rent our field.
Half an acre of fenced turf behind our facility, open to book by the hour on Sniffspot.
Rated 4.9 out of 5· 1,700+ reviews on Sniffspot