April 2022
Training On The Right Track
Training On The Right Track
Training On The Right Track
Training On The Right Track
I have always agreed that dogs are man’s (actually everyone’s) best friend. Just like with people, good friendships take work, patience, trust and lots of love. This is where Professional K9 Solutions can make a huge difference in how you relate with your pet. Joseph James started his company in 2016 out of his apartment. He joked that he was only able to have one dog at his place, so he had to smuggle dogs in and out to train them.
A Marine Corps veteran and previous law enforcement and corrections officer, Joseph’s background in canine training began in 2012 while working with a sheriff’s K9 unit. His passion for dog training and desire to grow as a handler lead to the creation of Professional K9 Solutions, and has afforded him the opportunity to participate in competition sport and volunteer with law enforcement agencies. Currently Joseph operates five locations, two of which are brick and mortar, and he recently became certified as a Police K9 Training Instructor.
This past NFL season, he had a contract with the New Orleans Saints and Caesars Superdome to work with explosives detection dogs for all home games. In fact, when Joseph first started his business, his first three clients were from the New Orleans Saints. He has since become a celebrity trainer, working with Drew Brees, Sean Payton, Gayle Benson and their fur babies.
Professional K9 Solutions trainers work with a full spectrum of dog breeds and temperaments. “We can work with any dog with a heartbeat,” he quips. Joseph and his group of experienced trainers have partnered with law enforcement, where they provide specific training on odor detection (explosives, narcotics, gun powder), bite apprehension, and tracking. Typically in those situations, he works with German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois and Labradors, as these breeds possess a strong drive, high capability to work and a desire to hunt.
“Our company works with dogs of any age and temperament, from happy-go-lucky puppies to those showing aggressive behavior. We have worked with dogs who are deaf or missing a leg. Commonly we train dogs dealing with fear, anxiety and depression, but we can handle any and all training needs,” explains Joseph. Talk about being the dog whisperer!
Additionally, Joseph literally takes his “dog and pony show” on the road. Not only does he work with many out-of-town clients, but he also conducts training courses and seminars around the country. He is one of the most popular speakers at the annual CrimeCon—a weekend event with a heavy focus on education for true crime fans, creators, and professionals—hosting three seminars focusing on how dogs’ noses work in detection. His seminars have even been featured on Oxygen and CNN, and recently Joseph worked on a Toyota commercial featuring two of his dogs in the French Quarter.
I asked Joseph what the number-one problem people have with trying to train their dogs is and his answer was simple, yet so spot-on: lack of structure. “Dogs are just like children, except they do learn quicker than infants. Dogs pick up on potty training so much faster than babies. People tend to think that if they give dogs lots of love, they will be good dogs. That of course is wonderful, but they need structure to become well-behaved, well-mannered dogs. Love will not keep a dog from running out into the street or eating your new shoes. (I know about the second problem firsthand!) They need to understand the commands of ‘No’ and ‘Yes’ and get rewarded for good behavior,” explains Joseph.
Surprisingly, Joseph has also worked with dolphins and chickens to help trainers hone their skills with dogs. He uses chickens because they are masters of movement. “It seems that everyone wants to eat them—people on land and birds of prey in the air,” Joseph explains. “They are very good at picking up the slightest movements and you give them food rewards for everything. And dolphins are challenging because everything you do is obviously in the water, but the basic training concepts still apply.”
Beyond the amazing work that he does with dogs, Joseph's personal story is quite inspiring as well. After starting his business and the birth of their third child, his wife was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer. He balanced growing his company and being present for his wife during her treatments, as well as raising three children. In 2019, he lost both his father and wife within months of each other. Despite his pain, he persevered with the love of his wonderful children. Today, all three children (ages 4, 12 and 14) are his strength, and the older two even help him out with the dogs.
We give our human children the best education that we can, so why not do the same for our fur babies? For more information about Professional K9 Solutions, visit www.prok9s.com. Additionally, you can follow Professional K9 Solutions on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
A Marine Corps veteran and previous law enforcement and corrections officer, Joseph’s background in canine training began in 2012 while working with a sheriff’s K9 unit. His passion for dog training and desire to grow as a handler lead to the creation of Professional K9 Solutions, and has afforded him the opportunity to participate in competition sport and volunteer with law enforcement agencies. Currently Joseph operates five locations, two of which are brick and mortar, and he recently became certified as a Police K9 Training Instructor.
This past NFL season, he had a contract with the New Orleans Saints and Caesars Superdome to work with explosives detection dogs for all home games. In fact, when Joseph first started his business, his first three clients were from the New Orleans Saints. He has since become a celebrity trainer, working with Drew Brees, Sean Payton, Gayle Benson and their fur babies.
Professional K9 Solutions trainers work with a full spectrum of dog breeds and temperaments. “We can work with any dog with a heartbeat,” he quips. Joseph and his group of experienced trainers have partnered with law enforcement, where they provide specific training on odor detection (explosives, narcotics, gun powder), bite apprehension, and tracking. Typically in those situations, he works with German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois and Labradors, as these breeds possess a strong drive, high capability to work and a desire to hunt.
“Our company works with dogs of any age and temperament, from happy-go-lucky puppies to those showing aggressive behavior. We have worked with dogs who are deaf or missing a leg. Commonly we train dogs dealing with fear, anxiety and depression, but we can handle any and all training needs,” explains Joseph. Talk about being the dog whisperer!
Additionally, Joseph literally takes his “dog and pony show” on the road. Not only does he work with many out-of-town clients, but he also conducts training courses and seminars around the country. He is one of the most popular speakers at the annual CrimeCon—a weekend event with a heavy focus on education for true crime fans, creators, and professionals—hosting three seminars focusing on how dogs’ noses work in detection. His seminars have even been featured on Oxygen and CNN, and recently Joseph worked on a Toyota commercial featuring two of his dogs in the French Quarter.
I asked Joseph what the number-one problem people have with trying to train their dogs is and his answer was simple, yet so spot-on: lack of structure. “Dogs are just like children, except they do learn quicker than infants. Dogs pick up on potty training so much faster than babies. People tend to think that if they give dogs lots of love, they will be good dogs. That of course is wonderful, but they need structure to become well-behaved, well-mannered dogs. Love will not keep a dog from running out into the street or eating your new shoes. (I know about the second problem firsthand!) They need to understand the commands of ‘No’ and ‘Yes’ and get rewarded for good behavior,” explains Joseph.
Surprisingly, Joseph has also worked with dolphins and chickens to help trainers hone their skills with dogs. He uses chickens because they are masters of movement. “It seems that everyone wants to eat them—people on land and birds of prey in the air,” Joseph explains. “They are very good at picking up the slightest movements and you give them food rewards for everything. And dolphins are challenging because everything you do is obviously in the water, but the basic training concepts still apply.”
Beyond the amazing work that he does with dogs, Joseph's personal story is quite inspiring as well. After starting his business and the birth of their third child, his wife was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer. He balanced growing his company and being present for his wife during her treatments, as well as raising three children. In 2019, he lost both his father and wife within months of each other. Despite his pain, he persevered with the love of his wonderful children. Today, all three children (ages 4, 12 and 14) are his strength, and the older two even help him out with the dogs.
We give our human children the best education that we can, so why not do the same for our fur babies? For more information about Professional K9 Solutions, visit www.prok9s.com. Additionally, you can follow Professional K9 Solutions on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Tagged in Whisker Warriors in our Spring 2022 issue