Our Trainers - Georgia / South Carolina

Welcome to Balanced K9 Training, where we believe that every dog deserves a well-balanced approach to training, built on trust, respect, and effective communication.

As a Veteran-owned, minority-owned, woman-owned, and faith-based business, we are dedicated to serving our community with integrity, professionalism, and compassion.

Layla

"Hello, I'm Layla! I've shared my love for dog training ever since I was six years old watching Animal planet. I have been a hobby trainer for my own dogs, neighbors, and friends dogs up until my early adulthood where I eventually became a professional dog trainer. I helped my mother socialize and care for fosters she had taken in throughout my youth and I have a love for dog sports, particularly discdog, canicross/urban mushing, and dock diving. I was mentored by two separate trainers for basic obedience and simple behavioral modification during the early stages of my career. Professionally I have been training for three years and I was also a vet assistant for three years, handling dogs of all shapes and sizes and temperaments. My passion and dream job has always been assisting owners on learning their dogs behavior and how to properly guide them to live harmonious lives together!"

Kayla

"Hi! I’m Kayla, a rewards based trainer on the BK9T Georgia team! I focus on teaching neutrality in reality, meaning your pup can stay calm and reliable in everyday situations no matter what is going on around them. I have been training since 2021, and my journey started when my first dog struggled with reactivity toward both dogs and men. While receiving training, I realized that he had not been abused, he simply lacked proper socialization, and that experience pushed me to study dog reactivity and how they communicate. That is why I naturally gravitate toward reactive and dog aggressive cases. My philosophy is that if your dog has obedience that has been proofed and is trustworthy around anything and everywhere you go in your day to day life, then you can communicate clearly, lead effectively, and stay safe and confident no matter what situation comes your way. I am a dog trainer because I have experienced what many owners are going through. Reactivity will always have a special place in my heart because I have been in those exact shoes, but I also love helping with puppies, leash pullers, anxious dogs, and the everyday issues that make life harder than it needs to be. I understand how overwhelming it feels when you genuinely do not know what to do, and I also know the feeling of returning to those once difficult places and watching your dog finally hold it together. That is why I train, to help you get there too."

Kristen

"Hi I’m Kristen and I have been working with dogs my entire life and have always been a huge animal lover. Originally, I went to school to be a special education teacher but quickly realized there was not a lot of room in the public school system to make a difference. After years of working corporate desk jobs, I realized how unfulfilling it was and quit to pursue my passion of working with animals. I spent years fostering pets in need and training them to prepare them for their forever homes. I have completed schooling for obedience training and continue to expand my knowledge every day to help dogs and their owners!"

Charlie

Charlie was raised on a farm in Florida, where he assisted his family in caring for goats, chickens, and pigs. Although dogs were a constant presence in his life, it wasn’t until he was a teenager that he encountered a Border Collie puppy wandering the farm without an ID tag. His heartfelt plea of “can we keep him?” to his parents was all it took for the puppy to become a cherished member of the family. This was Charlie's first experience with training a dog, which began as a hobby. Over time, this passion developed into a full-fledged career as a certified professional trainer. Having worked with hundreds of dogs and implemented various successful methods, Charlie remains committed to learning and is always willing to adjust his training approach to suit the individual needs of each dog he encounters.

Theresa

"Hi, I’m Theresa! I’m a certified professional dog trainer with over 10 years of hands-on experience helping dogs and their owners build clear communication, trust, and lasting results. I hold my CPDT-KA Certification, am an AKC Evaluator, and am certified in CPR and Heat Stroke prevention to ensure every dog in my care is trained safely and responsibly.

I specialize in advanced obedience, puppy foundations, behavior modification, anxiety rehabilitation, and aggression rehabilitation. My passion is helping dogs overcome challenges and giving owners the tools they need to feel confident and in control. I also offer in-home boarding and create personalized training plans tailored specifically to each dog’s unique personality, goals, and lifestyle. My approach focuses on building a strong relationship between you and your dog so you can enjoy a calm, reliable, and well-mannered companion both at home and out in the real world."

More Trainers Coming Soon!