Sparks of success for canine training facility

Sparks K9 founder John Sparks doesn't mind working with aggressive dogs. In fact, it happens to be one of his specialties.-á

Located on a 5.5-acre facility just outside of Monroe, Sparks K9 is owned and operated by Sparks and his wife, Kimmy. Sparks offers comprehensive training services for dogs of all ages, including board and train, group training, puppy socialization and one-on-one training. At Sparks, services are individualized based on the needs of the dog ' and the human. John and Kimmy simultaneously operate a 501(C)3 nonprofit rescue called Balanced Bullies Rescue and Rehabilitation, which focuses on American Staffordshire terriers and other bully-type breeds.-á

John works to regulate all problematic canine behaviors, but working with dogs that are dog-aggressive or people-aggressive ' or both ' has become something of a niche.

"I deal with a lot of fearful dogs,GÇ¥ John said. "Most of the aggression issues are fear-related; it's an inappropriate response to fear.GÇ¥

His technique doesn't teach people to control their dogs; he works holistically to build a relationship between the person and the dog that is successful and sustainable. Often times, the dog's owner might be contributing to its anxiety or reactivity issues without even realizing they're making things worse.

"I'm human-training more than anything, because most of the issues that they're having with their dogs are relationship-based,GÇ¥ John said. "So I help them build a good relationship with their dog.GÇ¥

During training, John stresses the importance of consistency, clarity, communication and confidence. He helps pet owners learn how to set their dogs up for success.-á

"Dogs do really well with consistency and with routine and with well-set expectations,GÇ¥ John said.

If a dog isn't "getting it,GÇ¥ he said, then its owner needs to make it easier for the dog to be successful. Dogs aren't furry little people, and treating them that way isn't the right approach, John said. Boundaries are necessary, as are rules and routine. The key is to make things easy for the dog to understand, which can ease stress and eliminate confusion.-á

"It's all about working with the dog to help it understand what it's supposed to do,GÇ¥ John said.

Once the dog understands what to do, things tend to click into place. John has a black-and-white plan to help his clients achieve a rewarding relationship with their dogs; it just needs to be implemented with consistency and dedication. When people get it, it's an incredible shift, he said. It's often like watching a lightbulb turn on, Kimmy said, for the dog and human. Once they learn how to set their dog up for success, things start falling into place.

John is able to customize a training strategy based on the needs of the client. With board and train, dogs that need a more intense level of help stay onsite at Sparks, where John works with them one-on-one. Once they are ready for the next step, he will bring the owner up to speed with private lessons and/or group training opportunities.-á

"So we might do board and train for a certain period of time and then a certain number of private lessons,GÇ¥ John said. "I'll train the dog and then I'll show the person how it works.GÇ¥

John's results speak for themselves. They have never had to euthanize a dog and they have pulled several dogs off behavioral medication, Kimmy said.-á -á

"We are usually the last chance for a dog,GÇ¥ she said.

John is a former Marine and Everett Police officer, which may contribute to his confident approach when dealing with people and their pets. Together for 15 years, he and Kimmy operated a carpet cleaning company prior to shifting gears, so they could focus on doing what they loved ' helping animals. They founded the Balanced Bullies rescue in 2012, and Sparks K9 followed when they realized it would be more convenient to do their own training on site.

They have a few dogs of their own, which is an occupational hazard.

"I fall in love with every dog I meet,GÇ¥ John said.

John is also skilled at protection training and training dogs for search and rescue duty. And when it comes to dealing with aggression, he has a knack.

"He is amazing,GÇ¥ Kimmy said. "It's a gift.GÇ¥

In addition to operating Sparks K9 and Balanced Bullies, the two volunteer their time at the Everett Animal Shelter, where John works with a group called Wag Works to help improve the adoptability of some of the shelter's tougher cases.-á

"It's more of a specialized group; they work with harder dogs,GÇ¥ Kimmy said. "We go in and he volunteers his time to try and get more dogs adopted out.GÇ¥

The shelter environment is considered high-stress and can exacerbate aggression issues, so it's a great fit. In addition to donating space in their novice obedience classes to shelter dogs, John works with shelter volunteers, helping them become better equipped to handle dogs struggling with stress and fear-related issues. As a result, more dogs become adoptable, which saves lives.

Animal shelters simply can't afford to continue to house dogs that can't be safely adopted.

"We help them help those dogs, and they get a really good success rate on those dogs,GÇ¥ John said.

Sparks K9 clients come from as far away as California to work with John, who has been able to achieve success where other trainers have failed. And John's clients aren't shy about sharing their positive experiences with others.

Lake Stevens resident Kerry Hill came to Sparks for help with Kimber, a 2-year-old German shepherd who was having issues with reactivity around other dogs.

"At around six months of age, she was attacked by two neighbor dogs while we were walking,GÇ¥ Hill said. "This made her extremely reactive to other dogs, which was problematic, as I am an avid hiker and many people allow their dogs off lead and unsupervised on the trail.GÇ¥

Hill was referred to Sparks K9 by clinicians at Pilchuck Veterinary Hospital, who would have to make accommodations for Kimber's reactivity every time she came in for a checkup.

"John did a full evaluation of both dog and owner and immediately saw that we both lacked confidence,GÇ¥ Hill said.

Hill and Kimber started with a series of private lessons that mirrored the curriculum taught in Sparks' novice obedience class. She and Kimber successfully passed an obedience test, albeit not perfectly, and were able to join the last few weeks of a recent novice obedience group class. Although Kimber would still have an occasional reaction, Hill found she was much better equipped to help ease her anxiety and bolster her confidence.-á

"We now look forward to advanced classes and continued work with her reactivity issues,GÇ¥ Hill said. "I am a much more confident owner and she is learning to trust me. We are a team now, and it is fun to have people say what a well-behaved dog I have.GÇ¥

John and Kimmy Sparks are concerned about the welfare of all dogs, which shines through in everything they do, Hill said. Kimber recently spent a week in the board and train program at Sparks while Hill was out of town, and it was huge success. -á -á

"They just helped me with another step to make my dog great,GÇ¥ Hill said. "It was fun to see the Facebook posts and then to hear from a friend of mine who has a dog in Sparks' Saturday obedience class what a rock star she was.GÇ¥

Julie Vandercook and her husband came to Sparks with their German shepherd puppy, Freyja, and completed the six-week puppy socialization class. She started biting at a few months old, so they scheduled a private lesson with John that promptly resolved the negative behavior. In addition to private lessons to help train Freyja for search and rescue work, the Vandercooks went on to complete Sparks' novice obedience class with great results.-á -á

"Sparks K9 has helped us raise a well-mannered, truly enjoyable puppy, but has also given us, especially me, the needed confidence to handle such a high-drive, powerful breed,GÇ¥ Vandercook said.

This year, John and Kimmy hope to find a new space that can accommodate their goal to help even more dogs. They would like to open a doggy daycare facility, and are looking to partner with a veterinarian.-á

"It's pretty neat to be able to be in this position now to be able to do what we love,GÇ¥ Kimmy said. "I'll never be able to go on vacation but I don't care; I'm already on vacation.GÇ¥

To learn more about Sparks K9 and the services they offer, visit www.sparksk9.com or the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SparksK9Services.