Vision

Beaver Run’s vision is that all dogs should be equipped with the skills to go anywhere with their owners. We strive to prepare your dog for a life of building memories. Going out on the boat, to the vacation, out running errands, going on an off-leash hike, visiting family, etc. If dog’s are truly “man’s best friend”, let’s give our dogs the life that a best friend deserves.

About Nathan

I always knew that as soon as I moved out on my own I would get my own dog. Having grown up with dogs all of my childhood, it just felt “home-y” to have a pup. Once I graduated from Temple University with my second degree, I got a job in my field working in Finance. I moved to my own apartment in Philadelphia and got to pick my roommate; “Thatcher” my border collie. I didn’t know that this tiny puppy would change my career path forever. I began training my dog with all of my free time, making it a challenge to get my young dog to be the best version of himself. In order to do so, I obsessively researched dog psychology, training practices, etc. I found it fascinating that dog’s aren’t “one trick ponies” and the motivations between breeds/personalities differed greatly dog to dog.

Once friends, family members and people in my apartment building saw this 5 month old border collie heeling, sitting, staying with me in public, I became the go-to for help with all of their dog training advice. I would take people’s dogs for free and try to work through some of their problems. I then reached out to Ben Baker, a friend of mine with years of dog training experience with the hope to shadow him. After spending 3 weeks with Ben assisting him with dogs at his Texas kennel, I knew that my real calling was working with dogs.

The moment I came home, I was set on starting my very own dog training business. My first paying clients were private training clients that needed obedience work. I made a business plan to begin my own training facility. There was no chance that my apartment complex would allow a carousel of dogs, so I knew that my short-term goal was to obtain a location conducive to my new found career goals. Ben and I were in close communication about my growing love for training and we decided to start a plan for us to relocate up North. Early in 2019, an amazing opportunity presented itself in Lafayette, NJ. Once we got to the area, Ben’s focus was set on pursuing a career in hunting dogs. I hit the ground running by gaining local obedience training clients and BRK9 was formed. Ben is now the head trainer at Griffin & Howe Gundogs in Andover, NJ. https://griffinhowe.com/gundogs/

My pursuance of dog training knowledge did not halt when Beaver Run K9 began. Since forming, I’ve attended many seminars, training groups, competitions and events to hone my skills. I began mentoring under accomplished, world-level competitor, Jim Hill of Hallmark K9. I offered to be a helper (guy in the protection gear) for him if he taught me about dog training. Jim took me under his wing and educated me on his specialty; protective breeds. Watching him do sleevework with, sometimes reactive, German Shepherds, Rotties and Dobermans with such stoicism showed me that it isn’t always the dog that needs to alter their behavior, but we can help them greatly with how we carry ourselves through the phases of learning. Jim showed me the yin-yang relationship between our reactions to their aggression/submission and how we can elicit the right response once we learn to use the dog’s behavior to shape the training. I’ve competed in Schutzhund as a competitor and helper.

Since I started, my focus has been primarily obedience and behavioral modification. I enjoy these two types of training because of the bond it makes when proper training is complete. Training requires us to navigate our species-differences and find a common language to speak. A language laden with rewards, expectations and communication. Once our dog’s feel connected and understood, the depth to the bond we develop lasts a lifetime.

American Red Cross first aid certified, AKC CGC, S.T.A.R. Puppy, Urban CGC and Community Canine certified