Exploring Life & Business with Luis Velasco of Kilo K-9

Today we’d like to introduce you to Luis Velasco.

Luis, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I got my first German Shepherd, Rambo, when I was eleven years old and that was when I had my first exposure to dog training. I trained him myself with the help of a local trainer at that time. That experience inspired me to learn more about working dogs, specifically police dogs. As I grew up, my desire to explore the working dog industry grew as well, and while I was working as a first responder on the ambulance, I purchased my first working dog, Kilo, whom I selected because she had the specific genetic characteristics to do police work.

Before I knew it, all of my spare time was spent training Kilo; besides my wife, it quickly became my greatest passion. I completely immersed myself in the professional dog training industry through all of the literature and media I could get my hands on. I decided to quit my job as a first responder and I started working for a dog training company. I worked there for a year and had the opportunity to train obedience, behavior modification, and protection dog clients.

Then, I decided to start my own business, Kilo K-9 LLC, in the spring of 2022. We have been blessed with so many wonderful clients throughout the state of Arizona, and we have loved every second of owning our own business!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Starting my own business has been daunting. Neither my wife nor I have a background in business, which has required us to learn as we go.

It has taken some courage to take a risk and start a business from the ground up in our twenties, but we are so proud of ourselves for having made it this far. If you never take the risk, you can never reap the rewards.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Kilo K-9 LLC is a family-owned dog training business. We specialize in personal protection dogs and police k-9s. Starting this year, we have had the opportunity to help train the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office’s police k-9!

We also exceed in training obedience, behavior modification, and psychiatric service dog clients. We train dogs all over the state of Arizona and we sell fully-trained personal protection dogs all over the country. What sets us apart from other dog trainers is that we will stick with you for the rest of your dog’s life. Even if you finish doing in-person dog training sessions or a board-and-train program with us, we are happy to answer any questions you have afterward and we are always willing to do refresher sessions! Also, when we sell fully-trained personal protection dogs, we include twelve hours of continued training each year for the rest of the dog’s life in the cost; we do not know of any other trainer who offers this.

Our motto is “Dog training is our art and we make every dog a masterpiece!” Dog training is more to us than just a job; it is our passion and we train every dog to reach their maximum potential. We are the most proud of the fact that there has not been a single dog that we have been presented with that we have not been able to train to the highest standard. We want our readers to know that our priority in training is to train without conflict, but rather with the utmost clarity. If you or someone you know needs help with their dog, please do not hesitate to reach out to us!

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
We feel as though our business success can be attributed to two things: God and our hard work.

God has placed many opportunities in our path and our drive, one-track-mindedness, and ambition have allowed us to make the most of those opportunities. We feel very blessed to be where we are today.

Pricing:

• Obedience Training: $100 per session with a five-session minimum. Sessions are an hour long and are held at your home, in the community, or at the Kilo K-9 LLC training facility in Parks, Arizona. We also offer an 8-week board-and-train on- and off-leash obedience program for $5,000.
• Behavior Modification Training: $150 per session with a five-session minimum. Sessions are an hour long and are held at your home, in the community, or at the Kilo K-9 LLC training facility in Parks, Arizona.
• Psychiatric Service Dog Training: $150 per session with a five-session minimum. Sessions are an hour long and are held at your home, in the community, or at the Kilo K-9 LLC training facility in Parks, Arizona.
• Personal Protection Dog Training: $150 per session with a five-session minimum. Sessions are an hour long and are held at your home, in the community, or at the Kilo K-9 LLC training facility in Parks, Arizona.
• Fully-Trained Personal Protection Dogs For Sale: Price varies depending on the dog

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kilok9.com
• Instagram: @kilok_9
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086167815554
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kilok-9
• Tik Tok: @kilok_9

Image Credits
Tyler Thiel