Train smarter, live better

Engagement

Obedience

Agility & Fitness

Tracking & Article Search

Environmental Exposure (Socialization)

Scent Detection (Nosework)

Rick has loved dogs since childhood, starting with Cocker Spaniels, a Samoyed, a Weimaraner, and a Shepherd Mix. Fascinated by the human-dog bond, his life changed in 2016 while living in Philadelphia when he visited the PennVet Working Dog Center, a world-class facility for training, research, and education. After one tour, he immediately signed up as a volunteer-and never left.

Over the next eight years, Rick worked with more than 100 dogs, from puppies to young adults, under 12 expert trainers in fields including Law Enforcement, Search & Rescue, Detection, Agility, Obedience, Fitness, Environmental Exposure, and Veterinary care. He began with simple tasks like walking dogs and quickly advanced to handling every aspect of training and raising working dogs. He has fostered and transported many K9s, experiencing a wide range of personalities and behaviors firsthand.

In 2017, Rick fostered a Dutch Shepherd named Odysseus ("Ody"), who became his permanent partner and later pursued a second career in private narcotic detection. Ody's balanced demeanor also helped raise over 60 K9s who lived in Rick's home during training.

By 2025, Rick earned his Train the Trainer Scent Detection Certification, training 15 K9 teams in a 400-hour course. That same year, after moving to Park City, UT, he began working with challenging dogs at Nuzzles pet rescue, which led to the creation of Park City K9 Academy.