About Good K9 Academy

Good K9 Academy was born from a deep, lifelong passion for dogs and a belief that every dog deserves the chance to live a balanced, fulfilling life alongside their family. Andrew "Drew" Moreno founded Good K9 Academy in Gaithersburg, Maryland over seven years ago with a simple mission: help dog owners build stronger, more trusting relationships with their dogs through clear communication and proven training methods.

Drew's journey into professional dog training did not start in a classroom. It started with hands-on experience working with dogs of every breed, temperament, and behavioral challenge imaginable. From anxious rescues to high-drive working breeds, Drew spent years learning what actually works in real-world environments, not just in controlled training halls. That real-world focus became the foundation of everything Good K9 Academy stands for today.

What started as a one-person operation quickly grew as word spread throughout Montgomery County. Families in Gaithersburg, Bethesda, Potomac, Rockville, Germantown, Silver Spring, and across the greater DC area began seeking out Good K9 Academy specifically because of the transformative results they saw in their neighbors' dogs. Today, with 155+ five-star Google reviews and a team of three dedicated trainers, Good K9 Academy has become one of the most trusted dog training facilities in the region.

Despite that growth, we have intentionally stayed small. Good K9 Academy operates as a boutique facility, only training a few dogs at a time. This is not a high-volume operation. Every dog that walks through our doors gets individualized attention, a custom training plan, and the time and care they need to truly transform. That boutique approach is what allows us to deliver the kind of consistent, lasting results that larger training programs simply cannot match.

At Good K9 Academy, we practice balanced dog training. That means we combine positive reinforcement, including treats, praise, and play, with structured accountability tools like e-collars when appropriate. We are not a purely positive facility, and we are not a correction-only facility. We use whatever combination of methods gives your dog the clearest communication and the most reliable outcomes in real-world situations.

Our approach is built on the understanding that every dog is an individual. A timid rescue from a shelter needs a completely different training strategy than a confident, high-drive Belgian Malinois. A puppy learning basic obedience for the first time requires a different pace and method than an adult dog with years of ingrained behavioral issues. We assess every dog individually and build a custom training plan that matches their temperament, drive level, learning style, and the specific goals of their owner.

What sets us apart is our commitment to real-world proofing. Training your dog to sit in a quiet room is easy. Training your dog to hold a down-stay at a busy outdoor cafe while bicycles, other dogs, and strangers pass by takes a completely different level of preparation. We train in real environments with real distractions so that when your dog graduates, the results actually hold up in the situations that matter most to your daily life.