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Carlos CPDT-KA
Education. Mindfulness. Experience.
By Carlos F Morales - CPDT-KA
Hello, hello!
My name is Carlos, and I am the founder of k9HS Online and Canine High School in Long Beach California. As head trainer, I am the proud creator of our training philosophy, training programs and online courses. During my career, I have invested in strengthening and growing my canine behavior and dog training education through continuing education workshops, seminars and independent research in order to keep myself as current as possible on the latest science. My fascination with behavioral learning science, animal husbandry and ethology are not just part of my job, but also deep personal interests. I have obtained several certifications, and help others as a Certified Mentor Trainer for Animal Behavior College and Catch Canine Trainers Academy where I mentor and educate aspiring dog trainers working to obtain their certifications.
I am fortunate to have a well-rounded position as a dog trainer and educator in my community. From working directly with clients and helping families in need of private and ethical dog training, to training and educating a team of dog trainers, interns and of course the parents in my school programs and group classes. I spend a great deal of my life teaching, problem-solving and improving my skills as well as the skills of those around me. Spreading an easy-to-understand and approachable message of mindfulness to animals and to each other in the form of force-free and science-based dog training. Whether you are my canine student, human student, or an intern mentee in my teaching program, you will always be treated with dignity and respect. Some situations may be difficult and require privacy, tact or kind honesty, especially when discussing something that is causing a dog harm.
Over the last couple of decades I have developed extensive hands-on experience in real-life situations, working full-time as a dog trainer at a professional capacity. Also as a volunteer for many rescues and shelters where I learned about shelter dog behavior. I specialize in force-free, scientific evidence based dog training across many different training models (methods), and I am LIMA compliant. My experience ranges from basic training, puppy training, and socialization, to dog sports and dog fitness training, rehabilitation, trauma recovery, aggression, and all types of canine anxiety.
Feel free to peruse my page if you are interested in specifics about my education, experience, volunteer work, or if you are just curious about my journey.
Welcome to k9HS and I look forward to working with you and your pup!
Carlos F Morales - CPDT-KA
Carlos is head trainer at Canine High School in Long Beach CA, a force-free Puppy School and Dog School. He is responsible for creating the School's Dog Training System, Curriculum and Philosophy. In addition to educating his canine students and their human parents, he runs a teaching school that offers apprenticeship and internship programs for aspiring professional dog trainers. He is a Certified Mentor Trainer for several dog training schools and holds certifications with the AKC and the CCPDT. He lives in a little house by the beach with his human, his three dogs GoGo, Kiba, Choji and a sassy cat, Habibti
"Offering pups the ability to consent, use agency and make choices while they learn"
Education
Mentor. Teacher. Student.
By Carlos F Morales - CPDT-KA
Certifications
CPDT- KA
By the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers CCPDT. . This is an organization that sets standards for ethical behavior, that requires continuing education for professionals and is advocating to standardize licensing for dog trainer professionals. CPDT-KA stands for Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed. This particular certification requires testing to assess your knowledge base in the following areas:
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Instruction skills
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Learning Theory
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Ethology
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Equipment
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Animal Husbandry
Certified Mentor Trainer
By Animal Behavior College
By Catch Canine Trainers Academy
Carlos teaches, mentors and evaluates future Long Beach dog trainers in their certification programs
AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator
By the American Kennel Club, including AKC STAR Puppy, Community Canine and Urban CGC
AKC Trick dog Title Evaluator
By the American Kennel Club, including all title levels
AKC FIT DOG Canine Fitness instructor
By the American Kennel Club, including levels 1, 2 & 3
AKC Temperament Test Evaluator
By the American Kennel Club
AKC FETCH Judge
By the American Kennel Club, including levels 1, 2 & 3
Mindfulness
Consent. Agency. Choice.
By Carlos F Morales - CPDT-KA
Where it all started...
I have been around dogs, cats, birds, insects, reptiles and rodents since my childhood. I genuinely love animals and wanted to learn everything I could about them. My mom was extraordinarily patient when I brought parrots, rats, tarantulas, snakes and a bunch of other animals home as a kid and teenager. The best advice I have received was from her in 2009 when she said: “If you don’t want to go into a corporate office job again, don’t. Life is too short… find something you enjoy.” So, I moved from the East Coast to California at the end of that same year. I feel fortunate that, as an adult, I can work doing something I love - dog training is my life and my profession.
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And it all started after rescuing Trina, a scared, misunderstood and distrustful red nose Pitbull terrier with serious behavioral issues. Trina was abused and abandoned, left traumatized, fearful and defensive. During the 12 years that we spent together Trina blossomed and worked as my assistant day in and out, she taught me about patience, respect and mindfulness. And because of her I am able to help dogs in bad situations and educate their humans.
Trina and I had a very special and close bond, and I am grateful to her for helping me grow as a person to be better and more mindful to both canines and humans. From her I learned the importance of offering Consent, Agency and Choice to every dog. Words that have defined my Dog Training Philosophy. Consent is respect and it should always be mutual, agency allows free-will which is paramount to learning to make decisions, and choice is the pinnacle of dignity, in both humans and dogs alike. She passed away peacefully at our home at the age of 14, while I sang her favorite song. She left a legacy behind that I hope will change many lives for the better.
My home is pretty full still, my human and I co-parent Go-Go, Kiba, Choji and Habibti.
Go-go is a 6lbs Chihuahua that I found living under a car in North Long Beach. When I found Go-Go, I intended to bathe her, train her, and get her adopted, but she never left! She now works with me at Puppy School through the Teaching Dog program where she helps me to teach puppies the basic commands and boundaries as the well socialized girl she is.
Kiba is the gentlest dog, about 60lbs of Bull Terrier and Pitbull Mix that we adopted in 2020. He is sweet and athletic and he recently graduated from our k9HS Puppy School and k9HS Dog School and is now in our k9HS Socialization School pursuing more AKC Certifications.
Choji is the youngest, he is a rescue that we adopted in 2023. He is 85lbs mix of Saint Bernard and Belgian Malinois, he is a very happy puppy with a great sense of humor. He is currently in the k9HS School program.
Habibti is a cat, she is about 15 years old, another rescue. She knows two commands, ‘come’ and ‘food’. She goes on neighborhood family walks with my human and our three dogs, so if you see two humans, three dogs and a cat walking near the beach, wave hello!
Experience
Specializations. Hans-on.
By Carlos F Morales - CPDT-KA
Canine Aggression
Fear Aggression
Territorial Aggression
Idiopathic Aggression
Predatory Aggression
Intra-Household Aggression
Control Aggression
Resource Guarding/Possession Aggression
Canine Anxiety
Separation Anxiety
Former rescue (or shelter) dog Anxiety
Illness-induced Anxiety
Leash/collar Anxiety
Food Anxiety
Fear & Phobias
Canine Agoraphobia
Canine Aquaphobia
Canine Thalassophobia
Canine Acrophobia & Claustrophobia
Trauma Survivors
Canine Emotional Threshold Management
Canine Submissive Peeing
Canine Obsessive Compulsive Disorders
Canine Rehabilitation
In the following forms:
Canine Distemper Survivors
Canine Blindness and/or Deafness
Canine Amputees
Canine Fitness & Sports
Canine Swimming
Canine AKC FIT DOG Fitness Classes
Canine Agility
Canine Socialization
Canine Pack Dynamics
Canine Leash Reactivity Training
Canine Exposure Training
Canine Public Access Training
Basic, Moderate & Advanced
Canine Basic to Advanced Skills Training
Canine Obedience & Manners Training
Canine On-leash Walking Training
Canine Recall Training
Puppy Training
Puppy Foundational Skills Training
Puppy Socialization Training
Puppy Impulse Control Training
Puppy Potty Training
Puppy Leash Training
Canine Temperament
Adoption & Selection Services
Household Set-up & Preparation
Breed Specific Training & Exercise Plans
Aptitude & Preventative Training
Volunteering
Rescue. Shelter. International.
By Carlos F Morales - CPDT-KA
Shelter Volunteer Work
Volunteered at the SPCA-LA working with Shelter dogs. Here I learned about security and cross-contamination protocols, as well as shelter dog behavior. I also volunteered at the Seal Beach Animal Care Center where I worked with specific difficult cases in an effort to get those dogs adopted.
Community Classes
Community support is incredibly important, for this reason I teach group classes free of charge for volunteers, fosters and new adopters from important organizations like Sunny Saints of California.
Rescue Volunteer work
I have volunteered my time training, boarding and rehabilitating several dire cases for the Long Beach Spay & Neuter Foundation and Sparky and the Gang, both local Long Beach Dog Rescues. A few of the cases were dogs on the kill list at the shelter that ended up finding forever homes through the rescue and living full and happy lives. Also a feral dog, named River, who now lives with a wonderful local family after helping her overcome extreme traumas and fears.
Volunteer Work Abroad
Volunteered my time creating security and cross-contamination protocols for Voz Animal, a dog rescue in Sopo, Colombia. I lived on the property and worked with many of the dogs as well as caring for a very ill dog that thankfully survived a bad case of kennel cough. In Costa Rica, I visited and donated to Territorio de Zaguates, 'Land of the Strays' where they struggled to maintain a pack of several hundred dogs living free in the forest with their caretakers.
