Meet Kyle, our Founder and Head Trainer!

Hi!

My name is Kyle Weaver. I was born and raised in Huntsville, AL, and it’s here that I discovered my passion and knack for working with dogs.
​
Growing up, we had plenty of pets. Dogs, cats, fish, hamsters, all the usual suspects. We even had a turtle for a little while, but that was more of my sister’s pet. As a matter of fact, most of the non-dog critters in our house were hers. Me? I liked dogs. 
​
Looking back, it was actually kind of a defining characteristic when I was a kid. Come Christmas or birthday time, you can be sure I’d be getting a couple of dog-centric gifts. My grandmother is from Finland, and occasionally she’d have friends come and visit her here in the States. I distinctly remember meeting such a couple, and can still hear them saying, in their broken English, “Oh! We hear you like dogs!”.

Of course, back then I had no idea what a “good” or “balanced” dog was. I knew my Uncle’s dogs who had a particular fondness for peeing inside weren’t being so good, and that one of our personal dogs who jumped the fence daily to roam the neighborhood was causing my parents some frustration, but that’s about as far as it went. As far as I knew, training meant sitting for a piece of cheese, and MAYBE knowing how to “shake hands”. ​
So there I found myself, at age 14, with 4 dogs in the house, watching TV one summer afternoon. A popular dog training show that I’d never heard of came on, and I couldn’t believe it: we’d been doing everything wrong! That very day I began leash training our motley crew of pups. My first pack consisted of a Shiba Inu mix we’d rescued from the pound as my Christmas gift, a Morkie that my sister had gotten for Christmas, a Pit/Lab mix I’d begged my Mom for recently (and miraculously she’d said yes), and a Miniature Pinscher that I’d had since I was 8.

Not long after, we became a “temporary” home for a Rhodesian Ridgeback mix that ended up staying with us for a few months. We weren’t dealing with any major issues at the time. Dogs weren’t getting in fights or biting people. But you can believe we had our fair share of nuisance barking, leash pulling, jumping, and general chaos from time to time. ​
Moose, the Shiba mix, would also pee where he stood anytime he got excited, felt shy, or saw a leash, which had my sweet, but clean-freak, mother on the brink! So, we had some work to do, and work we did. We walked daily, and turned them into structured, focused exercises. We nixed the naughty behaviors like jumping and barking. And we formed new associations so that all could be calmly leashed up indoors, pee-free. 

I studied as much as I could, and applied everything I learned. I completely changed the way I looked at my dogs and their needs, as well as my own role in their lives and the responsibilities that came with it. 

Guess what? It worked! One of my proudest moments came in those early days when a random boy on one of our pack walks asked me “Are you Cesar Milan?”. Granted, he was just a kid, but it really feels like things are paying off when you’re mistaken for a celebrity dog trainer!
I’ve never looked back. I moved to Auburn to attend Auburn University, picked up a job at the local shelter, and spent the next few years fostering dogs with behavior issues so that they could get into a better space and find their forever home.  From there, I began working at a veterinary hospital, and eventually started taking on training clients on the side. As my list of satisfied clients grew, I decided to relocate back home and start training full time.  There you have it. My story of how it all started and how I ended up here doing the thing I love the most. I look forward to hearing your and your dog’s story, and working with you to create the best possible future!

Along my discovery journey, I’ve learned many valuable lessons that have allowed me to better communicate with, and get better results from, the dogs I train. If I had to pick the 3 most valuable, I would say:
  1. Dogs aren’t people, and that’s not a bad thing! By seeing dogs as creatures different from ourselves, we can truly honor their needs, desires, and feelings. The truth is, dogs actually prefer being treated like, well, dogs. After all, we like being treated like people, don’t we?
  2. When it comes to having your dream dog, structure is the name of the game. Dogs thrive on leadership and accountability. They like knowing what comes next, and what’s expected of them. Structure comes in many different forms, but learning how to properly utilize it will make getting the results you want so much easier.
  3. No two dogs are the same. A lot of issues with dogs can be boiled down to some similar root causes, but what each individual dog needs to live their best life will always vary. How much structure? How much freedom? What rules need to be firm, and which ones can be bent from time to time? It all depends on the dog. That’s why our Reboot Your Dog in 60 Days program is designed to be specific and individualized to your dog’s needs. 

​I hope my story has shed some light on who I am as a trainer, and how my experiences thus far have set me up to be the unique trainer that I am today.
"The best by far! Kyle has years of experience working with dogs of all ages and temperaments. He is very knowledgeable and informative, friendly, and is committed to his work. I wouldn't use anyone else!"

Meet Mason, Private Training Expert 

Hi,

​My name is Mason Harkey. I was born and raised in the small town of Waynesboro, TN, and I've had dogs in my life since the moment I was born. 

​Reflecting on my childhood, I'll always remember how well trained my dogs were. My mother Rose could work wonders with any animal. I remember taking long rides through the wooded backroads with her. She had a habit of picking up any lost or abandoned animals she found out there. We even found and rehabilitated a hawk with a broken wing!

Naturally, most of our dogs were rescues. We also rehomed many abandoned dogs we found. We never had to actively look for good homes for our dogs. When the word spread that Rose had a dog available, families throughout the county would line up to take it home.
After I graduated high school and moved to Alabama for college, I learned about how dogs in the cities live. When you live out in the country and your dogs are outside only, they have much fewer expectations. Animals in residential areas need to know more than just the basic, "Don't chase deer, Don't bite, Come here!"

I worked several jobs after college, Insurance Salesman, Car Salesman, Restaurant Manager, etc. I enjoyed them all but I always felt like I was missing my calling. I remember the excitement I felt when I joined Confident Canines. I finally had an opportunity to follow my first passion, working with animals. Since I've joined, I've learned so much about dogs and what should be expected from them. The methods we employ just make sense and I've seen them improve the lives of many humans and animals.

I'm happy knowing my calling in life also improves the lives of my clients and their dogs.

Thank you for reading my story. I look forward to working with you and your dog! ​