At Magnus we know that greatness isn’t born, it’s trained.

Helping pet and working dog owners take the guesswork out of training and strengthen their relationship with their dog.
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Our Philosophy

We use a scientific and psychological process to create a communication system between the dog and its owner. We believe that no two dogs are the same and there is no one size fits all approach. We set dogs up to enjoy doing every command on cue and with heart & soul! Just like most good things in life, training takes time and intentional effort. Using a balanced approach means finding effective communication tools for your dog to achieve its goals.

WHY Magnus?

Advanced dog training is becoming increasingly essential. The range of knowledge covers issues in pet dogs like reactivity and aggression through working dogs in detection, bite sports and beyond.

Magnus empowers owners by using psychological principles and scientific approaches to master modern dog training.

Magnus understands training dogs is about training people, and we know people!

Owners who want to move into hobbies or sport work after they’ve mastered obedience can rely on the knowledge and experience at Magnus.

What Magnus does

  • Basic Obedience
  • Advanced Obedience
  • Aggression & Reactivity Rehab
  • Behavior Modification
  • Detection & Nose Work
  • Bite Sport Development
  • Puppy Training
  • Board & Trains

DOG TRAINING PACKAGES & PRICING

Programs are customized to each dog’s needs. If you are looking for a type of training and you don’t see it listed, just ask! We work with any breed, any size, and identify the specific needs during our initial consultation.

8 Session Program

$1800

Board & Train
Contact for details

Boarding
per night $75

Group Classes
Coming Soon!

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FAQ’s

Yes. Magnus headquarters is located in Mount Joy, PA and includes a 600 square foot facility with indoor and outdoor space.
All dogs, all breeds, all ages. Puppies above 16 weeks must be vaccinated.
Yes. Depending on the nature of the aggression, owner and trainer will decide how many sessions will be in-home versus at the facility

Yes. There are pros to training in-home and at a facility. During the initial consult it will be decided how many sessions will be in-home versus at the facility.
Is there a cost for an in-home consultation that’s far away? Yes. Those located outside of Lancaster county may incur an additional travel fee but are welcome to do all training at Magnus HQ.

The most important piece of dog training is developing a communication system that the dog and the owner can understand. Magnus empowers all owners to understand the theory and reasons “why” for training that is conducted. All training is customized and constantly revised to meet the dog exactly where they are.
Since dogs don’t understand human language, tools are how we communicate effectively. Tools used at Magnus are discussed at length during an initial consultation so the owner understands and feels comfortable with what is best for their dog. These include slip leashes, prong collars, and e-collars. Tools without training mean nothing to a dog. Magnus never introduces a tool without extensive training and clear signs from a dog that they understand how the tool works and how they can control it to find their advantage.
Board & training is conducted at Magnus HQ and the owner is not involved with the dog for the entire 4 weeks. Private sessions are all conducted either at home or at the facility with the owner present.
Yes! NePoPo is an advanced training methodology developed by Bart and Michael Bellon and Christine completed her apprenticeship under a NePoPo graduate and eventually went on to get certified by Bart and Michael. Magnus K9 is a proud member of the IACP – International Association of Canine Professionals.
Balanced training means using an arsenal of tools and methods to be able to apply the appropriate ones to the right dog. It leads with positive reinforcement – utilizing food and/or toys to train the dog. It also means applying a correction to unwanted behavior, allowing the owner to have a clear “No” that the dog understands. A dog might walk nicely next to you when you have treats, but what do you do when that dog sees a squirrel and takes off? Utilizing a balanced method is the fastest way to teach obedience.
All owners are notified immediately if there is an emergency and given the option to take the dog to the vet themselves or allow us to take the dog. Veterinarian fees are incurred at the owners’ expense.
Magnus will help you with a training plan and help keep you accountable. A general rule of thumb is taking your dogs food for the day and breaking it into 3-4 portions that you can use for 3-4 training sessions throughout the day!

An owner had a really easy dog, decides to get a second one that is nothing like the first and has no idea where to start!
Owners have been to multiple dog trainers and nothing has worked.
People have a dog trained in basic obedience and want to graduate to off-leash work or get into sport work.
A major life change like having a baby, moving in with a partner who has a dog, a new neighbor who moved in with a barking dog, etc.
The dog starts exhibiting unwanted behavior like reactivity, aggression, or resource guarding for seemingly no reason.
An owner gets a puppy and wants to develop a really great dog from the start!

Being a great dog trainer means accepting there are limitations on your expertise. I pride myself in knowing other trainers locally and their expertise in case I feel there is a better trainer fitted for your dog’s needs. While it is rare, Magnus is entitled to turn away clients who are not the right fit.

Safety is the number one priority for any person or dog who walks through our doors. Dogs are kept separate from one another, the facility is temperature controlled, and there are cameras to keep grounds monitored. 

Schedule a phone consult! It’s free and only 15 minutes. Check out the blog page to get a feel for additional training and the methodology.

About Us

After working as a Sales Executive for a decade with Fortune 500 companies, Christine wanted to turn her “hobby” into a “jobby”.  She loves working with people as much as dogs and once she found a career where she could do both, she made the decision to pursue dog training in the most thorough route possible.  After being a client of the prestigious MOC K9 dog training company in Colorado, she began an apprenticeship where she worked with all types of pet and working canines.  She graduated from the elite NePoPo® Silver School founded in Belgium and taught by Bart and Michael Bellon and has since worked with local trainers and breeders.  Christine then worked for Misfits Dog Training, another one of Colorado’s top companies. 

Working alongside her is Onyx, her German Shorthaired Pointer who has achieved multiple titles in Detection and Nose Work.

Christine considers herself a forever student in the dog training world and spends as much time as possible shadowing and learning from dog trainers with both similar and different philosophies to Magnus K9.  She is passionate about networking and connecting people in the dog training space and strives to bring folks together in central PA to learn from one another!

Christine and her husband have a 2 year old and a new baby as of January.  She takes children/dog relationships seriously and loves to help families with this delicate balance. Outside of dogs, she enjoys playing tennis, cooking new foods, and eating whatever delicious foods her husband smokes.  She is originally from Lancaster. 

What our clients say?

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