At This Business, All Dogs Are On Cloud Nine

Do you think Dawn Glaser-Falk likes dogs?

When you own 17 of them as well as own and operate a dog training academy, the obvious answer is “yes.”

Glaser-Falk has been fascinated by the way all animals learn. She has even conducted teaching experiments with squirrels and chickens. But her real passion is dogs. She has operated Cloud Nine Training School for Dogs since 2000, all of that time in Hopkins.

Since March, she has been in at 640 11th Ave. S. in a large, 6,700 square foot facility complete with obstacle courses and plenty of room for dogs, dog owners and dog trainers to operate.

“Our philosophy is that behavior that is rewarded is repeated,” Glaser-Falk said. “Dogs are pretty simple in their makeup. They do what they can to get what they want.”

Glaser-Falk grew up in Hudson, Wis., and St. Paul and got a degree in English from St. Catherine’s College.

But her love of animals, especially dogs, drives her professionally. When it comes to canines, she has pretty much done it all.

“Beginning back in 1983, I started working with service dogs and eventually did that for three different organizations,” she said.

She continually focuses on a reward for good behavior and says this is what ensures a dog will soon become the well-behaved companion.

“Everything we do is reward-based,” she said.

There are a vast variety of class offerings from puppy school to obedience levels, agility training, playgroups and doggy gym. Just about ever behavior issue an owner can experience with a dog can be addressed and corrected at Cloud Nine.

“Our approach is to always use gentle methods with each dog,” she said.

She also has a range of classes from daytime to evenings and weekends.

“Business is good. We have maintained a good, strong client base,” Glaser-Falk said.

But when you own 17 dogs, you probably aren’t living in an apartment or condo. She and her family own a 40-acre farm outside of Princeton, Minn.

“We also have one cat,” she pointed out.

For more information on Cloud Nine, log on to the company's website or call 952-939-9174.