K9 Basics/Clif Wyck Staff

Brian is the founder and owner of K9 Basics Dog Training. He spent 25 years in law enforcement during which time he handled a police dog for 10 years and then supervised the K9 unit for 10 years. Brian has been working with dogs, breeds and behaviors for over 23 years. K9 Basics Dog Training was launched in 2003 after his retirement from police work with an emphasis on pet dog training and making dogs’ lives better through training. It has since grown into one of the largest dog training businesses in the South Jersey area. Brian currently works with six rescue groups in the area besides his business, with an emphasis on training the abandoned dogs to enable them to be adopted.

• Graduate of Philadelphia Police K9 School
• Certified Trainer through “That’s My Dog! E-Cademy”
• Certified in Pet First Aid and CPR
• Member of CPAC (Canine Political Action Corps)
• Professional member of Int'l Assoc. of Canine Professionals

Lisa participated in training police dogs during her 20 year career as a Police Officer/EMT. After retirement from law enforcement in 2004, she began working with her husband, Brian, at his newly formed dog training company, K9 Basics. Lisa initiated and teaches the Puppy Pre-School program now offered by K9 Basics. She is the driving force behind the company’s continued growth and expansion into varied areas of training such as Puppy Pre-School, Agility and Pet First Aid/CPR. Lisa’s greatest passion is getting all dogs into or keeping them in their “Forever Homes” through patience, understanding and training. Lisa is a lover of all animals and she and Brian currently own 5 dogs (“Apache” & “Phoenix” - Czech Shepherds, “Cheyenne” – a Lab/Pit mix, “Geronimo” a German shorthaired pointer, and “Zeus” a German shepherd), 7 cats and 1 bird.

• Certified Trainer through “That’s My Dog! E-Cademy”
• Certified in Pet First Aid and CPR
• Member of CPAC (Canine Political Action Corps)
• Professional member of Int'l Assoc. of Canine Professionals

Tara was a client before joining the K9 Basics staff in early July 2007. She began as a client two years prior to training with her family dog Reba. As Tara pursued her Liberal Arts degree, she worked as an Office Manager in a vet clinic. Even after completing her degree, she knew her love for animals was too strong to leave the field completely. Coming on staff in July as Office Manager was a dream come true! Tara, too, is an animal lover with three dogs and one cat at home!

Nichole is the head trainer at one of the largest and most successful dog training companies in South Jersey, K9 Basics Dog Training. She started out as a client with her personal dog in 2006 and soon after was asked to come on board as an assistant trainer. Being an assistant trainer, Nichole studied under the trainers and owners of K9 Basics Dog Training. In May 2008, she was sent to That’s My Dog E-cademy in Hazel Green, Wisconsin to become a certified trainer. There Nichole’s knowledge and love for dogs grew as she studied with an exceptional training team. She has now been working for K9 Basics Dog Training for 4 years and continues to grow with the help of each dog she trains. The owners of K9 Basics are phenomenal trainers who have gone above and beyond to help her better understand dog behavior. She feels privileged to be the instructor for the agility, treadmill, and tricks classes at K9 Basics Dog Training. Dog training/behavior started as a hobby for Nichole but is now her passion. She looks forward to furthering her education so she can continue to grow with K9 Basics Dog Training.

• Certified in Pet First Aid and CPR
• Certified Trainer through That's My Dog! E-Cademy
• Associate member: Int’l Association of Canine Professionals

After graduating from Washington College and getting married, Lisa decided to follow her passion for working with dogs. She trained as a veterinary technician at Camden County College and received top honors. She has completed two massage programs, maintenance massage and rehabilitative massage, at the Northwest School of Animal Massage and graduated at the top of her class each time. In addition, she is certified in the advanced massage technique known as the Kinaesthetics™ Body Care System in which she trained under Maryna Ozuna, the system’s founder. Lisa’s goal is to make every dog she touches feel better and live longer. With the love and support of her husband, twin daughters and five dogs, she continues to learn so she can help her four-legged friends.

Audra has always been an animal lover. She sought help training Dakota (her American Bulldog) and became a K9 Basics client in August 2008. After graduating Dakota, she came on board with K9 Basics as an Assistant Trainer in August 2009. She loves coming to work and helping the clients and watching them grow that same bond she grew with Dakota and seeing the progress from beginning to end.

Carol has had a passion for animals her entire life. Since she enjoys being around animals and gaining as much knowledge about them as possible, she always found herself happiest in animal-related occupations. Some of her jobs have been: Animal Caretaker for a pet store, Zookeeper, Veterinary Assistant, Pet-Sitter, Veterinary Technician, and Agent for Animal Cruelty Investigations. She has also volunteered at animal shelters and occasionally fosters pets for a local animal rescue group. Carol came to K9 Basics seeking off-leash training for her dog “Bruce”. After Bruce graduated from the Group Training Program in December 2010, Carol was offered a position at K9 Basics as an Assistant Dog Trainer. Carol happily accepted the offer and is excited to learn something new about canine behavior and training every day she spends at K9 Basics.