Anticipated Dog Training Center Opens Saturday

The long-awaited will open its doors on Saturday to offer owners affordable seminars on how to train our tail-wagging best friends.

Located in the city, the center will provide seminars for San Diegans needing to train their pups without being able to afford the heavy price tags that often come with dog trainers.

But there's a two-way deal with the center, a project of, a dog training and behavior modification company based in Poway.

Net proceeds the center earns will benefit local rescue groups.

"We've spent a lot of time developing this idea," said Meagan Karnes, founder and senior behaviorist at The Collared Scholar. "I'm just hoping we can educate enough dog owners to keep [pets] out of the shelters."

Karnes said she began to cultivate the idea a year ago because of the number of people who were turning to her and The Collared Scholar for much-needed dog training assistance at a low rate. Karnes, who said she has a special place in her heart for dogs with severe behavior issues such as aggression and anxiety, didn't want to turn any owners away for fear that they would succumb to a public animal shelter where pets are often euthanized.

After assisting a number of dog owners for fewer dollars, Karnes decided to begin the creation of the center. The 2,000-square-foot facility, located at the intersection of Poway and Garden roads, opens this weekend.

"The idea is to offer low-cost support, especially for rescue dogs that need the extra attention," she said. "The goal is to help as many dogs ... as possible and to keep them from being euthanized at the shelters."

But the job of the center is two-fold.

While offering low-cost seminars for up to 75 each time, Karnes intends on donating the net proceeds to a rescue group.

It works too, she said.

Karnes tested out the idea at The Collared Scholar for two November seminars—one focused on communication and another focused on fear and anxiety in dogs—and both were sold out. At the same time, over $1,000 was raised for Russell Rescue, a nonprofit that rescues homeless Jack Russell Terriers in need.

"Meagan really saves lives," said Russell Rescue Foster Coordinator Karen Wagner. "This is another venue for us to receive donations because we survive on donations. ... we're all volunteers here."

Wagner said in 2010 alone, Karnes took in 20 dogs from Russell Rescue and rehabilitated them at no cost.

"She understands them," Wagner said. "She totally understands them so they don't go into foster homes."

Though the center is still awaiting its 501(c)(3) status to help alleviate some of the burden of taxes, Karnes is ready for the center to open and has already booked seminars that will support 10 different rescue groups in Southern California.

Karnes—who opened The Collared Scholar in 2007 after rehabilitating her own pit bull, Koby—has worked with over 800 dogs with her two staffers, 200 of which were from rescue shelters.

One of those dogs was Sandy Aldern's pit bull mix, Tango.

Aldern said Tango has been with Karnes for two years now after another trainer told her the animal would have to be put down because he was untrainable and far too aggressive.

"He was ferocious, and we were really afraid," she said. "But Meagan took him in and worked with him. She's just amazing."

After an initial payment of $2,000, Karnes has worked with Tango for free.

"She'll take him anytime he shows aggression but I think everybody needs to go to Meagan, not just owners of aggressive dogs," Aldern said. "All owners need to understand their dogs."

And with the new center, Karnes hopes dog owners from throughout the region will come visit her before they consider a shelter.

"I just want to keep dogs out of the shelters," she said. "We just want to help."

For more information about the Animal Welfare Outreach Center, visit aroconline.org