Little Monsters K9 Academy

About

I'm Kimberlee Tolentino, owner and trainer at Little Monsters K9 Academy. I started my career in dog training as a bewildered owner of an explosively aggressive rescue dog. After months of following all the trendy "should do's" of dog training only to watch his behavior escalate to dangerous levels, I found myself faced with the reality: that one way or another, my dog was going to end up dead if we continued on this path.

That was when I learned to understand my dog, as a dog; not as the bottomless vessel for affection I had selfishly forced him into being. I learned how to communicate effectively with my dog, to have two-way conversations through personal energy and body language. I learned to become a leader and teacher to my dog, to give him guidance, to provide him with structure, to advocate on his behalf, to hold him accountable for his behaviors, and to build his confidence in life. When my philosophy changed, so did my dog.

The transformation I saw in him was drastic and immediate. He was a new dog, with his troubles behind him and his whole life ahead of him. It marked a new era in my life, as well: I had become a dog trainer.

I found that saving one dog wasn't enough. I had the hunger. There were so many dogs out there that could be saved from abandonment, isolation, and euthanasia. I consumed everything I could to nourish my skillset: I read books, enrolled in dog training school, started a dog walking business, watched videos, listened to podcasts, attended seminars, volunteered and interned at a local animal shelter, and even began training dogs for other people.

And always in mind was my little rescue dog, who taught me the most. My empathy for dog owners comes from a time not too long ago when I was that dog owner. Held close to heart was, is, and always will be the lessons I learned the hard way, the challenges I faced together with my dog, and the way we were before I changed my life for the better of both of us. When I moved to dog training full-time, I named my business after my greatest teacher: my little monster.

Show more