Meet the Trainer:
How It All Began...
Hi there! My name is Nina Marchione, and I'm the owner and head trainer here at All-American K9. My journey into the world of dog training began at a young age. At five years old, my parents brought home a sweet, smart Golden Retriever puppy named Bella. She soon became the all-star in the family. We joked that my dad put her through "Marchione Puppy Boot Camp" to ensure she was the best pheasant hunter in the field, and my brothers and I were given incredibly rigid rules against "disrupting" this training. Ultimately, all that structure paid off for Bella, and she truly became the most loving and hardworking companion my family could have asked for.
Fifteen years later, while I was at Michigan State University studying to become an Engineer, I accepted an internship in Wisconsin. I would spend eight months there and "grow up" considerably during that time. I was riding the line of extreme independence and ultimate homesickness, and, inevitably, I decided to adopt a dog. My primary focus was on getting a dog that I could take out on hikes; I knew I needed a dog with a lot of energy. Little did I know then what "energy" truly meant.
I ended up adopting my current dog, Kayto, a Black Lab/German Shepherd mix. At the time, he was roughly a year old. He was extremely high energy, leash reactive, destructive and deprived of basic obedience. I needed help. The moment I came to that realization was the moment my life became committed to understanding dog behavior. I read a plethora of books, searched through every video the internet offered, began analyzing the behavior of dogs in public, started work at a dog kennel, and then ultimately shadowed trainers in three states (all of which used different methods to train dogs).
These experiences, combined with memories of the structure my dad created with Bella, helped me build a hardworking, functional and loving relationship with Kayto. Together, we jumped headfirst into trainings such as advanced obedience, agility and personal protection. Seeing Kayto's improvement over time not only built our relationship but also made me work even harder. Kayto worked hard for me, and I knew I owed it to him to continue challenging him and finding ways to help him grow. Fundamentally, my love for training grew into a true passion for understanding how to fulfill his needs.
I enjoyed my experience training Kayto so much that I began working with friends’ and families’ dogs to help strengthen their relationships as well. Now, my goal is to help all owners understand their dogs and ultimately live happy, stress-free lives.