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Take a trip out of doors just about anywhere around town and you’ll be quickly reminded just how much Johnson County loves its pets. This summer, Best of Johnson County voters selected their preferred pet service providers, from best vet and boarder to groomer and trainer.
Congrats to this year’s Best of Johnson County Pets winners!
Best Dog Trainer: K.I.S.S. Dog Training
Mike Deathe’s K.I.S.S. Dog Training started when he took a job at a local big box pet store after he had quit his “real” job to become a stay-at-home dad. That turned into a dog training position and eventually into a role of the area trainer. As he progressed, he wanted to help dogs and their humans in their homes.
“Essentially, I wanted to tackle more complicated cases,” Deathe said.
So in 2010, he set out on his own and launched K.I.S.S. Dog Training.
“I am one of the lucky few who found his passion and can do it for a living!” Deathe said
Of his approach to the work, Deathe likes to say that he’s not a dog trainer, but “a people trainer for those who have dogs!”
What that means to his clients is simple: “If you are looking for someone to train your dog, I am not your guy. Instead, I train humans to understand better their dogs and how to work with them. Sure, I could get your dog to do all sorts of cool stuff, but that won’t help when I am not around,” he said.
You can find out more about K.I.S.S. Dog Training and its offerings on the website here.
Best Dog Park: Shawnee Mission Park Off-Leash Dog Park
Loved by dogs and their people as well, the Shawnee Mission Park Dog Off-Leash Area is located west of the park’s 87th and Ridgeview entrance on the south side of the park. The 44-acre area features a paved trail to the lake and dog beach area, as well as wood-chip and natural-surface trails through grassy and wooded areas. The off-leash area also includes restrooms and paved parking. The area is open year-round during regular park hours except during weekly routine maintenance closures, which take place every Tuesday and Thursday from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. These closures are conducted to provide maintenance to the area without compromising dog, patron, and staff safety. For the enjoyment of all patrons and pets, all JCPRD Dog Off-Leash Area Code of Conduct/Rules (PDF) apply. Other JCPRD off-leash areas include are located in Heritage Park, Thomas S. Stoll Memorial Park and Kill Creek Streamway Park.
For a full list of this year’s Best of Johnson County Pets winners and runners up, check out the winners page here. Congrats to all this year’s Pets honorees!
