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About the Trainer

Mitchell Kilkenny

Dog trainer

Instagram @nalatracksYouTube @nalatracks

Search and Rescue K9 handling experience brought into everyday dog training.

For almost five years, I have been an active Search and Rescue K9 handler working alongside my dog, Nala, in real-world environments where training truly matters.

This is not just obedience in a quiet room. It is communication, trust, and clear handling in forests, around distractions, near helicopters, and under pressure.

Training should work in the real world — not just inside a classroom.

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Mitchell Kilkenny with Nala

Real-world K9 handling

Nala and Mitchell in training.

My Background

Real dogs. Real environments. Real lessons.

Before search and rescue, I grew up around well-trained Labs, Brittany Spaniels, and bird dogs. Dog training has always been part of my life, but over time it became something much deeper.

Since starting my K9 journey, I have invested thousands of dollars into professional courses, seminars, certifications, online programs, and hands-on training with experienced handlers and trainers from different backgrounds and philosophies.

I have also had the opportunity to train with Roy Lopez, one of the most respected tracking dog trainers in the industry. Roy helped develop the first K9 tracking program for the United States Border Patrol and has been involved in over 2,000 successful finds throughout his career.

Nala and I have completed certifications, trained around helicopters, worked real searches for missing people, and spent countless hours learning how dogs think, learn, and respond under stress and distraction.

I did all of this work in Oregon before recently moving to Belleville, New Jersey to focus more on dog training and growing my YouTube channel.

NYC Tracking

Right now, Nala and I are training and tracking in one of the hardest environments in America — New York City.

Tracking through crowds, traffic, food smells, concrete, noise, and thousands of overlapping human scents pushes both the dog and handler to another level. That experience heavily shapes how I approach everyday dog training.

Because at the end of the day, most people do not need a dog that listens perfectly in a quiet room.

They need a dog that listens at the park. On walks. Around distractions. Around life.

Mitchell and Nala training with another search and rescue K9 team

Watch Mitchell and Nala train in the real world

How I Train

Practical coaching for the dog in front of us.

Clear Communication

What to practice, when to reward, and how to help your dog understand the job.

Real-World Carryover

Training built for parks, walks, distractions, and the moments where the skill actually needs to work.

Adaptable Coaching

The plan adjusts to the dog in front of us instead of forcing one method.

Ready?

Okay… enough about me.

Your dog is probably wondering why you are still reading this instead of signing up for classes already.

Go grab a spot and let’s get training.

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