We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Andre & Carla Hill. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Andre & Carla below.

Andre & Carla, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

K371 Dog Training started with my military working dog, Shadow. I was a Military Police officer in the Marine Corps for 5 ½ years. I was an explosive detection handler, and my assigned partner was Shadow. Every dog that serves in the military has a tattoo number on their ear for identification purposes. Shadow’s tattoo number was Kilo 371. We named the company after him as a homage to all he meant, his hard work, and his dedication to our men and women—and to me.

Shadow saved my life more than a few times in Iraq and Afghanistan. He detected weapon caches and IEDs downrange. He was a beautiful black Labrador Retriever with a spunky personality. He loved to eat and steal beef jerky from the Marines while on mission. Shadow served in the Marine Corps even after I got out and retired at 12 years old. He was able to come home to us and live out the remainder of his days as an honorary couch potato! Even after his retirement, Shadow continued to search the house and outdoor area every day for explosives. He was a sweet and dedicated boy to his job and his family.

Andre & Carla, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

K371 Dog Training was cultivated by us, hoping to solve a major issue in the civilian pet industry. Andre worked with all different kinds of working-line breeds in the Marine Corps. His skills included training working dogs to detect explosives and narcotics, protection work, search and rescue, and more. I was a Veterinary Technician in the U.S. Army, helping our military dogs stay healthy and in the fight. Together, our experience with dogs is vast, and we wanted to help the community bridge the gap in miscommunication.

Every day, people give up their dogs to shelters or abandon them on the street. Our local rescues and shelters are overcrowded and have to euthanize animals by the hundreds across America. Our mission is simple—to bridge the gap. Training military and civilian handlers is a streamlined process: you pair the handler with their dog to see if they are compatible. If they work well together, they become a team. If the dog has the skill set, they move on to learn their new job. If the dog lacks the skill or desire to work in that particular job class, they are moved around to find where they excel. In the civilian world, this is not the case for owners and their dogs. No matter if they mesh or their personalities clash, they get what they get. This creates a larger issue for both the dog and their family. Most people see training as a last resort when their dog is nearly uncontrollable.

Andre and I are working to change this narrative so people can effectively communicate with and enjoy their pets. We put education at the forefront of our training program. Helping owners understand their pet and their breed allows them to cultivate a true bond with their dog.

The services we provide to our clients vary, including board and train programs, private one-on-one lessons, refresher courses, online courses, and more. What sets us apart from other trainers is the endless hours of support we provide after a dog attends K371 Academy. Lifetime support is included in every board and train program we offer.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

Andre and I met while on deployment in Afghanistan in 2013. He was working as a trainer for a deployed Marine unit, while I was on active duty in the U.S. Army as a Veterinary Technician. During this deployment, we worked hand in hand to ensure the training and physical health of all the military working dogs were at their best.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

We attribute our reputation to hard work and dedication to our clients and community. Our journey originally began by reaching out to friends and family in the military. We called all our contacts, letting them know we were starting a dog training business. Referrals came in slowly from our sphere of influence, and the rest of our clientele grew by spreading the word throughout the community. Visits to local vet clinics and dog parks helped let everyone know that K371 was in town. Social media also played a big role in getting the word out, as we frequently engaged with local Facebook groups looking for training.

The final piece to the puzzle was our demo dog and beloved family member, Trinity. For a long time, we weren’t emotionally ready to move on from losing Shadow. Then, in 2019, Trinity—a six-year-old American Bully—came into our lives. She proudly holds the title of Assistant Trainer at K371, helping demonstrate the skills we teach to the public through live demos. With her shining personality and sharp training, she quickly captures hearts. Trinity has become an excellent teacher for all the pups that come to the Academy, and people can’t help but rave about her.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.k371dogtraining.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/k371dogtraining/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/k371dogtraining
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@K371dogtraining