MALIGATOR KENNELS
Professional Dog Training Services
Unleash Your Dog’s Full Potential with Scientifically Proven Training
Maligator Kennels changes lives, both human and canine, one dog at a time. Through the world’s best scientifically proven training methods and a deep respect for canine psychology, we’ve empowered owners and dogs across Utah and beyond. Whether your dog is a family companion, a working partner, or a service dog in training, our mission is to deliver real results so you can live with your dog, not around them.
We have set the industry standard, being recognized as the top Utah dog training provider for eight consecutive years. Maligator Kennels doesn’t sell tricks. We deliver measurable outcomes. And we’ve earned a reputation for bringing the best out in every dog.
Utah’s Most Trusted Dog Training Service
Trust in dog training isn’t given freely. It’s earned through consistency, transparency, and sustainable results. At Maligator Kennels, our reputation has been built one dog, one owner, and one outcome at a time.
With a 4.9-star Google rating, Maligator Kennels has been recognized as Utah’s top dog training facility for eight years in a row. These aren’t surface-level success stories or short-term wins. They represent thousands of training hours, countless behavior evaluations, and real-world transformations that allowed owners and handlers to regain peace and confidence while building deeper bonds with their pets.
We are the only training program with a certified expert in dog psychology, behavior recognition, and behavior modification on staff, trained through an elite program recognized by the United States Supreme Court. This level of certification is exceptionally rare in civilian dog training, and it matters.
Why? Because behavior isn’t random. Aggression, anxiety, reactivity, and disobedience are symptoms. We identify the why behind the behavior and apply science-based solutions that last.
What Makes Maligator
Kennels Different
Certified Expertise You Won’t Find Anywhere Else
Maligator Kennels is the only dog training facility with a certified expert in canine psychology, behavior recognition, and behavior modification on staff, educated through a program recognized by the United States Supreme Court.
Science-Proven, Dog-First Training
We always advocate for the dog first. Our holistic training approach is rooted in proven behavior science. Our team also understands that every dog and owner is different, and training should reflect that.
Results Over Features
We don’t promise perfection. We promise honesty, integrity, loyalty, and grit. Our goal is to help all those struggling with their dogs get a new lease on life through expert training, a compassionate community, and personalized support.
Our Story: Built to Fix the “Unfixable”
Maligator Kennels was founded by Russ Bishop in 2014, but our roots go back much further.
In 2012, Russ got his start working with police dogs, gaining access to advanced training knowledge and behavior insights not typically available to civilian trainers. Maligator was initially intended to be a police-only kennel, focused on working dogs, procurement, and elite performance.
Then life threw Russ a curveball.
Russ was asked to help a struggling dog owner, and his training approach changed their life. That moment reshaped the company’s future. What began as a specialized operation for police dog training and purchasing quickly became a statewide phenomenon known for one thing above all else: fixing the unfixable.
Today, Maligator Kennels serves clients across all of Utah and beyond with the same mindset that guided those early police dogs: precision, clarity, accountability, and respect for every dog we proudly work with.
Training Programs
Designed for Real Life
Exceptional dog training is all about reliability in the real world. Dogs don’t live in training facilities. They live in homes, neighborhoods, trailheads, vet offices, and busy public spaces. Our programs are built to prepare dogs and handlers for those environments.
Through science-backed methods and deep expertise in canine psychology, behavior recognition, and modification, we help dogs excel in real-world situations, enabling owners and their dogs to reach their full potential.
Obedience Training
Our obedience programs focus on clarity, consistency, and accountability. Dogs learn to understand commands and respond reliably under distraction. This is not about rigid control, but about creating freedom through structure. A dog that understands expectations can relax, make better choices, and confidently navigate daily life alongside their owner.
Behavior Modification: Anxiety & Aggression
Behavior issues are often communication breakdowns. Anxiety, fear-based behaviors, reactivity, and aggression are addressed through structured behavior modification rooted in canine psychology and proven science. We identify triggers, emotional states, and learned responses, then implement training plans that build neutrality, confidence, and stability.
Puppy Training
Puppyhood is a critical window that shapes a dog’s future. Our puppy programs set your pet up for success from two months onward and prioritize building basics, proper socialization, impulse control, environmental exposure, and foundational obedience. We educate owners on how to raise confident, resilient dogs who are prepared for adulthood.
Service Dog Training
Service dogs require precision, reliability, and a deep connection with their handler. Our service dog training programs are built with those standards in mind, focusing on public access behavior, emotional stability, and long-term performance. Please note that we provide training only for non-life-saving tasks.
Group Classes
Group sessions are structured environments designed to reinforce obedience, improve impulse control, and teach dogs how to interact appropriately with people and other canines. We offer Level I through Level III group obedience classes.
Board & Train Programs
Our boarding and training options provide an immersive training experience for accelerated progress. Dogs live and train under professional supervision while owners receive education and transition support to ensure results carry over at home.
No One-Size-Fits-All Training
There is no universal solution in dog training.
Balanced training means using the right tools, techniques, and timing for the individual dog in front of us. We do not force dogs into systems that do not fit. We evaluate temperament, environment, genetics, and handler lifestyle before recommending a clear and structured path forward.
If your life revolves around managing your dog’s behavior, avoiding situations, guests, or outings, that is not success. Our goal is to help you reclaim your freedom and confidence through training grounded in science and psychology.
As Maligator Kennels continues to grow, we are expanding our educational and training programs to bring our proven methodology to owners beyond Utah while maintaining the standards and results that define our work.
A Community That Doesn’t Disappear After Training
Training doesn’t end when a program does.
Maligator Kennels provides ongoing support through:
● Direct trainer communication via text
● Video calls for continued guidance
● A Facebook community group for education and accountability
We build long-term relationships. When questions come up, and they most definitely will, we’re still here.
success stories
Sarah
You Don’t Need to Look Anywhere Else
Maligator Kennels exists to help people who are ready for real change. We don’t take ourselves too seriously, but we take our responsibility to dogs and their owners very seriously.
This is where science meets compassion, where credibility becomes culture, and where lives change, one dog at a time.