WASATCH K9 FITNESS AND TRAINING
Built with Care. Proven Where It Matters.
From Base Layer To Summit
The Wasatch system is built on a single principle: progress must be earned, structured, and repeatable.
Every dog enters at a defined starting point. Every advancement is deliberate. Foundations are established before complexity is introduced, and each layer builds with intent on the last. There are no shortcuts—only progression governed by clarity, structure and discipline.
This framework develops reliable teams by design. Confidence is not assumed; it is constructed. Reliability is not situational; it is conditioned. From foundational engagement to advanced application, the system remains consistent while the work adapts to the demands placed on it.
Standards are never compromised to accelerate outcomes. Progress unfolds at the pace required to preserve balance, durability, and control—ensuring that both dog and handler advance together, prepared for what comes next.
At Wasatch K9 Fitness and Training, our work is trusted far beyond our own backyard. Teams from across the country seek out our structure because it produces the same result every time: clarity, confidence, and performance that holds under pressure. What began here now influences competitors, service teams, and working handlers nationwide.
The Blueprint To The Summit: A 5-Pillar Roadmap
Five Pillars. One Standard. No shortcuts.
A system built to develop reliable, confident teams from everyday life to high-responsibility work.
While each pillar operates independently, most teams begin in The Base Layer before expanding into specialized paths aligned with their goals.
The Base Layer
01
Foundational work that never ends. Engagement, communication, and obedience form the living base that supports every stage of development.
The Apex Academy
02
Dock diving developed through foundational engagement and precision.
The Summit Scent
04
Structured scent detection grounded in clarity, focus, and precision.
The Anchor Point
05
Service dog development grounded in stability, clarity, and real-world reliability.
Begin Your Ascent
Your ascent begins with a focused consultation and your first foundational lesson. This session establishes clarity, defines expectations, and sets the standard from the very first step.
We do not guess. We assess. We do not rush. We build correctly. From that first session forward, your team enters a structured progression designed to produce lasting reliability, measurable growth, and performance that holds under pressure.
Summit Leadership
Theresa works with dogs and handlers at every level, from first-time puppy owners to national-level competitors and certified working teams. With nearly two decades of experience training service dogs, developing sport teams, and guiding families through foundational obedience, her work is defined by clarity, structure, and long-term reliability.
Theresa | Founder & Director of The Ascent
She is one of the nation’s most respected authorities in canine fitness, designing conditioning programs that support longevity, durability, and peak performance across multiple disciplines. In scent detection, Theresa has risen to the highest levels of the sport, earning national recognition while developing certified detection dogs trained to the most demanding standards in the game. Her ability to break complex skills into precise, repeatable components reflects the same disciplined framework that defines every Wasatch program.
Wasatch programs are nationally respected not because they are flashy, but because they are structured and proven. Theresa builds teams the right way from the beginning and ensures that standard defines every result that follows.
Craig | Founder & Director of The Apex
Craig built The Apex Academy into one of the most respected dock diving training environments in the country. His background in high-level sport shaped a disciplined approach rooted in consistency, accountability, and daily refinement.
At Wasatch, teams are developed with intention. Fundamentals are protected. Expectations do not fluctuate. Progress is earned, never rushed. Confidence is built through clarity and repetition until performance holds under pressure anywhere it is tested.
There are no shortcuts and no theatrics. Only steady work, unwavering standards, and a commitment to doing things the right way. The result is growth that lasts and results that speak for themselves.
Ascent Guides
Kaytlyn | Immersion Guide
Kaytlyn works directly alongside Theresa within the Base Layer and Board & Train programs, delivering daily hands-on training while upholding the Wasatch standard exactly as it is set. She reinforces clarity, consistency, and engagement from the very beginning, helping handlers understand expectations and apply them correctly from day one. Nothing is rushed. Nothing is skipped. Foundations are built deliberately and protected carefully.
Every session operates within the same structure that governs all Wasatch programs. Standards remain consistent. Progress remains accountable. Because the framework does not change, teams experience steady, measurable improvement while knowing they are fully supported within the Wasatch system from their first step forward.
Kyler| Apex Guide
Kyler serves as an Apex Guide within Wasatch K9 Fitness and Training, working directly under Craig inside The Apex framework. She leads beginner and developing teams through structured progression built on clarity, repetition, and measurable growth.
As the newest member of the Wasatch team, Kyler has quickly demonstrated the discipline and work ethic required to operate within the system. Clients value her enthusiasm, consistency, and genuine investment in every team she guides.
The Apex Architecture
20 Years of Proven Results from Foundation to National Stage.
At Wasatch K9 Fitness and Training, we do not just discover potential, we build it. Our structural blueprint is designed to meet teams at any starting point and guide them upward with clarity and precision. Whether the goal is a National Championship podium, certified detection work, dock performance, or confident everyday obedience, the process remains the same. The system develops strength, communication, and resilience that hold under pressure.
Every dog, regardless of breed, background, or experience, deserves a strong foundation. We apply the same standards used to develop our champions to every team we train, ensuring stability, fitness, and clear communication are established from day one.
From Sky, a rescue turned national champion, to Calypso, Addis, and Osa, each once underestimated in their own way, our legacy is built on a simple truth. When structure is right and standards are upheld, potential does not stay hidden. It rises. Precision, fitness, and communication unlock excellence. When the system is sound, progress becomes repeatable and results speak for themselves.
The Wasatch K9 Lineup: Elevating The Standard At Home And In The Field
In the shadow of the peaks that inspired our name, we have spent years refining a system built on the bedrock of the Five Pillars. At Wasatch K9, excellence is not situational. A dog that performs under pressure must also move through daily life with the same clarity, stability, and intention.
Our lineup reflects that standard.
These dogs are not defined by a single venue or title. They transition seamlessly from high-stakes performance environments to quiet, grounded life at home because the structure guiding them never changes. The same clarity that produces focus in the field produces calm at rest. The same fitness that drives performance builds longevity and confidence.
This roster represents the living proof of the Wasatch K9 Blueprint. These dogs live inside the system every day — not as exceptions, but as the standard. Their reliability, balance, and composure are the result of deliberate structure, clear communication, and uncompromising foundations.
From national competition environments to everyday life, they embody what we believe at our core:
when precision, fitness, and clarity are applied consistently, excellence follows naturally — everywhere it’s asked for.
Sky | National Champion
From rescue to the podium, Sky is a National Champion whose journey exemplifies the power of the Wasatch K9 Blueprint. With exceptional drive and athleticism, she demonstrates how precise structure and intentional development can transform raw potential into elite performance. Sky stands as proof that with the right foundation, any starting point can reach the summit.
Addis | Multi-Time National Breed #1
A multi-time National Breed #1, Addis is a foundational pillar of the Wasatch K9 Blueprint. Her career is defined by unwavering intensity, consistency, and excellence at the highest level of competition. Addis sets the benchmark for our entire program, representing the standard every team is built toward.
Calypso | 2024 National Breed #1
A testament to the power of structure and clarity, Calypso’s journey culminated in her 2024 National Breed #1 title. Once misunderstood, her development through the Wasatch system unlocked exceptional focus, drive, and precision. Calypso’s success reflects how intentional training can reveal elite capability where others saw limitation.
Osa | #4 National Breed
Originally underestimated for her sensitivity, Osa’s rise to #4 National Breed highlights the effectiveness of nuanced, dog-specific development. Through clarity, consistency, and trust, she emerged as a nationally ranked competitor. Osa proves that strength takes many forms when guided by the right framework.
Jindra | Double Certified Narcotics (W.D.D.O./POST)
Jindra is a high-caliber professional holding dual narcotics certifications through WDDO and Utah POST standards. Known for her environmental stability and relentless work ethic, she represents the operational excellence of the Wasatch K9 Blueprint. Her precision and reliability reflect real-world performance under pressure.
Tiamat | Double Certified Narcotics & Apex Athlete (W.D.D.O./POST)
A versatile professional, Tiamat holds dual narcotics certifications through WDDO and Utah POST standards. She embodies the seamless integration of operational detection and athletic performance, transitioning effortlessly between precision search work and high-drive sport. Tiamat reflects the adaptability and balance at the core of the Wasatch system.
Pandora | Certified Explosives Detection (POST)
Pandora is a certified explosives detection dog who has validated to Utah POST standards. Early in her development, her speed, clarity, and precision showcase the effectiveness of the 5 Pillars in action. Pandora represents the next generation of excellence within the Wasatch K9 Blueprint.
Xamira | Triple Certified Explosives (W.D.D.O./DrugBeat/POST)
Certified through WDDO and Utah POST standards, Xamira is a rising explosives detection professional and competitive athlete. Her early success reflects the strength of foundational development and environmental stability. Xamira demonstrates how structure and consistency produce confidence across disciplines.
Janka | The Foundational Matriarch
Janka is the living origin of the standards that define the Wasatch K9 Blueprint. A legendary athlete in her own right, her arrival completed a powerful cycle within the program. Through her lineage — including daughters Jindra, Osa, and Pandora — Janka’s influence continues, carrying the benchmark of the 5 Pillars forward into the next generation.
Dorrie | Professional Service Dog
Dorrie represents the pinnacle of specialized service work within the Wasatch system. As a professional service dog, she demonstrates exceptional environmental stability, focus, and reliability in public access and daily life. Her work reflects how the 5 Pillars support meaningful, real-world impact beyond competition.
Toast | (W.D.D.O.)
Commonly referred to as the “Certified Bug Zapper” by clients across the country, for being certified in bed bug detection, Toast is a premier specialist in surgical scent detection. Despite weighing just 8 pounds, she performs precision detection work typically associated with much larger dogs—demonstrating that clarity, drive, and confidence are not a matter of size.
Toast is W.D.D.O. certified and known for her composure, accuracy, and relentless focus in complex environments. Her work reflects the effectiveness of the Wasatch K9 Blueprint when applied with structure and intention, proving that elite performance is built on fundamentals, not physical scale.
Validated through real-world results, Toast exemplifies how precision training and clear communication produce dependable outcomes—regardless of stature.
Kida | Firearms Detection & Apex Prospect
The newest recruit to the team, Kida is an up-and-coming Labrador being developed through the Wasatch K9 Blueprint for firearms detection and Apex Academy athletics. Early in her progression, she already demonstrates strong drive, adaptability, and environmental stability. Kida represents the future of the program and the repeatability of the system.
A Pack Built on Resilience
From the high-drive working team above to the legends below, the heart of Wasatch K9 is built on the dogs the world nearly walked away from. Whether they were pulled from shelters on their final day or surrendered when their fire was "too much" for others to handle, every dog here is living proof that a humble beginning is simply the first step toward the peak.
We don’t just find talent; we forge it through structure.
The Summit
Living Proof of the Blueprint
The Wasatch Blueprint is a commitment to a dog’s entire life. These legends represent the 'Summit' of our program—living proof that proper fitness, cognitive precision, and a profoundly supportive bond lead to remarkable longevity and unshakeable stability.
Mojo | The North Star: The Foundation of Confidence & Longevity
Mojo is the guiding light of the Wasatch pack. Found as a super-scared puppy, his transformation into a super-confident companion now nearing 17 years old stands as a testament to the Wasatch Blueprint. He set the pace early as the "Fastest Weenie in Wyoming," backing it up on the national stage by placing 2nd at the Dock Diving Nationals.
Mojo’s journey proves that elite performance isn't just about size or speed alone—it’s built on resilience clarity, and trust. Today, he remains a cherished companion and our living North Star, showing us that with the right foundation, a dog’s spark doesn’t fade—it grows brighter with time.
Micah | The Empathetic Guardian: A Life Reclaimed & A Legacy Shared
Micah’s presence in our pack is a constant reminder of why we do this work. A true last-minute rescue, she was pulled from the shelter on the very day she was scheduled to be euthanized—just six months old. From that narrow margin, she grew into the most loving, loyal Lab we have ever known.
Today, Micah is the gold standard of stability and neutrality. As our lead mentor dog, she specializes in guiding fearful or uncertain dogs toward confidence. Having faced the ultimate test herself, Micah now spends her life helping others find the peace and security they need to thrive.
Riley | The Resilient Spirit: A Journey of Shared Discovery & Devotion
Riley is the personification of resilience. Her story began with closed doors—surrendered to the Humane Society when her first home wasn’t the right fit, then turned away by a breeder who wouldn’t stand by her. Labeled “extra nervous” and “anxious,” Riley was simply a dog searching for someone willing to walk beside her.
Over the last 13 years, our journey together has been one of forging trust into stability. We didn’t just train—we discovered a shared language that allowed Riley to thrive in Tricks, Agility, and Lure Coursing. Riley is living proof that the most meaningful destinations are reached not by force, but by patience, commitment, and belief.
Hall of Legends
The Founding Architects
Every peak has its roots. Our program was born from a deep understanding of dog psychology and an unbreakable bond with the ones who started it all.
Herky | The Original Architect (2006 – 2020): The Genesis of the Blueprint & The Ultimate Partner
A shelter-born legend, Herky was the catalyst for everything Wasatch K9 stands for today. Captured here in his famous Deseret News "Photo of the Year," he possessed a rare combination of raw athleticism and profound intuitive intelligence. It was through a decade of partnership with Herky that the psychological insights of the Wasatch Blueprint were first unlocked. Yet, beyond the accolades and the aerial feats, he was the most loyal best friend a person could ever have. He was the original teacher who proved that an Elite dog isn't just defined by their capability, but by the unwavering devotion they offer to the person by their side.
Hayden | The Multi-Pillar Matriarch (2010 – 2024): The Soul of the System
Hayden was the "Soul-Dog" who fundamentally reshaped our understanding of the canine bond. While Herky provided the blueprint for drive, Hayden provided the blueprint for depth. As the driving force and prototype for our Scent and Service Dog programs, she demonstrated a level of empathy and cognitive awareness that became the gold standard for our specialized pillars. Her 14-year journey is the heartbeat of this family, reminding us that an Elite dog is defined by the strength of their connection as much as their capability.
Built on legacy. Driven by purpose.
From the high-drive working team to the legends who started it all, every dog here is living proof that a humble beginning is simply the first step toward the peak. We take the elite protocols of a twenty-year legacy and architect them into a steady presence forged for every emotional and physical step of your journey. Our work doesn’t end at the summit; we continue the climb for every dog that joins the Wasatch family.