Community Highlights: Meet Luciano Aguilar of Presidential K9

Today we’d like to introduce you to Luciano Aguilar. 

Hi Luciano, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Our story begins in The United States Air Force, the year was 2000. I was sent to Lackland AFB, TX for the Department of Defense’s Military Working Dog School to learn how to train and work with dogs. After 3 months of schooling, I graduated and began my new career working with dogs as a k9 handler within the military. I handled dogs trained for to detect narcotics and explosives as well as patrol dogs. Eventually, I was promoted to the Presidential K9 detail at Andrews AFB, MD after receiving my clearance to work near both Presidents Clinton and Bush. 

In 2004 my wife Leticia and I were expecting our third child, and I was ready to start looking for a life outside of the military, one that would allow me to be closer to my kids, I had missed so much. I remember one of our conversations, Leticia asked, “what will we do?” I said, “I don’t care if we’re homeless, I don’t want to have another job where I can’t have my kids around.” Through these conversations is where the idea of starting a dog training company surfaced after I attended a seminar. I was so excited, “I can be training a customer’s dog at the park while our kids play on the playground. It’s perfect.” 

I left the military January 2005 after serving 10 years to embark on this new journey. I came back to Hawthorne, CA, and accepted a job with my father-in-law within his company, maintaining and servicing self-service car washes. After 6 months, I had mentally spiraled downward, I couldn’t figure out civilian life, and it was killing me. Leticia found me on multiple occasions in the backyard crying, hugging my dogs. I begged her to let me reenlist, she offered a different solution, start the dog training company I was so excited about. 

I enrolled in a school that would teach me how to run a dog training business. After the 3-week course in August of 2005, I was ready to start, as I felt, a new mission with my dog Ajax. I now felt a purpose; believe it or not, I was happy I had stress once again. I was a new person focused on creating something out of an idea with the support of my and Ajax my Belgian Malinois. Every day, Ajax and I would leave at sunup and not come home until I had a lead or I had built a network with a local business. 

The conversation about dog training at the park while my kids played on the playground had become a reality. To this day, I’ve stayed true to that statement, having done a few other things like Pet Pro for a TV Show, America Now for 5 seasons, and being elected to the Hawthorne School District Board of Trustees, my kids were always around me and today after all three graduating high school we continue to work together at Presidential K9. Leticia runs the business with our daughter Cassandra who is also in the process of becoming a Veterinarian, Jorge our youngest got his dog grooming license, and Luciano Jr and I continue to do the dog training with a support staff that we’ve adopted as our extended family. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It wasn’t a smooth road for us; for years, I worked 7 days a week and no holidays. I started this company when dog training wasn’t as common, and I wasn’t known to people, so why hire me? I heard no to the point I began to think it was my name. There was a dog grooming place that I don’t think is around anymore that the owner Shirley said, “Leave me some business cards and maybe.” A month later, I received a call from this lady, and she said, “Shirley said your prior military if you can’t help me, no one can.” Shirley never referred anyone else but me and became my biggest cheerleader introducing me to other businesses after what I was able to accomplish with that first dog. 

We’ve been impressed with Presidential K9, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Presidential K9 is a family owned and operated dog training, boarding, daycare, and grooming facility. We are most known for our dog training but quickly building a name for ourselves within all the services offered. 

What sets Presidential K9 apart from others is the culture we create within our establishment. We strive on treating everyone like family, our employees, and customers alike. 

I am most proud of watching my kids grow into incredible young adults and to watch them flourish within the family business. The compliments we receive from customers regarding our children is the greatest feeling a parent can have. 

At Presidential K9, we treat your pup as if he was family because we are family. We offer you a free evaluation to make sure we are the right fit for you before either of us commit to moving forward, regardless of service. 

Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
We rely heavily on our phones to create videos to go back and critique ourselves to see where we can improve and collaborate with ideas to improve the dogs’ experience. We share these videos with parents as a how to maintain their dogs’ training when a trainer isn’t around. It also doesn’t hurt that customers share their videos as proud parents creating a new lead for us in the process. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.PresidentialK9.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/presidentialk9
• Facebook: Facebook.com/LucianoAAguilar