World-Champion IGP Dog Trainers Coming to Englewood, Florida This January

By Olga Baram

My Dogsports training obsessions always makes me look for ways to bring fresh knowledge, new perspectives, and world-class dog training to our community here in Englewood, Florida.

This January, we’re excited to share something truly special that has been years in the making.

Two incredibly accomplished dog sport professionals are coming from Germany: Florian Knabl and Patricia Knabl (Pehrsson) and also great people who I am privileged to call my friends. In Europe, their names are synonymous with excellence in IGP tracking, obedience, protection work, not just for Malinois but for all breeds in the sport.

They’ve trained and competed at the highest levels, and their reputation in the international working dog world is one of discipline, fairness, and results.

This collaboration is a rare opportunity to bring some of the best of German IGP training directly to our corner of Florida.

About Florian Knabl

Florian has spent more than 30 years shaping some of the most successful IGP teams in the world. His résumé includes:

1. 2× FMBB IGP World Champion

2. 8× Team World Champion

3. Competition Helper at FMBB and national events

4. President of the German Malinois Club

5. Founder of IQ Dogsport

6. Author of Successful Together

Handlers familiar with European dog sport culture know his work well—his influence can be seen across countless competition fields.

About Patricia Knabl (Pehrsson)

Patricia’s accomplishments speak for themselves:

1. Team World Champion, FMBB 2025

2. 11th place individual at FMBB 2025

3. 2nd and 3rd place at German Nationals

4. President of K9andSports

5. CEO of IQ Dogsport

Her precision in obedience and her ability to build strong, confident working dogs has earned admiration worldwide.

What They’re Bringing to Florida

During their visit, Florian and Patricia will spend three days teaching a blend of:

1. IGP obedience concepts

2. protection dog training

3. advanced problem-solving

4. timing and handler clarity

5. training structure and philosophy

It’s a mix of lecture, demonstration, discussion, and hands-on work, something that benefits both active competitors and those who simply want to learn more about working dog training in Florida.

Why We’re Sharing This With Our Community

DogSports4U Academy believes in growth, and continual learning. Hosting this event is not about putting on a big seminar, it’s about raising the bar for dog training in Englewood, FL.

Whether someone works a Malinois, a German shepherd, or another working breed… whether they compete in IGP or are simply curious about high-level training … opportunities like this expand what’s possible for all of us.

If You Want to Learn More

We’ll be opening a limited number of working and audit spots for those who want to participate or observe.

More details will be posted soon, but for now, we simply wanted to share the exciting news with our DogSports4U family and the broader Florida dog training community.

This January is going to be a special one.