Welcome to our very first post at K9 Dog Training Academy. My name is Rebecca and I am the founder of K9 Dog Training Academy. By way of background, I was in law enforcement for almost 20 years and after a workplace injury I was forced to take early retirement. When I left the police, I wanted to do something that I have a passion for. The answer came to me immediately – I wanted to work with dogs.
I trained as a groomer and had a successful business for almost 10 years. I have since diversified by training in dog psychology, training, nutrition and the fine art of teaching puppies.
I like to consider myself a ‘canine coach’ as opposed to a ‘dog trainer’. Yes, I do train dogs, but that is only half the picture. Part of the services we provide is to work very closely with our puppy parents and coach you to be the best leader you can be for your puppy. We also take a holistic approach to dog and puppy training and problem solve every angle – physically, emotionally, and nutritionally.
As pet parents, we have a lot of responsibilities. Our main aims for our dogs should be firstly, to do no harm and secondly, keep our dogs happy. Simple right? Unfortunately, it is not that simple. Dogs aren’t necessarily happy just because they are fed and taken for a walk once a day. There is some science to it which is why I decided to start this blog.
I believe that through knowledge we can begin to decipher what makes our dogs happy. There are some breed specifics to consider but also genetics, diet, environment and the individual dogs’ personality needs to be considered. No two dogs are the same, so we should tackle each issue as they arise. This is especially true for puppies.
This blog is centred mainly around puppies but it can be used for any age. Dogs learn the same regardless of age – and yes you can teach an old dog new tricks!
I look forward to receiving feedback and suggestions.
Now on to our first topic – The 4D’s of Dog Training
