Blog by K9 Pro and Steve Courtney Dog Training K9 Pro The K9 Professionals

Well, you’re not alone, in fact when I see dogs out in public, on leash, off leash or even in their homes, the majority of dogs will not follow basic cues such as sit, come or heel whenever they are even slightly distracted. So what? You might say. Well, for one a dog that ignores you when he or she …

You have a dog with a behaviour problem, he is aggressive to other dogs, she is scared of people, he is territorial… This is of great concern for you as you really were aiming at raising a calm, friendly dog to all others, but it has not turned out that way. Maybe you did everything right and something just happened? …

I have had dogs all of my life, many dogs across many breeds, but I guess you could say I have a preference for working breeds, but I have owned many other breeds and crossbreeds, including a Chihuahua!I love the dog and human relationship, when its good, it is SO good. In the last few weeks, a few special moments …

In the last couple of weeks I have been sent a link to Politician Emma Hurst Facebook page, specifically this article. It is not a long article, nor of any value, but it is worth reading. (Link https://www.facebook.com/EmmaHurstMP/posts/374125164270859) So, a big emotive picture of some poor dog with injuries looking unhappy to draw in the dog owner and lover. But …

Well this is not uncommon to hear. In fact many times it kind of goes like this. One of my puppy owners goes to vet for check up. Vet raves about the appearance, health and condition of puppy and finally asks “what do you feed” They say “complete raw diet” and this is where things change. Their vet starts raving …

It is rare that a dog and owner walk into our rooms that does not come with a label. “Oh she does that because she is anxious”. “Oh she is a rescue, so ya know…” “He does that because he is fear aggressive” “My dog is so dominant, so he always …” Anxious, fearful, reactive, nervous, dominant, frightened, depressed, abused, …

I want to start by saying that, it is rare that this behaviour is good or leads to anything good. Now I am sure there are readers out there saying “oh no my dog only does this to say ….” but really there are many other ways to say that same thing. I am also not talking about dogs that …

Do your clients bring you dogs with behaviour problems looking for advice or help and at times the problem may be outside of your experience? Totally understandable, I have had dogs all my life and know quite a lot about dog health, but that does not make me a vet. It is a tricky place to find yourself in when …

Well, there are likely about a billion reasons, from history of reinforcement to the rules and boundaries we set. Dogs are living, thinking beings that learn to behave in certain ways to get what they want, just like people. The genetic makeup (Genotype) often plays a big part in how motivated the dog will be to access what he or …

Often people will say that their dog is anxious, and this is the reason why they are aggressive, but anxiety and aggression are not the same thing. Fear and aggression are not the same thing either, but in some cases these elements may be linked. Whilst they can be linked, understanding aggression is much deeper than simply labelling it. Let …

You know, I have avoided categorising myself as a Balanced Trainer for some time, why? Well, the answer is not straight forward but if you want to better understand what various ideologies and methods are available, then this article will be worth your time. When asked, I have always referred to myself as a “results based” trainer, still do. I …

You dreamed of that puppy for so many nights, you knew what you wanted and how it was all going to unfold, slow motion running down the beach, picnics with dog friends and … None of that is happening. Your dog is out of control, aggressive, will not allow guests in your home, screams when you leave him or her …

We had a dog come into our board and rehab program a little while ago, a special boy with a long, very difficult life that one day ended and a new life began. Buddy was a camp dog from an Indigenous community, he survived by being leader of the pack, resilient and smart, as is necessary when you are a …

The internet has given the world freedom of speech and the right to share our opinions. With that seems to have come the right to critique, insult, berate, attack and torture others, even if you have little to no experience on the topic in question. In my profession, everyone is an expert, even when they have little to no experience, …

This is a question I get asked on an almost daily basis from clients who have been told that their dog NEEDS to have routine. When I say ‘Well, yes and no’, the question I am usually then asked is, “isn’t it good for them to have a routine?” In my experience the answer to this question is “no, not …