K-9 Companion

K-9 Companion Professional One To One Dog Walking & Sitting. Offering a Specialist & Bespoke Service. I recognise each dog as an individual with individual needs. Andy

Welcome to K-9 Companion, a Professional One to One Dog Walking service direct from your door. I offer a specialist bespoke service to all my clients, I do not offer group walks, and I will only walk or care for a maximum of two dogs from the same household at any given time. I specialise in dogs that don’t do well around other dogs, dogs that can be difficult to handle, dogs that can be wary of p

eople, and nervous dogs. Building a relationship on the foundation of mutual trust and respect, and creating a bond with the dogs I spend time with is very important to me. Working with dogs for me is much more than just putting a lead on a dog and taking them for a walk; it’s about understanding their behaviour, the way they communicate with us and other dogs. It’s about recognising and understanding what each dog likes, dislikes and what environments and situations they feel comfortable and safe in. I also have a very keen interest in many aspects of the overall health of our dogs, from nutrition to illness and how these can affect behaviour. Helping dogs to feel relaxed and cope with any fears they may have is also very important to me. I apply the knowledge and experience I have gained through attending courses, seminars, many hours of research on dog behaviour and the general well-being of dogs, and the actual hands-on experience I have gained over the years working as a professional dog walker to each walk I do. I aim to help every dog get the very best of the time I spend with them. Not all dogs get along with other dogs, and that’s ok. With some dogs you can slowly work with them to help them feel more at ease around other dogs, but some dogs might never be comfortable around others. As an owner, or dog walker, you very much have to respect this and make sure these dogs have the space they need where they can feel safe and less stressed. Exercise is a huge part of a dog’s life; they all need exercise to stay healthy, happy and well-balanced. Exercise not only is good physically for dogs, but mentally too; it stimulates their senses being able to get out and explore the world around them. There are many forms of exercise I can offer your dog; it could be a walk or run on or off lead, scent games allowing your dog to search for hidden treats inside or outside the house, playing fetch or chase, a game of hide and seek with one of your dog's favourite toys, playing tug, or a mix of all of the above. Taking part in more than one form of exercise with your dog and having that interaction with them helps build a better bond and can help with any behavioural issues your dog might have. All dogs are given time to sniff when out on their walks, this is extremely important, and research has shown how beneficial this is for our dogs. Choosing the appropriate type and level of exercise for each individual dog is extremely important and should never be overlooked. What is good for one dog may not be good for another dog, and this has to be taken into consideration for the overall health of each dog. Because I only work for one client and their dog(s) at a time, I accept all dogs no matter their breed, size, temperament, whether or not they have been spayed/neutered and whether they are on a regular vaccination schedule or are titer tested. My only exception to this; I will not walk extreme brachycephalic dogs, as I am strongly against the cruel practice of breeding dogs with such obvious health issues. At the end of the day, it is your dog’s happiness, well-being and safety that is important, and I feel confident by offering the bespoke services I do, that your pet’s needs are always going to be met! I am DBS checked, fully insured and have attended courses, seminars, webinars and workshops on:

• Canine Communication & Behaviour
• Canine First Aid & Wellbeing
• Raw Feeding & Holistic Medicine
• Dog Law
• Dog Bite Prevention & Behaviour
• Canine Auto-Immune Disease
• Handling & Training Reactive Dogs
• Canine Aggression & Rehabilitation
• Complete Canine Wellness
• Building Your Dog's Confidence
• Arousal, Anxiety & Fear
• How to Enjoy Stress-Free Walks with Your Reactive Dog
• Nutrition & Behaviour
• Dog to Human Aggression
• Separation Anxiety
• Loose Lead Walking
• BMA Mantrailing
• Introduction to Wildlife Detection Dog Handling
• Trailing Challenges for Operational K9 Teams

To read what my amazing clients have to say, please click on the Photos section at the top of my page, and then click on the Testimonials album. For all new enquiries, it is usually best if you can please message me your name, address, telephone number and requirements. If you can't message me, please feel free to leave me a voicemail with the above information, then I will get back to you as soon as I can. I don’t answer my phone while walking or caring for dogs, unless it’s from a client whose dog I am walking that particular day. I take what I do very seriously, so when I am spending time with client’s pets, all my attention is on them, and not talking on the phone. (K-9 Companion is a registered Trade Mark, Trade Mark No. UK00003728570)


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Now you know about my business, here is a little info about myself:

I’m Andy and I am the owner and sole dog walker at K-9 Companion. I have always loved dogs, having grown up with them in our family, to being trusted to look after friends, neighbours and relatives’ dogs over many years. My passion for working with dogs took me to Alaska several years ago, where I spent time working as a sled dog handler. During this time, I not only learned how to run teams of ten Alaskan Huskies each day on a sled, but how to look after and care for over twenty very energetic dogs. I was also able to learn about, and personally experience the special bond between a musher and their dogs. The amazing couple I had the pleasure of working for also lived with a wolf hybrid who was very much part of their family, he was the most loving animal who got on well with all the huskies. Getting to spend time with him at the end of the day was an experience in itself. Running dogs in the wilds of Alaska was an experience I will never forget, and something I will always look back on, and hopefully something I will do again one day. I always try and learn as much as I can about every aspect of our dogs, where they came from, their behaviour, how they communicate, what is healthy for them, and what is not. I love being outside walking in nature and wanted to combine my love for the great outdoors with my interest and love I have for dogs. I also wanted to help those dogs out there that don’t do well around other dogs, and are in need of the individual care, attention and understanding that I provide with my bespoke one to one services. Bringing all this together is what led me to set up K-9 Companion and why I continue to offer the specialist services I do. Thanks for visiting!

02/01/2024
31/12/2023

In the new year I will have a few 1 hour slots available. Prices are £18 per hour for 1 dog, £28 per hour for 2 dogs from the same home, Monday - Friday. Saturdays are an additional £3, Sundays are an additional £4.

Prices are for travel within a 4 mile radius of DH3 4DQ. Each additional mile to your home is charged at £1 per mile.

I am insured to walk banned breeds as long as they are on the Index of Exempted Dogs and they meet the legal requirements. However, my insurance will only cover me for 1 exempt dog at a time, I can not walk 2 exempt dogs at a time.

If interested please contact me for more details.

Thanks, Andy

25/12/2023

It’s that night…..

24/12/2023
To all my clients past, present & future. I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and all the very best for the ...
22/12/2023

To all my clients past, present & future. I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and all the very best for the New Year.

Thank you for your continued support.

Best Wishes,

Andy

Zeus is still looking for a home with an experienced person/family. If you are interested or know of someone that might...
22/12/2023

Zeus is still looking for a home with an experienced person/family. If you are interested or know of someone that might be interested, please get in touch.

Zeus will only by placed with someone who can give him the best home. He will not be placed with anyone just looking for a status dog!

R.I.P. Miss Indie. You were like the Tasmanian Devil, always full of energy and raring to go. I'll miss you! 😢
19/12/2023

R.I.P. Miss Indie. You were like the Tasmanian Devil, always full of energy and raring to go. I'll miss you! 😢

15/12/2023

⚠️Some DEVASTATING statistics just out of KwaZulu Natal, that the total number of Rhinos poached in the area currently stands at 295 this year, with 29 rhinos poached in 40 days…💔🦏

⚠️ A 20.9% increase from 2022 and a 189.2% increase from 2021 😡⚠️

👉🏽⚠️Add to these devastating statistics the fact that during December and the festive period, incidents of poaching will DRAMATICALLY increase 💔🦏

⚠️ This is now an URGENT appeal for help so we can keep these beautiful creatures safe and stop the slaughter.

❤️Your adoptions and donations are critical at this time of year, to keep our operations out in Africa going.

👉🏽 With more funding available, this will enable the Rangers (who put their lives on the line every day) to monitor and patrol more areas daily with our K9’s, look for signs of incursions, and offer a fast and urgent response to areas of concern, thus saving more animals 👊🏽

✅ Let’s all vow to be better and do better to protect the beautiful animals on our planet Earth that have as much right to be here as you and me ❤️

⭐️ How can you help Dogs 4 Wildlife and protect this beautiful wildlife? There are many ways…

✅ Donate
✅ Become a member
✅ Adopt one of our amazing dogs as a Christmas present for family & friends 👨‍👩‍👧
✅ Adopt a Bonamanzi endangered white Rhino
✅✈️🇿🇦🦏 Book to come on one of our Ultimate Conservation Programmes- all funds go directly back into helping these precious souls ❤️

🦓🦒🦏 BE THE CHANGE 💚

✅Support our front line canines in the fight against wildlife crime.
Together, let’s fight the good fight. 👊🏽
🌐 www.Dogs4Wildlife.org

———————————⁠
🐾To find out more www.dogs4wildlife.org⁠
👉🏽Follow Dogs4Wildlife⁠
-——————————⁠
👥 Share our page with a friend who loves animals too⁠
🙏🏻Thank you for helping to save the world’s wildlife 🐘🦏🦒🦛

Darren Priddle
Jacqui Law
Project Rhino
IFPCP

03/12/2023

I will be closed for walks Christmas Day, Boxing Day & New Years Day.

I will have availability other days for any clients who I normally walk your dog on a Monday or Tuesday. Please just let me know what you need.

If any of my clients are off work and don’t need any walks over Christmas, please just let me know.

Thanks, Andy

Rufus enjoying the snow. ☃️
02/12/2023

Rufus enjoying the snow. ☃️

Urgently looking for a new home.Zeus is a 4 year old Belgian Malinois x Dutch Shepherd. I used to walk him a few years ...
30/11/2023

Urgently looking for a new home.

Zeus is a 4 year old Belgian Malinois x Dutch Shepherd. I used to walk him a few years ago until my clients moved to Scotland. Due to work and the owners health, Zeus is urgently looking for a new home.

Zeus used to be nervous reactive towards other dogs and sometimes people, but I have been told he is doing better now, although can still be reactive sometimes. When I was walking him, if introduced properly to another dog, he would soon calm down and walk alongside the other dog with no problems. I also introduced him to friends of mine and Zeus was fine with them.

I haven't seen Zeus for a while, and if I were in a position to take him I would. But I have told his owners I will do everything I can to try and find him the best home possible with an EXPERIENCED person/family.

Please don’t bother getting in touch if you’re just looking for a status dog!

Any help would really be appreciated!!!

Thanks.

27/11/2023

💥win 2 mantrailing sessions with us💥
All you have to do is like our page like this post and share it and you will be in the draw to win 2 mantrailing session either an intro and a progression or 2 progression sessions
This will be drawn on the 24th of dec
Merry christmas to the winner
Winner has until the end of march to use these 2 sessions thats the only catch 👍
🐕🚶‍♂️

26/11/2023
23/11/2023

A recording of our webinar regarding the XL Bully Ban that took place live on 19.11.23.

Updated information and some photos on the government website.
19/11/2023

Updated information and some photos on the government website.

We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.

19/11/2023

Some helpful information.

The Government has announced plans to ban American Bully XL dogs. Find out more about the ban and what the rules might be for your dog.

17/11/2023

Concerns mount over moral injury impact on vet professionals of being asked to perform or assist in procedure – amid signs owners are already acting ahead of

14/11/2023

🥳⭐️🥇 On Saturday night, Dogs 4 Wildlife were absolutely over the moon to WIN an Animal Star Award for ‘Animal hero of the year 2023!’ ⭐️

⭐️ Dogs 4 Wildlife is our complete passion and we work tirelessly to make a change and a lasting difference but the TRUE HEROES are the dogs and rangers, who work around the clock on the frontlines, putting themselves in danger selflessly to protect the endangered animals in Sub- Saharan Africa, who have no voice of their own.❤️🦏🐾🐕

⭐️🏆 Receiving this fantastic national award and being recognised means so much to us and really helps us get the word out about Dogs 4 Wildlife and enables us to support more reserves, more animals and more communities, including the younger generations across Africa. 🇿🇦🇿🇼❤️

👉🏽We are always looking for more help and we are SO grateful to every single person that supports Dogs 4 Wildlife because without each one of you none of it would be possible… Thank you 🥰

💚🐾We are so proud to be part of Dogs 4 Wildlife and we are honoured to have met so many inspiring people on this humbling journey. 🦏🐕🐾

❤️👩🏼‍🤝‍👩🏾🦏🐕 TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

Darren Priddle
Jacqui Law
Alwyn Burger
Junior Elaine Blom
IFPCP
Project Rhino
Animal Star Awards
Imire: Rhino & Wildlife Conservation
Bonamanzi Game Reserve
Lucy Saxton-Quinn
Tinashe Tawers
Andy Ardle

The portal to get an XL Bully type dog exempted is now open and you can do it online using the link below. You'll need ...
14/11/2023

The portal to get an XL Bully type dog exempted is now open and you can do it online using the link below. You'll need to make the payment of £92.40 per dog, have Third Party Liability insurance and know your dog's microchip details. It's very straightforward, there is no need for a Court application nor a behavioural assessment. The dog will have to be neutered by 30th June 2024 or 31st December 2024 (depending on the age of the dog as at 31st January 2024).

Use this service to apply for a Certificate of Exemption to keep XL Bully dogs.

07/11/2023
02/11/2023

Absolutely ridiculous! 😡

Guidance: Applying the XL Bully breed
type conformation standard.

More info on the upcoming XL Bully ban.
02/11/2023

More info on the upcoming XL Bully ban.

From 31 December 2023 breeding, selling, advertising, rehoming, abandoning and allowing an XL Bully dog to stray will be illegal.

The way this reads, several other breeds could get caught up in the XL Bully ban. 😡
31/10/2023

The way this reads, several other breeds could get caught up in the XL Bully ban. 😡

We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.

30/10/2023

"The results suggested that … g***d retention during the first 24 months of life—are strongly associated with lifelong avoidance of bilateral CCL rupture…Risk for CCL rupture was not influenced when g***d removal took place after the 24-month developmental period."

CCL injuries are one of the most common causes of pain and arthritis in dogs. Today at 12pm ET we're discussing how to prevent injury and available CCL treatment options.

👉If you haven’t joined our subscription group of 2.0 pet parents and want to learn more, just click the link below or head over to the Planet Paws page and hit the blue "Subscribe” button to join our weekly Livestreams + Archives!

https://www.facebook.com/becomesupporter/planetpawsmedia

20/09/2023

6 of these are available

16-22"
Multicam
Poppy embroidery
Handle
Green cobra buckle

They will be going on the website

15/09/2023

Below, you can read our press release following the government's announcement of their intention to ban the XL Bully by the end of 2023:

“THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO LEARN FROM THE MISTAKES OF HISTORY, NOT REPEAT THEM”

Doglaw specialist Solicitor Trevor Cooper from Cooper & Co Solicitors in Whitfield, Dover who has acted for dog owners since the 1990s (www.doglaw.co.uk) today expressed his dismay that the Government has announced its intention to ban the American XL Bully under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 by the end of the year.

Mr Cooper said “Breed Specific Legislation has not worked. Just adding another type of dog onto the list of banned breeds is not going to protect the public. The Government needs to learn from the mistakes of history, not repeat them”.

He continued “Not every XL Bully is going to be dangerous and not every owner who has one is irresponsible. If the ban is introduced, I urge the Government to have an exemption scheme which will allow dogs that do not pose a danger to public safety to be exempted from the prohibition”.

“I shall need to consider the draft legislation and, in particular, will want to see how the Government is proposing to define which dogs this proposed ban applies to”.

Me and my little mate Riley.
14/09/2023

Me and my little mate Riley.

14/09/2023

Address

Picktree Lodge
Chester-le-Street
DH34DQ

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 8pm
Tuesday 8am - 8pm
Wednesday 8am - 8pm
Thursday 8am - 8pm
Friday 8am - 8pm
Saturday 8am - 8pm
Sunday 8am - 8pm

Telephone

07903297719

Website

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