Boss K9

19/12/2022

Well that’s officially a wrap on our classes and time to start settling down for the festives. That amazing settle we learned will sure come in handy for that 😉🎄🎅🏼🫶🏼

Massive well done to everyone - especially Gus & Jura who won our fun competition, showing those skills they’ve learned with amazing focus and accuracy - don’t they look super proud with their wee medals 🥹😍

It’s been an absolute pleasure watching each dog and owner progress since our first week. They’ve all came on leaps and bounds!

We’ve learned some valuable skills from focus to confidence, loose lead to recall, safe socialisation and so much more!

Can’t wait until the new year for our next round of classes! 💪🏻😁 I have few spaces left in our Dumfries and Newton Stewart classes for January. Please just reach out if you’re interested. £40 for a block of 4 classes and access all these tools!! 🤗

Rebecca x

03/12/2022

So happy to say our very first donation has been made to Dumfries and Galloway Canine Rescue Centre 🫶🏼

And in our first few months of business we have managed to raise an amazing £70 from our November/December classes and 1-1’s!

Thanks to all my lovely human and doggy customers who have booked in for training with me so far and for helping contribute to my mission. Being able to help dog’s is a mission that’s very close to my heart so this means the world to me❤️.

I have an abundance amount of love and appreciation for you all! Thanks again,

Rebecca x

29/11/2022

Customer spotlight 🔦 Everyone meet Wren and Alfie 👋🏻😁

They came to me for help because Alfie becomes reactive to dogs when approached on the lead.

So we worked on:

•Barrier Frustration and building a positive but respectful association to the lead aka the barrier in this case.

•Disengagement.

•Managing Alfie’s arousal levels through some fun scentwork games at a safe distance from my stooge dog & assistant. Aiming to gradually close that distance.

&

•Focus on owner whilst building their relationship with some fun but effective game-based exercises!

It was a wet and rainy session on Saturday but it was far from miserable that’s for sure - what a great team!!

We still have a bit of work to do yet so keep a look out for more progress from this guy 🤩

18/11/2022

🥺🥰

Dogs are family ❤

More on this wonderful story here: https://www.reshareworthy.com/mom-cries-her-son-meets-service-dog/

18/11/2022

Todays thoughts 🤔

This post is sooo accurate 😩 1000% you will only ever get out what you put in.

I think it’s always an unfair expectation that us dog trainers are here to train or “fix” your dog. I mean, we definitely can but ask yourself, what would be the point?

We simply cannot live with you 24/7 and nor can we be there for you on every walk. So it’s crucial that we train YOU so that you can learn the skills needed to be able to train your own dog.

I promise it’s simple when you know how.

So, let me teach you how to be a trained owner, it may just change yours and your dogs life forever 🤭💪🏻

Rebecca x

Dog trainers don’t possess any magic. What they do possess, if they’re good at their craft, is a highly developed set of skills. But remember, at one point they knew very little, and likely got into this line of work because they were struggling with their own dogs.

So what’s different between a skilled and knowledgeable dog trainer and a struggling owner? Yep, you guessed it, skills and knowledge.

These people that you now hire for help were once struggling much like yourself. What did they do? They developed within themselves—likely with the help of another dog trainer—what was necessary to be able to solve their problems, and now, with all that ability, they help others with theirs’.

But, and this is a big but, all they can do is help. They can share information, teach skills, coach, and root you on—but only you can put in the work to take what is being shared and make it something personal, integrated, and useful.

You don’t have to become a dog trainer, but you do have to become a skilled, and knowledgeable owner—to whatever extent needed to match your goals.

Otherwise you’ll have to settle for watching your dog “magically” excel with your trainer, and “mysteriously” deteriorate with you.

17/11/2022

I had some cosy downtime today to get some admin done alongside my wee fire bug 🔥🐛🥺

Prepping plans for our first ever round of Dog Training classes! Exciting but a whole lot nerves 😅 more to come on that soon🤭

If you haven’t managed to join us in our Nov-Dec classes, don’t worry! Dates for our January 2023 classes will be released very soon 👀

or 🫶🏼

14/11/2022

Motivation Monday 🤩 I need it today for sure!😅

Here’s some feedback I was given from Steve & his young collie Kobi after our 1-1 session focusing on recall and disengagement 💪🏻

Steve doesn’t have Facebook and so has given his permission for me to share on his behalf ☺️

What Steve had to say:

“An excellent introduction to me and my dog Kobi, to training techniques for puppies. Her instructions were clear and precise for me and Kobi. To illustrate the skills needed to train a young dog she worked with Kobi demonstrating accurately the skills needed. Kobi himself took to Rebecca’s nature straight away which gave me a slight problem to start off with when I was practising the techniques.
Overall it was thoroughly professional dog training demonstration and I have no worries about carrying on with her and Kobi would agree as well.
I have no problems in recommending her to anyone who has a puppy or young dog that needs that extra experience.”

Thanks Steve!

And I am just as obsessed with you too beautiful Kobi 🐶😍🤣🤭.

Do you need help with achieving the perfect recall every time?

Rebecca x

12/11/2022

Please share‼️‼️‼️

We still have space in our Puppy classes at Lochvale House, Dumfries. Starts Friday evening, 18th Nov.

We also still have space for our Puppy Class (12weeks - 4months) & Trick Teen Class (5months - 2.5years) in the McMillan Hall, Newton Stewart. Starts Tuesday evening, 15th Nov.

4 week block for £40. Lots of training tools & tricks included.

We also have a friendly competition at the end which includes a vvvvv special prize for the winners 😉

Book now to join in the fun & learning!

Rebecca x
☺️☺️☺️

📧[email protected]

📞07496 411686

09/11/2022

Seen this tweet circulating earlier and it got me thinking so i thought it would be good to hear what others come up with.

In the comments, tell me something we (as a society) expect our dogs to be okay with but wouldn't tolerate ourselves.

I'll go first...

Invading my personal space, touching me without my permission and staring at me whilst smiling like a creep. If this was the case and i was a dog I reckon I would have no chance of adoption because of my aggression😅

07/11/2022

If anyone has a spare 20 minutes on this wet and miserable day, this is absolutely worth a watch from Kim Brophey - an amazing canine behaviour expert who uses modern science to solve problems between families and their dogs - quite a ledgend in the ethical dog training world 🤩

It’s time to open up the discussion around treating your dog as a pet and how this can be problematic - let me know your thoughts!😊

Rebecca xo

Applied Ethologist and Dog Behavior Specialist, Kim Brophey, analyzes the issues with the pet industry and outlines a new dog training program that values a ...

06/11/2022

🤭

Dog moms will understand… 😂❤️

06/11/2022

Happy Sunday 🫶🏼

What’s everyone & their doggos upto?

We’ve just picked up the van - it’s been away getting stickered up this weekend 🤩. Now we’re just heading out on our walkies! 🐕🚶🏻‍♀️🍂

You certainly won’t miss us out and about now so If you see us, give us a toot!🤭

Rebecca xo

02/11/2022

Let’s go… 🤪

Sonny: Chewing sticks in class for sure 🤣

Blue: Snarling at the younger children 🫣 yup even my dog doesn’t cope well in some situations. We constantly work on his threshold around the kiddies especially!

Please feel free to use Blue as a good reminder that even us trainers have our difficult dog moments to work through - not every day’s a perfect day and not every dog can be a perfect dog all the time. Some are dam right difficult at times AND THATS OKAY! Doesn’t make you a bad owner! 🤗

What’s your dog getting up to? I’d just love to know!🤣🤣

Rebecca xo

01/11/2022

Remember, remember the 5th of November gunpowder, treason & plot.

With bangs and lights, to give your dogs frights, remember this post you lot! 😉💥

If your dogs scared of the fireworks this year try out this simple hack.

Set up a dog crate with a blanket over the top.

Then grab a fan and set it up next to the crate. Try not to have the fan blowing directly into your dogs face - anywhere near or next to the crate will do.

The fan will disrupt the air around them which in turn, will disrupt the noise. It will be nearly impossible for your dog to fixate on any noise out with the room he/she’s in.

Clever right! Want to know how it works? Well, when the fan pushes air through the space, it will force the air currents to bounce off walls and break up the sound waves.

Best used in a small space but before you do this please be sure that your dog is comfortable with:

1. Being in a crate. Don’t ever force your dog into a crate if he isn’t happy with it.

2. The noise, movement and feel of the fan.

These will only cause more fear if not associated positively.

There are lots of ways to habituate sounds such as fireworks, gunshots etc so just reach out if you want to get ahead for next year.

Have a banging bonfire night when it comes folks and stay safe! 🫶🏼

Rebecca x

P.s. photo is a really quick set up as an example.

28/10/2022

Hope everyone’s enjoying pumpkin season as much as me & this wee guy 🎃🧡

Did you know that many holistic vets recommend feeding your dog pumpkin when they have an unsettled stomach?

This is because pumpkin is full of fiber which acts as a prebiotic which stimulates healthy bacteria in the gut. It absorbs slowly too so helps with digestion🤗.

** Disclaimer: I am NOT a canine nutritionist or a vet so please always check with your vet if your dog has an upset tummy and symptoms are severe before feeding, so they can advise you if they need medication or on the amount of pumpkin you should feed **

For your dog you can use:

•100% canned pumpkin. Make sure it’s 100% pumpkin and not a pumpkin pie mix as you don’t want to be feeding your dog any spices or added sugar.

•Fresh pumpkin cut up, boiled or steamed then added to food.

•When carving a pumpkin you can scoop out the flesh and seeds and feed them to your dog too. Just make sure it’s fresh and not rotted to avoid further sickness.

•You can also bake the pumpkin seeds and use as tasty treats for your dog. Remember moderation is always key😋.

Rebecca x

26/10/2022

‼️ Dog Training Classes ‼️

Running from mid November - mid December.

📍Dumfries - Lochvale House (Hall), Georgetown DG1 4DF. Friday nights!

📍Newton Stewart - McMillan Hall, Dashwood Square DG8 6EQ. Tuesday nights!

We have our:

• Perfect Puppies Class. 6 - 6.045pm.
This is for pups aged 12 weeks - 5 months. Covering safe socialisation and basic foundations to training including that perfect "look at me" to make a start on that much desired focus on owner.

• Tricky Teens Class. 7 - 7.45pm
This is for Dogs 6 months - 3years. This is for dogs going through their adolescent phase. Provides owners with the tools to manage that hormonal stage and work with their dog to build on their training. This includes valuable life skills such as the perfect "settle" for those pub lunches whilst on holiday - who doesn't need that hey?!

• Scentwork & Games. 8 - 8.45pm.
This is a fun evening class for dogs ages 1year +. This fun filled class will incluse stimulating scentwork and behaviour based games to increase focus and confidence within your dog and you as a handler as well as sharpening those pre-learned training skills you already have. Great for socialisation for both you and your dog too!

For bookings & enquiries:

📞07496411686

📧 [email protected]

Rebecca x

24/10/2022

24/10/2022

Your out a walk and you fancy a bit of training but you’ve forgotten the treats. S**t not again🫣! (It happens to me aswel. More often than I’d like to admit😂)

Forgetting the treats is annoying I know, but don’t let that stop you from training when out and about. Did you know that you can use play as a reward instead?

We often do this with our two. Being Collies, they absolutely love to chase eachother over the field - it’s so exciting for them and gives them a chance to be a dog and excercise their breed specific needs. So, we use it as a reward!

To do this, we ask for a nice behaviour in return for the freedom to chase the other. In this video we’ve asked Blue for a lovely heel.

Once my vvv handsome partner🤭 was happy with the heel, he gives Blue his “okay” command to release him and give him his well earned reward.

We get a beautiful heel. Blue gets freedom to chase. Everyone’s happy. (We trainers call this the premack principle🤓)

What reinforcements do you use with your dog other than treats? Comment below 💪🏻

If your not sure what you could use, try lots of different things with your dog to find out what they like then think how you can use that as a reward - it could literally be anything. Have fun experimenting!!

If you’d like help to apply this principle to your dog to achieve a desired behaviour just reach out 🤗

Rebecca x

24/10/2022

18/10/2022

Don’t be a Yanker! 🫣🤗

Did you know that dogs see the world through their nose? To give you some perspective on just how powerful our dogs noses are, I’ll share some facts with you:

• Depending on the breed or type, a dog’s sense of smell is around 10,000 - 100,000 times better than ours.

•If you make the analogy to vision, what you and I can see at a third of a mile, a dog could see more than 3,000 miles away and still see just as well.

•Dogs can smell through layers, so you could say that dogs smell in 3D just like we see in 3D!

•Dogs can also take in air and breathe out simultaneously.

•Dogs can smell the time. Yep, not tell, smell the time! As an example, when the sun heats up your house it releases different odours at different times. The dog then attaches these odours to different parts of the day to predict behaviours. Ever wondered how your dog knows it’s time for the kiddies to come home from school? Or when it’s dinner time? Well now you know!

So, knowing all of this we can now start to see just how important it is for them to sniff on walks - it’s their way of social interaction. Yanking them along is considered rude to them.

Think, how would I like to be dragged away from a conversation?

So next time your dog stops for a sniff, don’t be a yanker 🥰

Did you also know I’m a scent work specialist? If this post sparked an interest, come and give it a go with your dog! I will be starting to run scentwork game classes in the Newton Stewart, Kirkcudbright and Dumfries area’s if I gain enough interest.

Rebecca x

17/10/2022

Music is a language we can all understand right?🥺😋

14/10/2022

Wellcome to Boss K9 Dog Training🤗🐾🫶🏼

I’m Rebecca, head trainer and founder of Boss K9 👋🏻

I started this venture for one reason really… to help dogs who are struggling to coexist in our worlds. Whether that be from a lack of understanding in training leading to frustration and breakdown in relationship with owner or for those who just need that extra hand to cope or learn.

My mission isn’t just to help those dogs who are lucky enough to have a family though. It’s to help all dogs in our area as much as I can. That’s why I have pledged to use my business to try and benefit those dogs who haven’t got their special someone to care for them. My promise is that for every session booked, I will donate £5 to Dumfries & Galloway’s Canine Rescue Centre. Together we can ensure that those dogs receive some love and support through our sessions too ❣️

Now that you know our mission and why we’re here, what can you expect?

Well from me, I have put a lot of dedication into my learning and training with the Dog Training College and have come out the other side a pass with a Distinction 😆🤓. DTC have vetted and approved my services here at Boss K9 and will continue to review and monitor me to ensure that I meet the very highest of standards within the dog training world.

I am CPD (Continued Professional Development) Accredited. This means that to keep my credentials, I must regularly attend training and behaviour seminars with leading specialists all over the world, to ensure that my clients are always receiving the most up to date and well researched advice.

This gives assurance and evidence to you that by hiring myself, you are hiring a passionate, skilled and trusted trainer.

From my socials you can expect informative posts, hints, tips and fun uplifting posts. Feel free to follow along and join in where possible but I do ask that you please keep this a friendly space and be respectful of others. Mostly I hope that you can find it a useful and trusted place for hints & tips for you and your dog. We also have an Instagram account too .

For booking and enquiries please head over to my website https://bossk9.co.uk to view our services to see which best suits you and your dogs needs! 🐾✨

I look forward to hearing from you.
Rebecca. 🫶🏼x

P.S. In the photo with me are my two doggo’s - Blue & Sonny. They are Blue Merle Border Collies with the energy to make the “red bull gives you wings” slogan a joke 🤣 but that’s why they are my chosen breed as we love to be outdoors and active!

Leave a 💙 in the comments with a pic of yours if you’re a Collie fan too 😝💪🏻 If not, please still leave a pic of your doggo below and let me know why it’s your chosen breed!