24/12/2016
K9 Pro - The K9 Professionals
A word from Steve...
Well as Christmas is upon us again, I wanted to take a few minutes to connect with our friends, clients and followers and wish you all a very Merry Christmas.
2016 has been an incredible year for K9Pro and Steve Courtney Dog Training, yes we have grown but we grow every year, so what has made this year incredible?
Well basically you have...
This year we have been inundated with people wanting to train with us, board their dogs with us for rehabilitation, clients achieving unbelievable achievements with their dogs in rehab, clients competing at all levels across many dog sports and this year has been a year where you will have seen us sharing more ring wins, more titles and championships than ever before!
People will often email us or message us on Social Media and thank me for working miracles with their dog.
You will see me very quickly re direct that credit back to the dog's owner because, for many years I have KNOWN I can train dogs, I can modify their behaviour, rehabilitate them and teach them anything from simple to intricate tasks, but without the owner of the dog being invested, you can be certain that success will not be easy or even possible.
This year though, you guys have really stepped it up, whether we have been handing back dogs that have stayed with us or me coaching you in private lessons, my god has there been some outstanding results!
People digging in and really doing the work has made my job easy, and I truly want to express my deepest appreciation for helping me, help you.
There are many aspects to our business and like all businesses, some parts can be going well whilst other parts need a boost, again 2016 just has not been like that, all our areas of focus have been showing outstanding results.
Team K9Pro have once again had a record year and brought home more ring wins, titles and accolades than I could ever ask for, these guys never stop trying and supporting each other, I am so lucky to have them.
This year we invested some time into the amazing world of IPO, we formed a club, trained some dogs and ran a trial, with 6 entrants all coached by me achieving 6 passes from 6 entries, we look forward to the future of Semper Fi Dog Sport Club.
Our non for profit totally volunteer driven K9 Angels program has been working miracles behind the scenes with children from "YourTown" and we have been asked to expand this program into a large number of nursing homes across NSW (maybe a bit further too!)
Our Malinois breeding program has had some great results too, dogs we have exported to South Africa and New York are doing incredibly well and two of our pups have had High in Trial passes in IPO (BH) and a number of others with high scores in other dog sports too.
I haven't had much time to travel this year, only running four interstate seminars this year, but those four were really special to me. Tasmania saw me make new friends and we are still connected and have plans to go back.
Next was a couple of weeks in Melbourne and gee we had some great times and worked some great dogs.
Townsville was last and what a great time we all had, I still am getting emails and messages about the success these guys are having, so very proud of all the people I met and worked with.
Promise more of these events soon.
We upgraded our training facility two years ago now and have been working on it constantly since then, our latest projects have been getting our indoor training room fully insulated and air conditioned ready for the summer.
We train all year round and now our clients will be training in our safe and secure, temperature controlled (22 degrees) all year round.
We have almost finished our new super secure exercise yard, this is essential for the type of dogs we rehabilitate here.
Surrounded by a concrete path to stop the dogs running it to mud, covered by a 10m x 8 m shade sail and with lush grass in the middle dogs can run in here free and relax out of their runs.
Surrounded by a 3m steel mesh fence, it may look a little like a prison but, the dogs cannot escape it, by digging, climbing or jumping, security for your dogs is highly important to me.
I could go on and on but as we head towards 2017 I want you to know that we have every intention of making 2017 even bigger and better.
My staff this year have really lifted, they have worked so many extra hours that we can't even count them, working with clients and their dogs, training kennel dogs and training their own dogs in between, they have certainly delivered above and beyond the call, many times.
My family too have been supportive, this is a family business and we pretty much all work here. when people hear how long in advance I am booked out they get some sense of just how busy I am, and it takes a patient and supportive family behind me to make this all work.
I AM working on the work / life balance!
I wanted to finish up by saying thank you, to all those that trust in me to provide the help they need with their dogs, their equipment and for your support, I am very aware that without you, there is no us.
We will be smashing it in 2017, watch this space.
Have a Merry Christmas, love your family which of course includes your dogs.
Steve Courtney
