KO K9 Training (2025)

11/08/2025

This is Tootie. Tootie is 5 months old and super adorable. Tootie is also an Oxytocin Addict

Now, what does that mean? Oxytocin is a hormone that gets released in a dog when they experience touch and praise from and proximity to their bonded human

It is also referred to as the bonding hormone, the social hormone. It can help a dog feel relaxed, warm & soft and protected

All in all, that doesn't sound too bad, does it? However, we all know that too much of a good thing can be bad. So, what are the downsides to oxytocin?

An excess in oxytocing can lead to: frantic behavior, reactivity, vocalization, anxiety, and impulse control issues. What is often referred to as separation anxiety or resource guarding their human is often actually a sign of oxytocin dependency, and the dog is resource guarding their source of oxytocin

Tootie loves to sit on humans' laps. To get a higher vantage point. To feel safe. And it doesn't appear to be a bad thing. He is super tiny after all

However, the problem is not being on someone's lap in general. It is when he is stressing out when he can't get to it. When you don't allow him to get on your lap, he gets worked up, barks, cries, gets restless, and overall just doesn't know what to do with himself. Now imagine that would happen with a 100lb dog

So today, Tootie starts learning that he can relax on his own and still be safe 🖤 And his owner is very happy to learn and understand how to guide him, how to help him be healthy, more independent, and an overall happy dog 🖤

07/08/2025

🔥 Socialisation is such a misunderstood concept in the pet dog world 🔥

➡️ Almost everyone we coach has heard the phrase: "Introduce your dog to 100 people and dogs." Everyone has been told their dog needs to be socialized, but no one gave them advice on how to do so properly

🔥 In the attempt to accomplish our dogs being social, dogs are being sent to daycare, surrounded by 50 random dogs and very few humans to regulate the interactions

🔥 Regular visits to the dog park in the hope that our dogs are learning from the other dogs, while everyone else there had the same idea. Basically, the blind leading the blind. Only with teeth and behavior issues. Add to that other humans that are completely oblivious to how terrible their dogs' behavior towards others actually is

🔥 We want to avoid dogs being uncomfortable with other people, so we let person after person say hi to our dogs. Surely, the dog will realize that strangers are great since they come with pets, and our dog enjoys pets from us?

😫 But instead of a well-behaved and relaxed, friendly dog, we end up with a dog that ends up growling at strangers, maybe even snapping at their hands, losing it on leash whenever they see a dog approaching, and had to be pulled out of daycare because the dog constantly gets into fights and becomes unmanageable

🖤 First of all, free yourself from shame and guilt over having done anything wrong!! You did what you knew best! You acted with the best intentions and wanted nothing more than to do right by your dog. But if your dogs' behavior has been getting out of hand, we need to start looking at the why. And then take action.

🥰 You and your dog deserve to have the best life possible together. And we are here to help

✅️ Get in touch for a one on one session
✅️ Follow our socials for more tips and insights
✅️ Keep your eyes open for our patreon (launching soon!) for in-depth insight into why dog parks, doggy daycare, and interactions with strangers often achieve the complete opposite of what you had hoped for

06/08/2025

Earlier, I posted the picture above in the stories. Why did I post it on a dog training page?

One simple reason is to give your reactive dog some grace and less judgment

The other reason is to understand how difficult it can be to not be reactive ourselves, but that we all, dogs and humans alike, have deep sitting reasons as to why we react to certain things and how

Now, I am not a therapist. But I do understand a thing or two about doing the work 😉

We first want to get to the bottom of what gets triggered within us and why. We want to become aware of the why every time it happens, and over time, change our mindset, the internal narrative, the story we tell ourselves we have in order to change the way we react

That is no different from what we do in the work with dogs. Can we just pull out a treat and redirect the dog? Sure, but that's just a band-aid. Can we avoid coming across triggers altogether? Absolutely, that is one way of managing it. Can we correct the dog when they blow up? Certainly, that could put a cap on it for a little bit

Does it change what is going on within the dog? Does it change why they reacted in the first place or how they'll react in the future? Unfortunately not

The same way you will still get triggered by the ex that has broken your trust and your heart, no matter how hard you try to avoid to see or hear anything about them. Blocking them on socials isn't going to change the way you react to them when you accidentally bump into them at the supermarket. You can pretend you haven't seen them and quickly turn around and leave the store. Yes, you haven't yelled at them. But how are you feeling inside?

When it comes to reactivity, there are no band-aid solutions, no short-cuts. Let's get to work and understand what our dogs are trying to tell us and that they need in order to feel differently. It will make the world of a difference. And if anyone feels called (out) by this post, maybe this is the time to go deep within and tackle the things we have been avoiding. It might not only help you but also your dog

🔥 Enjoyed this post? Keep an eye open for our patreon 🔥 COMING SOON 🔥

02/08/2025

🎉 From Chaos to Calm – In Just 4 Weeks 🎉

Our last Board & Trains just recently graduated and headed home —ready for a fresh start with their family.

In just 4 weeks, they learned to:

✅ Relax quietly in their kennel
✅ Stop jumping up & mouthing hands
✅ Walk politely on a loose leash and in heel position
✅ Wait calmly at doors & stairs
✅ Come when called—reliably
✅ Play politely and settle after excitement

They also gained healthy social skills with our pack and the confidence to handle real-world situations without stress.

That’s the magic of Board & Train—it’s not just “training,” it’s a lifestyle upgrade for you and your dog.

🐾 Only 2 spots left for the end of August into September!!!

📩 Message us your name, location, your dog’s details, and your goals. Let’s get your dog’s transformation started.

31/07/2025

✨ “You don’t have forever with your dog… so why not make the most of it now?” ✨

We hear it often:
“I don’t know if I should do a Board & Train… people say real dog owners do all the training themselves.”

Here’s the truth: you’ve already been doing the work.

Maybe you’ve tried multiple trainers. Read the books. Watched the videos. Spent hours on walks and practice. And still… something’s missing.

Your dog is part of your heart, not just your household. Every day matters.
If a Board & Train could give you the freedom, connection, and joy you’ve been dreaming of now—why wait?

When your car breaks down, you don’t become a mechanic. You take it to someone who knows how to diagnose the problem, fix it, and hand you back the keys—ready to drive again.
That’s what we do for your dog. And when they come home, we teach you exactly how to keep that progress going.

We treat every dog here like our own. We work with them daily on calmness, manners, obedience, confidence, and social skills—tailored to their individual needs. And we work with you so the results last.

🐾 Two of our limited 4-week Board & Train spots are available for end of August NOW

📩 Send us a PM with your name, location, your dog’s info, and what you’re hoping to achieve. Let’s make your time together the best it can be

29/07/2025

🔥 Has your dog been unusually erratic, extreme, or overly hyper, anxious, reactive over the last couple days? Especially today?

✨️ Don't overthink it. Take it as it is, and adjust

🔥 Are you feeling agitated today? Are the things that are difficult for you to handle in regards to your dog especially challenging today? Can you feel you are getting short tempered, more triggered than on other days?

✨️ Don't judge yourself. Take it as it is, and adjust

🖤 We are all living beings, with our own emotions, moods, feelings. We are perceptive to energies around us. Sleep, food, injuries, other people, everything can affect us

🌑 And on some days, it all seems to be coming together. Everything and everyone seems agitated, extra wild, like we never successfully communicated with each other

⭐️ Don't be discouraged by it. Accept it for what it is. Adjust and work with what is, not what should be. When I say adjust: Opt for activities with your dog that usually don't cause conflict. Take extra time for yourself and don't feel bad about it!!!

⭐️ Check in with yourself. Is your jaw clenched? Unclench it and breathe. And what is your breath doing anyways? You've been holding it? Breathe! Are your shoulders pulled up? Relax them

⭐️ Give your dog grace 🖤 Their nervous system is no different to ours, and they are going through the feels just as much. Don't worry about training today. Do something fun with them that won't get any of you two worked up. Or just relax with them in the yard, on the couch, in the pool

THIS ENERGY WILL PASS, TRUST ME

18/05/2025

✨️ Our last BOARD & TRAIN dog for this cycle just completed his go home session with his owners, and is now on his way back home to Fort McMurray

✅️ While he was with us, he worked on being quiet in his kennel, regulate his emotions, not jump up, not bite hands, not demand bark, rush out the door or up and down stairs, walk nicely on a loose leash and on heel, as well as having reliable recall. He also received multiple opportunities for healthy socialisation with our pack, and worked on nice manners and calming down during play with other dogs

💡If you would like to have support through us with your dog's manners and obedience, reach out to us NOW

➡️ We are filling up two more spots for our program for the month of JUNE!!!

✉️ For any questions and/or more infomation, please SEND US A PM here at KO K9 Training with your details (mostly name and location), your dog's info, what you are struggling with, and what you are hoping to achieve with your dog's training. We will get back to everyone after Wednesday next week once we are back from our little break ☀️

🖤 KO K9 TRAINING 🖤 has been supporting dog owners and their dogs in Fort McMurray for years before relocating to Sherwood Park in 2024. We were voted best Dog Trainers in Fort McMurray, and have helped hundreds of dogs throughout Alberta and the rest of Canada, while also working closely with and consulting the SPCA and Animal Control. We actively train and compete in Scent Detection, Search and Rescue, Agility, and Personal Protection / Protection Sports with our personal dogs

Photo Credit: The amazing Solo Photo

23/04/2025

✨️ Training day out with this special girl ✨️

This gorgeous lady here is a Xolo (pronounced Cholo) - short for Xoloitzcuintle. Working with ancient breeds always brings some extra challenges with it. It's easy for trainers to say that they work with all breeds, but I don't think that's necessarily a good thing. What that often means from my experience is that they use one approach, and it's up to the dog to function with it, adapt to it. When we say: Work with the dog in front of you, we mean it. And a Xolo isn't a dog that just gets pushed into a shape, and Bob's your uncle

The Xolo breed dates back over 4,000 years, back to the Aztec empire. A breed that was named after Xolotl, the god of lighting and death. They were regarded as sacred creatures that guarded and protected their humans throughout life, from intruders as well as evil spirits, and guided them through the underworld after their passing

Xolos are very alert and protective, often have high prey drive, and are usually aloof to strangers. They are highly intelligent, great companion if treated right, while also being very independent

Many trainers say they can work with all dogs, yet we often get rare breeds to work with that have gone through 4, 5, and even 6 different trainers with little to no results. Simply because the breed hasn't been taken into account. While they are all dogs, genetics, and hence the breeding matter a lot when choosing how to approach training a dog. And there is nothing wrong with saying no to specific breeds as a trainer. Bot everyone vibes with every breed, temperament, or issue. But it's never right to pretend to know enough and then failing owners and dogs, in my opinion. Transparency and honesty should always be the foundation of a successful trainer / dog / client relationship

17/04/2025

➡️ Have you heard of the book "Let Them" by Mel Robbins? If you haven't read or listened to it yet, do yourself a favor and get it. It's written wonderfully, and the messages are clear and sound

(By the way, I highly recommend the "Let Them" Theory to anyone that gets triggered by what other trainers do, but that's a story for another time 🔥 Stay tuned for that one 🤣💪🏽)

💡 Now, why am I mentioning it in this context?

🔥 Off leash dogs approaching leashed dogs, especially reactive dogs, service dogs, dogs in training, fearful dogs, etc. can be one of the biggest pains. Absolutely!!

🖤 Yet we have to learn to let them. And to focus on what we can do instead

💡 Not getting angry or confrontational doesn't mean we condone the behavior. It means that we are focusing on trying to make a change. Education over confrontation. We can not control the actions and decisions of other people. But we can control our own

🔥 Would I have wanted to swear and yell at the owner for being just another ignorant annoyance in my day and in the life of my client? To a degree, absolutely. Would it have helped anyone? Most certainly not

So here are some of my tips for anyone who has to deal with situations like this:

☑️ Take a deep breath in and out
☑️ Relax your shoulders and face
☑️ Body block the other dog
☑️ Be firm and determined with the other owner, but try not to be judgmental or emotional or too confrontational
☑️ Be grateful if the incident ended up as well as it could
☑️ Keep taking steady breaths, stay relaxed, massage your dog's vagus nerve
☑️ Continue as if nothing has happened
☑️ Forget about the incident and shake it off (just like my client did in this video)

08/04/2025

KO K9 Family—We Need Your Input!

We’ve been thinking... What if we created a members-only video channel with training content you can follow at home?

Whether you’re one of our amazing past clients, a follower soaking up training tips, or someone who lives too far to work with us in person—this could be for YOU.

We’d share:

🔥 Bite-sized training tutorials

🔥 Real-life behavior breakdowns

🔥 Behind-the-scenes with our dogs

🔥 Honest advice from the field

But before we go live with this idea—we want to know:

What would YOU love to see in these videos?
Drop your ideas in the comments. Even better—tag a fellow dog parent who might want this too!

Let’s build a resource together that truly helps people and their dogs everywhere.

07/04/2025

SUMMER BOARD & TRAIN

All our spots for April are filled!! Thank you to our new clients for your trust; We are looking forward to welcoming your dog'a into the KO K9 Training Family soon 💛

🔥 Our next board and train spots for May are now open for application

☀️ Warmer weather is truly on the way, and with that, summer is getting closer. You are looking forward to a fun outdoor summer with your dog, but winter made it hard to work on leash walking, obedience outdoors, and don't even start talking about recall? Is your dog currently appearing to be half tornado - half dog?

It's difficult exposing dogs to other people and dogs in the winter, when you're the only one out and about during freezing cold temperatures. We get it! Let our professional dog trainers help you kickstart your dog's training, so you can continue to apply our training and start enjoying outdoor adventures with your dog

Reach out to us today to secure one of the limited board and train spots (We only take very small numbers of dogs in at a time)

For any questions or applications, please send us a pm here, or text (no calls please - we can't answer the phone during training times) at (250) 212-0514

🖤 Enjoy the sunshine - Siana & Ben 🖤

02/04/2025

🔥 KO K9 Training is now accepting new Board & Train clients 🔥

✅️ We have a few limited spots available for our summer prep board and train program - Reach out NOW if you need some extra support getting your dog summer ready ✨️

Thee winter coming to an end, and with that we are entering the perfect time to get your dog's obedience polished up. Planning to enjoy the warm, sunny days with your dog outdoors, hanging out on dog friendly patios, going on long walks, but your dog is not ready for it? Let us support you!

Our program prepares your dog, and you (yes, you will receive coaching as well), to get ready for the summer days

✅️ Reach out now via pm through Facebook, or send us a text to (250) 212-0514 to secure a spot in our program for your dog (no phone calls please, we are in training sessions most of the day)

Looking forward to working with you and your dogs 🖤 - Siana and Ben

KO K9 Training

11/08/2025

07/08/2025

06/08/2025

02/08/2025

31/07/2025

29/07/2025

18/05/2025

23/04/2025

17/04/2025

08/04/2025

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