Some Bank Holiday Reading for a Concerned Anonymous

We don't usually lower ourselves. Consider this a one-off gift.

As a rule, we don't respond to anonymous comments left by people too cautious to put their name to their opinions, neither would we publicly announce their name as clearly they are too ashamed to mention it themselves. We have dogs to train, clients to serve, and frankly far more interesting things to do than wade into the murky waters of Facebook group politics.

But it's a bank holiday weekend, the kettle's on, and someone went to the effort of mentioning us — so consider this our gift to them. Something to read before bed.

A post appeared recently in a local group asking for dog trainer recommendations. A perfectly reasonable question. Into the comments strode an anonymous figure, cape billowing, with a warning for the ages.

"Please don't use any from local groups. They won't have any formal education. If you have pet insurance often they'll pay for you to see a professionally recognised qualification gained. Do not use K9 Control. They use outdated and dangerous methods that will harm your dog. You need force free training. Look up www.apbc.org.uk or https://abtc.org.uk — They only allow the best people in."

No name. No specifics. No evidence. Just a warning, a couple of links, and the quiet confidence of someone who has never had to stand behind their words with their face attached.

The mention of "outdated and dangerous methods" is our particular favourite. We'd genuinely welcome an example. One. Any time. We've not received one yet — but we remain, as always, open to the conversation. In public. With names attached.

ON QUALIFICATIONS. SINCE YOU RAISED IT.

We're going to say something that will no doubt send our anonymous friend reaching for the smelling salts.

K9 Control has never sought membership of a dog training organisation. We have never pursued accreditation from one. We have no intention of doing so.

Not because we're above scrutiny — quite the opposite. We hold ourselves to a standard that no external body has ever come close to matching. Every dog we work with, every client we take on, every outcome we produce is something we carry with us. There's no filing it away, no hiding behind a code of conduct written by a committee. If the dog doesn't get better, we know it. That accountability doesn't clock off.

The training industry would like you to believe that a qualification is a guarantee. It isn't. It's a starting point — and in some cases, not even that. What it does guarantee is that someone sat an exam, paid a membership fee, and agreed to a set of rules written by people who may never have worked with a truly difficult dog in their lives.

We'd rather be judged on what happens to the dog.

And our results — documented, reviewed, and spoken to by the clients who lived them — speak clearly enough without needing a logo underneath.

Judge us by the dogs. That's all we've ever asked. That's all that's ever mattered.

NOW — WHAT WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN SEEING

Here's the part that's less amusing and more genuinely concerning. While our anonymous commentator was busy directing people toward the professionally accredited and formally recognised, we've spent recent weeks working with dogs whose owners had done exactly that. Followed the recommended path. Sought out the right letters after the right names.

This is what that looked like in practice.

🥾 WELLINGTON BOOTS AS A BEHAVIOUR PLAN

A dog biting people in the home. The advice given by a force-free, properly credentialled trainer: wear wellington boots indoors. Not why is the dog biting. Not what does the dog need. Not how do we change this. Just rubber footwear as a management strategy.

The dog is still biting. The boots are by the door. We're now involved.

🚗 PARKED CARS AS COUNTER-CONDITIONING

Reactive dog, struggling on walks, owner at the end of their rope. Advice: hide behind parked cars when triggers appear. No work on the underlying response. No building of confidence or tolerance. Just urban evasion as a lifestyle.

The dog has learned nothing. The owner is now a seasoned amateur spy. We're now involved.

🧀 "NOT NICE" AND CHEDDAR FOR RESOURCE GUARDING

A dog claiming the sofa with teeth. Growling, snapping, fully in charge of the living room furniture. The qualified, accredited, force-free advice: say "not nice" and offer cheese as a redirect. The dog now has the sofa, a cheese habit, and the clear understanding that growling is a vending machine button.

The cheese is in the fridge. We're now involved.

These are not invented. These are not exaggerated. These are dogs we have seen in recent weeks — real dogs, real families, real consequences of advice handed out under the banner of modern, ethical, force-free training by people with the right organisations behind their name.

We leave you to draw your own conclusions about what "only the best people in" actually means on the ground.

A FINAL WORD. THEN WE'RE BACK TO THE DOGS.

To whoever left that comment: we hope the bank holiday is treating you well. We genuinely bear no ill will. But if you'd like to put your name to your concerns, you know where we are. We're not hard to find — and unlike some of the advice we've been clearing up after, we'll give you a straight answer.

To anyone reading this who needs help with their dog: look at results. Talk to clients. Watch the dog, not the certificate. The proof isn't in the accreditation. It's in the animal standing in front of you.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

— K9 Control

k9control.co.uk

We answer to the dog in front of us. Always have. Always will.