K9 Ventures

05/06/2026

It’s been a funny old week weather wise. One minute we were walking in sunshine the next I was trapped in the log cabin where I groom dogs while a thunder and lightening storm whirled around me!

The dogs didn’t seem to mind though. Running around in the rain at the country park was great fun for them, even if my Poodle did end up with a very flat pom at times. 😁

So it’s been a more gentle week with the exception of the country park walk which always happens unless the weather is so severe the park is closed. We’ve strolled round the woodland when the rain finally stopped and the dogs have found the space to relax and recharge for fun and games next week.

So for now have a great weekend with your dogs. 🐾🐾🐾🐾

04/06/2026

Sleepy dogs tonight 💜

04/06/2026

04/06/2026

I won’t take certain types of dogs, even though I know it may upset some dog owners, but it protects everyone staying here!

I got this lovely testimonial from one of my dog owners last week and it reminded me of why I am so particular about health and hygiene in my gang and also how different things could be if I didn’t put boundaries in place when recruiting new dogs.

Last year I had many dogs pass away or move away. I have been a home boarder since 2011 and sadly the inevitable happened and those first dogs I registered when I lived and worked in Pinner have gone over rainbow bridge. That meant that if I wanted K9 Ventures to still be a full-time business I had to advertise the fact that I had some spaces available.

Firstly, I reviewed what worked and what didn’t work over the years with regards to introducing new dogs to the gang. Secondly, I spent ages compiling an information sheet with a list of criteria that would become non-negotiable. To keep the dogs in my care safe it’s imperative that all dogs get on really well with us humans (that’s me, my assistant Bex, my partner George and my son Ryan) and they must enjoy the company of other dogs. They don’t have to love other dogs and want to play all the time but I don’t want anyone showing signs of aggression or guarding as that upsets the balance of this well-oiled machine of mine!

Lastly, I don’t accept guard dogs (they may make a fatal mistake here) or working breeds as most are just too hectic and irritating to the other slower more gentle dogs that stay here. I have limited space for large dogs as I have a really big dog of my own and there are only two large dog spaces in the van – all of the dogs go for a lovely walk every day and we travel to the country park in the van.

I have lots of other criteria too that owners and Dog Pros alike may not agree with. I admit, I’m fussy about who joins us but I am very good at boundaries and I firmly put them in place. That has meant that replacing those gorgeous dogs that are no longer with us has been relatively slow – we’re nearly there now though. So, if you want to get your dog registered for Day Care or Home Boarding contact us now, before it’s too late (even if you’re not going on holiday just yet) so that you too will have peace of mind when you take your break. At some point soon I will be closing my books to new dogs as I only have a certain number of dogs that I am allowed to board at one time – as per my license agreement with South Bucks council. Prices will remain the same throughout 2026 for boarding, despite the ever-increasing cost of living, with my usual annual increase taking place in January 2027.

Email: [email protected] for my information sheet and to see if your dog fits the criteria to board with us. They will have an amazing experience here with other gentle, lovely dogs that genuinely enjoy the company of other dogs, humans and what we have to offer.

02/06/2026

Go to: https://www.k9ventures.co.uk/products.php

To see what else we recommend for your dog! 🐾🐾🐾🐾

01/06/2026

If your puppy hasn’t had any training, you can’t expect it to grow into a well mannered, polite dog.

I have trained hundreds of owners over the years to raise their puppies so that they can take them anywhere confident in the fact that their dog will be ‘good’.

This doesn’t happen overnight but what I do know is that the earlier you start, the better life will be for both of you.

If your puppy is arriving this summer - congratulations! Get ahead of the game by booking your puppy 1-2-1 with me now so that you can start your journey together.

To learn how to raise your puppy using kind, positive reinforcement, scientific methods email me: [email protected] and I will send you my Welcome to Dog Training information sheet. 🐾🐾🐾🐾

29/05/2026

Phew - what a scorcher! Who can guess where this is from? Wasted on the young! 🤣. It’s been the hottest May ever and we at K9 Ventures have been doing our best to keep the dogs in our care cool and safe.

With our usual early walks, sticking to the wooded areas where there’s lots of shade, giving the dogs some ice cubes, keeping the kitchen fan on and reducing activities we’ve made it through!

The dogs spent much more time sleeping and lazing around. Who can blame them? Then it was back into the ice cold air conditioned van for the day care drop offs.

Next week we will resume our activities, however, I think the dogs loved this lazy week for a change. By the way the opening for this caption was from the newspaper The Sun. 😎☀️😎

https://www.k9ventures.co.uk/index.php

29/05/2026

Here are a few lovely places to wander and/or train your dog that are local to K9 Ventures in Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire.

I highly recommend Terrific Bark Park - it’s a lovely enclosed paddock set in beautiful countryside and a brilliant place for safely practising those recalls.

28/05/2026

I don’t know whether this is a throwback from my veterinary nursing days but the need to disinfect everything from the dog bowls to the floors and surfaces is really very strong in me!

As Dog Pros we have a huge responsibility to keep the dogs in our care safe and well. To do that it’s important to keep records of vaccinations, and chase up those owners who forget, so that their dog is covered for things like Parvo Virus and Kennel Cough. If a Dog Pro is licensed to board dogs, we have to, by law, make sure this is done on an annual basis and the council sometimes do on the spot inspections, which happened to me last year. They come along (giving you 10 minutes notice) and check your records, ensure that everything is safe and make sure that you are not boarding more dogs than you’re licensed for.

If a dog business hasn’t got a license then their insurance will be invalid and they are, in fact, breaking the law. Quite frankly I welcome these inspections as I have nothing to hide as I am running my dog business efficiently and sticking to the licence agreement I have with the council.

Making sure equipment is washed down and floors are regularly steam cleaned is just one way of making sure there is little risk of cross infection should a dog become unwell in my care. I use an antiviral, antibacterial solution which is specially made for use around dogs.

The ‘dog garden’ where our dogs go to the toilet in the morning and evening is irrigated so that at night any wee smells (and we know what that’s like in the summer!) are washed away.

Making sure dogs are groomed on a regular basis and are treated for parasites is also very important, as is washing their paws with warm water after every walk.

We do our very best at K9 Ventures to ensure all of our dogs are healthy and safe by carrying out these cleaning protocols. Plus, my assistant Bex and I are just a tiny bit OCD about everything being clean and organised!

For more information about our amazing 5-star day care and home boarding go to:

https://www.k9ventures.co.uk/boarding.php