05/31/2026
After years of working with dogs, one thing has become very clear...
Everyone loves a success story. Everyone loves the transformation photos, the training videos, the happy endings, and the dogs that beat the odds.
What people don't always see are the difficult conversations that happen before those success stories ever exist. The dogs that nobody wants to take a chance on. The dogs that come with uncertainty. The dogs whose future hangs in the balance while everyone waits for someone else to step forward.
That dog is Bailey.
Bailey is currently facing an uncertain future because of a single bite incident during what appears to have been one of the most stressful periods of his life.
This is not a dog with a documented history of repeated aggression. This is not a dog that has spent years creating safety concerns. This is a dog whose owner is currently serving our country, whose entire world changed almost overnight, and who suddenly found himself in a completely different environment with different people, different routines, and different stressors.
One incident.
Yet in today's world, sometimes one incident is all it takes for a dog to be labeled.
Maybe Bailey has stuck with me because he shares a name with my daughter.
Maybe it's because every time I think about this case, I picture a young servicemember focused on training and serving our country, trusting that his best friend is safe while he's away. I can't imagine being in his shoes and receiving a phone call that the dog who waited for him, loved him, and depended on him was suddenly gone because of one bad moment during one difficult chapter of his life.
Or maybe it's because dogs like Bailey are exactly why I opened ABTK9.
The truth is, I've lost sleep over this dog.
I've laid awake thinking about how quickly life can change for a dog who has no say in the circumstances around him. A dog who didn't choose for his owner to leave. A dog who didn't choose the changes in his environment, his routine, or the stress that came with it.
Because at the end of the day, Bailey isn't just a bite report, a case number, or a liability concern.
He's somebody's best friend.
He's somebody's family.
And until proven otherwise, I believe he deserves the opportunity to be evaluated, understood, and given a fair chance.
The reality is that Bailey's situation has highlighted a difficult truth within animal welfare. Many organizations are already overwhelmed. Resources are limited. Liability concerns are real. As a result, dogs with any bite history, even when circumstances matter, often struggle to find advocates willing or able to step forward.
That doesn't make anyone the villain. It simply means that dogs like Bailey can easily fall through the cracks.
At ABTK9, we've always believed that behavior should be evaluated within the context of the whole dog, not reduced to a single moment on their worst day.
One of my long-term goals has been to establish The Canine Comeback Project.
Not a rescue.
Not a shelter.
A program dedicated to evaluating, training, advocating for, and creating opportunities for dogs who have been misunderstood, mislabeled, or judged solely by their mistakes.
Some of the best dogs I've ever worked with came with baggage. Some came with fear. Some came with behavioral challenges. Some came with stories that caused others to walk away.
What they needed wasn't someone to excuse their behavior.
What they needed was someone willing to understand it, address it, and help them move forward.. so Bailey will be coming to ABTK9.
We're going to evaluate him honestly. We're going to train him responsibly. We're going to identify his strengths, address his weaknesses, and work toward earning his Canine Good Citizen title.
Most importantly, we're going to give him the opportunity to be seen for who he is, not just what happened.
Because one moment should not automatically define an entire life.
As a small business, I fully recognize what this commitment means. A kennel occupied by a long-term project dog is kennel space that cannot be sold. Training, evaluations, veterinary care, management, and daily handling all require time and resources.
ABTK9 has always done more than its fair share for shelter dogs, rescue dogs, and difficult cases because it's the right thing to do. But helping dogs like Bailey isn't free, and community support allows us to continue saying "yes" when others may not have the ability to.
For those who have asked how they can help:
🐾 For those wishing to contribute toward Bailey's care, donations may be made directly to his veterinary account at Eastern Shore Animal Hospital in Grandy, NC. Please reference: Ashley Conner / ABTK9 – Bailey.
🐾 Schedule a training session, purchase a training package, or reserve a Day Training trial day. Even if your dog simply needs a refresher on manners, leash walking, confidence building, or obedience, every appointment helps support dogs like Bailey.
🐾 Beginning Monday, ABTK9 will be offering:
• 10% OFF Training Packages
• 5% OFF Future Boarding Reservations
Every appointment, every reservation, every share, and every donation helps make it possible for us to continue taking on dogs that need a second chance.
Most importantly, share Bailey's story.
Let's show people what can happen when a dog is given an opportunity to learn, grow, and be understood rather than being permanently defined by a single event.
Welcome to the ABTK9 family, Bailey.
I don't know what the outcome of this journey will be. I don't know where it will lead or who may ultimately fall in love with you along the way.
What I do know is that as long as you're here, you'll be treated with compassion, fairness, and dignity.
You'll be evaluated as the dog you are, not the label that's been placed on you.
And because somewhere, a young servicemember is actively training to defend our country while hoping his best friend will still be here when he comes home, we're going to make sure every possible opportunity is given before anyone decides your future.
The Canine Comeback Project was created for dogs exactly like you.
Dogs who need someone willing to look beyond their worst day.
Dogs who deserve a second chance.
Dogs worth fighting for.
YOUR COMEBACK STARTS NOW. ❤️🐾🇺🇸
