DARK K9

10/17/2026

10/14/2026

Bragging always feels a little gross, but this guy deserves some credit. Proud of this 2 year old guy. Last year for DARK K9, as a one year old, he placed Facility Reserve Champion Elite Distance. This year he stepped up a notch and took Facility Champion in Elite Distance and Reserve Champion Master AR. He is a lot of fun and down for whatever. He absolutely loves disc, CAT, FCAT and Fox (that's our own game where he wakes us up in the middle of the night to let him into the field to chase the foxes away 😁. Watching him mature is so rewarding. Proud of you Bubbie. Thanks for challenging me to be a better partner.

10/13/2026

Few things get the DARK K9 crew stirred up as fast as BYB. We love dogs. We love our dog's breeds. We chose them purposefully from purpose driven ethical breeders. Destroying them for profit or ego is more than we can handle. If you buy from a BYB you're part of the problem. If your breeder isn't breeding with intention based on genetics and lines to cross something out or bring something into the line. If your breeder doesn't health test, if your breeder doesn't take back any dogs that don't work out, if your breeder always has puppies on the ground and has to actively work to sell them instead of producing puppies who already have homes, your buying from a BYB. Contracts fall through, sometimes a reputable breeder will have a pup to place but they don't continually produce litters they have to advertise on social media, craig's list or wherever. You're ruining breeds by buying from puppy mills and backyard breeders. A back yard breeder. If you can't buy from a reputable breeder, or if you don't have specific genetic traits you're seeking, rescue.

Let’s talk about what a backyard breeder really looks like:

🚫 Breeders who advertise “big rope,” “micro,” “pink,” “hairless,” or “mini” English Bulldogs and Frenchies? Backyard breeder.
🚫 Breeders who ship puppies alone on airplanes with no chaperone? Backyard breeder.
🚫 Breeders constantly advertising “rare colors” as a selling point? Backyard breeder.
🚫 Breeders who always have puppies available—and of multiple breeds at that? Backyard breeder.
🚫 Breeders who won’t take their dog back if something happens and offer no lifetime responsibility in their contract? Backyard breeder.
🚫 Breeders who don’t vaccinate their puppies before selling them? Backyard breeder.
🚫 Breeders selling dogs on livestreams like they’re auctioning off sneakers? Backyard breeder.
🚫 Breeders who advertise with signs on highways and street corners? Yep. Backyard breeder. (And feel free to “rehome” those signs.)

And yes—your Frenchie and Doodle breeders are very likely backyard breeders, too.

Ethical breeding isn’t about profit. It’s about responsibility, health, and commitment for life. If your breeder doesn’t meet those standards, they’re not reputable. They’re part of the problem.

10/11/2026

Just how we roll DARK K9 .

10/11/2026

We were exhausted last night and didn't have it in us to put words together.

🏆❤️🧡💛🖤 THESE AWARDS REPRESENT SO MUCH MORE THAN A CHAMPIONSHIP. 🏆❤️🧡💛🖤

Yesterday, we had the privilege of presenting our DARK K9 Facility Championship and Reserve Championship awards. And while those awards are beautiful, we hope everyone who took one home understands just how much they truly represent.

Because you didn't earn them by simply showing up for one good day on the dock.

You earned them by showing up again. And again. And again.

You endured the blistering Kentucky heat, the humidity that makes you question every life decision that led you to an outdoor sport in July, flash floods, ridiculous winds, thunderstorms, weather delays, and days that seemed like they might never end.

You packed vehicles, loaded dogs, drove countless miles, got up before the sun, spent money you probably shouldn't have (we promise not to ask how much 😂), and came back weekend after weekend.

You celebrated personal bests, incredible jumps, and moments when everything finally came together. You also experienced missed throws, disappointing performances, frustrating setbacks, and those days when you wanted to cry. Sometimes you did. Sometimes you laughed instead. And sometimes you probably considered selling all your dock diving equipment and taking up something relaxing.

But you kept showing up.

And somewhere along the way, something bigger than competition happened.

You became part of the DARK K9 family.

You cheered for dogs that weren't yours. You celebrated someone else's personal best as enthusiastically as your own. You offered encouragement when things didn't go as planned, helped each other through difficult moments, shared laughs, made memories, and formed friendships that extend far beyond the dock.

You helped turn a place with a dock and a pool into a community.

And that is something we don't ever want to take for granted.

When we look at those Championship and Reserve Championship awards, we don't just see placements, distances, or times.

We see dedication. Perseverance. Commitment. Sportsmanship. Friendship. And an entire season of memories.

We see the early mornings, the long drives, the soaking wet shoes, the sunburns, the laughter, the tears, and the unwavering love you have for your dogs.

We see people who made DARK K9 part of their lives and, in doing so, became an irreplaceable part of ours.

As facility owners, we sometimes get caught up in everything that goes into making an event happen. The schedules, the equipment, the weather, the inevitable hiccups, and the thousand little things behind the scenes. We don't always get everything perfect. We make mistakes, we learn, and we keep trying to make DARK K9 better.

But one thing we know with absolute certainty is that none of this would mean nearly as much without YOU.

Those beautiful awards are our small way of recognizing something that is actually pretty extraordinary. Not just what you accomplished on the dock, but the commitment you made throughout the season to your dogs, this sport, and this community.

To our Facility Champions and Reserve Champions, congratulations! You earned every bit of that recognition, and we hope you display those awards with tremendous pride.

And to every competitor who spent part of their season with us, whether you went home with a championship award or not, please know that your presence mattered. Every splash, every cheer, every helping hand, and every weekend you chose to spend with us helped make this season what it was.

The awards may recognize the champions, but the community is what makes DARK K9 something worth celebrating.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for trusting us with your dogs, your weekends, your friendships, and your memories.

We are humbled by your loyalty, grateful for your support, and incredibly proud of the community we've built together.

And if we're being completely truthful, we're still a little amazed that so many of you willingly drive hours to stand around in unpredictable Kentucky weather just to throw a toy into a giant swimming pool. 😂❤️

But we're awfully glad you do.

Congratulations, Champions. And thank you, DARK K9 family and crew. These awards tell your story, and we're honored to have been part of it.🏆🐾

❤️🧡💛🖤 DARK K9 ❤️🧡💛🖤

More than a dock. More than a competition. A community.

10/11/2026

Congratulations to all of the 2026 DARK K9 Facility champions and reserve champions. We are grateful for our community. We are eternally grateful for our crew. You guys are amazing and amaze us every day!! We still have tomorrow to close out this amazing year. It's sad to think of saying good.bye but we will see everyone for Derby in the spring!!

10/10/2026

The many faces of Strips DARK K9