Meet Courtney Bentley

We were lucky to catch up with Courtney Bentley recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Courtney, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

Just before my 21st birthday, I adopted a new puppy, Rusko. I had never been allowed to have a dog as a kid, and was ecstatic. My enthusiasm was quickly met with behavioral challenges of a working breed (cattle dog to be exact) and that’s where my journey truly began. We did every local training class available and nothing helped me with his reactivity, nipping, and overall chaos- the results were bandaids at best, and did not teach him functional or reliable skills. His behavior remained so bad that one of the trainers even told me that most people would have dumped the dog at a shelter. That statement gave me the motivation to pursue what quickly became my passion- helping dogs make real changes in their mindsets and behavior so that their families can enjoy them, and they can genuinely enjoy life better, too. I’ve since spent over a decade seeking out the best of dog training, learning under some of the world’s best trainers, to give all the dogs and owners, I work with the best life. Rusko has remained the biggest “why” behind the work that I do, and I’m lucky enough to still have him by my side. Both of my human babies get to spend a part of life with him, too, which I’m incredibly grateful for. Of course since having them, they are now a huge driver behind my daily motivation and discipline. True dog training is a very demanding job, but I wouldn’t change it for anything.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

My main goal is for Bold City K9 to bring fresh persepectives to training people’s dogs. This has never been a one size fits all profession, but being that it’s an unregulated industry (which is good and bad) there are so many individuals out there calling themselves dog trainers (and happily taking people’s money), but don’t truly have a clue what they’re doing. Or if the dog doesn’t fit in XYZ box, they can’t help. Bold City K9 is about cultivated training processes, and adaptability. Early in my career, and still now, I’ve traveled the country to find the best training practices, which has shaped the programs that we offer now. Our focus is regulating the dog’s emotional state first, and then establishing reliable obedience skills for crystal clear communication. The more traditional route is to just hammer out obedience skills alone, and then micro manage the dog the rest of their life, which is not realistic for most owners, nor does it address root issues. We want to make lasting change for you and your dog. Our programs are thorough so that we’re addressing the dog as a whole and providing functional training that actually works.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

The quality I’m most proud of is my self discipline and ability to be consistent, even when I may not want to be. Continuing when it’s hard, tiring, boring, etc. is the most valuable skill you can possess, in my opinion. Keep at it, hold your integrity, and you’ll win. I, also, had a background in veterinary medicine prior to training full time, which has been invaluable to build off of.

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?

I’ve learned a lot about business in the last 6-12 months (which it can be tough for dog trainers to also be savvy business people), but the most valuable things are always about training methodology. Striving to do better daily is crucial to being a really good dog trainer, and when you do this, your results will speak for themselves.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.boldcityk9.com
• Instagram: @boldcityk9