Petpreneurs looking to support children in enjoying loving and safe relationships with their dogs are invited to an exciting new network.
Tina Elven, a dog trainer and mindset coach who has worked with many children and families around the world has set up the Kool K9 Kids Partner Network.
It aims to bring together people working in the pet industry – not only dog trainers but people with any kind of business – to work on helping children have positive relationships with dogs.
Tina, a mum of two who lives in High Wycombe with her Cockapoos Buster, Ollie and newest furry family member, Alfie, chatted to me about why she set up the awareness project.
Her mission centres around responsible pet ownership and giving children the life skills to bond with their dogs, stay safe around pets AND have fun interacting with training them too.
Hi Tina, can you tell me a little about your background?
Yes, I’m a qualified dog trainer and mindset coach, and it’s been a dream of mine to combine these two concepts into something that would help children and families strengthen their doggie relationships as well as a way of looking after their own mental health.
I’ve been working with families and children for over 20 years, and I am really proud of what we are achieving with our non-profit initiative Kool K9 Kids.
This year you’ve launched a Partner Network for pet professionals. What’s the message behind it?
As Kool K9 Kids is a not-for-profit organisation, we wanted to find a way that would allow us to reach a wider audience.
Having a network of partners working toward the same goal in their local community will benefit families to become aware of how to keep children safe with dogs.
It’s free to join our network where we support our approved partners with a membership badge, posters, tips and guidance.
The aim is to build a thriving community and for partners to inspire our next generation of dog owners.
Partners are able to earn additional revenue for themselves by offering memberships to our online club for kids with dogs.
What kind of organisations can get involved in the network?
It’s a wide range of people and the main thing is that they have an interest in promoting positive interactions between kids and dogs.
For example, dog trainers who work directly with families are ideal. Also, anyone in the pet industry whether it is related to professionals or those who provide services and products to the dog world could also get involved.
And what do partners do?
Inside the platform, we provide our partners with ready-made templates to get them started sharing news about the Kool K9 Kids club.
Throughout the year, partners can take advantage of seasonal content which will also supplement and boost their own initiatives in the local community.
Tell us about how the Kool K9 Kids idea came about?
It was important to us to have a concept that really summed up our aim of working with young people who are interested in learning more about dogs and have fun!
We also wanted our name to be appealing to children, give a positive message and empower children to embrace expanding their knowledge around dogs in a fun and interactive way.
For many parents, memories of spending time with a dog brings a sense of nostalgia that they now want their own children to experience.
We want to help families by ensuring our next generation of dog owners are able to create similar strong and positive memories.
Our kids club was created alongside running our successful virtual summer camps during Covid and it was about giving adults and children activities they could enjoy together.
It was clear that there was a gap in the way kids are being educated around dogs and their unique way of communicating.
We strongly believe that kids can be best friends with dogs and all the activities we have are designed to support that.
It’s so important for children to have fun and our club also has educational elements around staying safe, understanding canine behaviour and body language.
How can people who might like the sound of this get involved?
We have a few things, they can join the club and we also have a way to experience the kind of activities they can enjoy with a product too.
It’s our Woof Wag Wishes ® interactive memory book and it aims to bring joy to anyone with a dog.
Inside you can choose a wish a week to grant to your dog, from cooking them a treat to enrichment games and places to visit, and you capture the memory inside of the book.
It’s about inviting any dog owner to take time out from their busy day and spend it with their dog trying something new and have moments to treasure forever.
Why are these moments so important?
The more there are, and the more varied, the stronger the bond you have.
A daily dog walk along the same route blurs together in memory and doesn’t stand out.
Changing things up means that you are creating a storehouse of special moments.
Something new, whether it is a treat you’ve cooked or a challenge you’ve set is a fascinating experience.
You both learn something new about yourselves and each other and that’s the secret to a good relationship.
And let’s not forget the immense benefits all of this has on your own well-being and happiness.
So what’s next for you and Kool K9 Kids?
We’ve lots going on with the online club where young members enjoy over 500 activities, from cooking, art projects, canine body language, dog knowledge and training to self-help tools!
It’s also lovely to see the Woof Wag Wishes coming to life and dog lovers of any age capturing those special moments.
And we’re really excited about our Partner Network is an exciting project and an amazing opportunity for any pet professionals to get involved in.
If you want to show your audience you advocate for positive interactions between children and dogs, come and join us.
The partner membership is free with the opportunity to earn an additional income from our very generous referral scheme.
To find out more about Kool K9 Kids visit www.koolk9kids.org
If you enjoyed this post, you might like to read Why Michelle Burgess created National Terrier Day on March 27th or How to take fabulous photos of your dog for National Dog Photography Day on July 26th.
One Response
We should always take care of dogs, not just on dog day. but it’s also nice to have a special day for dogs.
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