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About Us
Abi-K9 is a professional dog training service located on the Northern Rivers of NSW and run by Jackie Abikhair. We offer private lessons, Nosework classes, and a range of board and train programs covering anything from puppy development, manners and obedience training, socialization and confidence building, and behavioural rehabilitation.
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Jackie has been involved in the pet care industry for the last decade, starting out as a training volunteer for a dog rescue in Sydney, before moving on to Vet nursing and grooming. In 2014, she graduated from the University of Western Sydney with a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science. That same year, Jackie moved to the Bay Area of San Francisco and began professional dog training full time.
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She also had the unique opportunity of travelling throughout the United States, working with trainers from all walks of life while she assisted in running Nosework training seminars. Not only was this experience incredibly invaluable from a personal and professional development standpoint, but it also gave Jackie unparalleled insight into the practical application and results of a huge range of different training methods.
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Jackie moved back home to Australia and founded Abi-K9 in 2018, where she hopes to help dog owners get the very best from their canine companion. The methods she endorses are welfare and results-based, with a foundation in rewards and positive motivation. Jackie specializes in practical obedience, all things scent detection, puppy training and raising, and building/controlling motivation.
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Jackie's published two books on dog training: the Complete Guide to Nosework and Scent Detection, and the Complete Guide to Puppy Socialization and Pre-Training.
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Our Team
A trainer's dog is their business card. They should epitomize their skill and dedication to their work. Aside from this, they're also an invaluable asset to the training and rehab of all client dogs; whether serving as a distraction in obedience, or helping work a reactive or aggressive dog through a challenging social experience. They should be trained to a very high standard, and sociable with humans and dogs.
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I believe that all trainers should have three dogs; one that makes them look good, one that keeps them humble, and one that reminds them that training is supposed to be fun. Can you guess which one's which?
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Jackie Abikhair
Trainer and Owner
Tato
Tato is our main demo dog. She's always enthusiastic, happy to be involved in anything, and is the only one of my dogs that will actually enforce a social boundary.
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Her hobbies include playing fetch, stealing shoes, biting things, running as fast as possible, and of course, training.
Bugs
The super sniffer! Bugs is a young hound mix who found her way to us after life in suburbia didn't pan out.
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She's used most often in off-leash social experiences, to show off recalls and the power of a 'neutral' dog.
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She is completely obsessed with food, like any self respecting beagle!
Smitty
Smitty is the life of the party, always willing to play and engage! He loves being involved in training and is slowly being introduced to lessons and has proven a consistent worker.
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He came to me quite reactive of other dogs but he's come a long way and is now helping other dogs do the same.