Meet our Team

Kate has had a close connection with animals from early childhood and would often bring home injured and orphaned animals to care for. Since Kate didn’t grow up with a dog in her family home, she spent her childhood walking and playing with dogs in the neighbourhood. She got her first dog at age 16, a German Shepherd Mix named Bandit who quickly became her best friend. Kate later found a position working part time at a local pet store. Kate volunteered at the Ottawa Humane Society for many years and became a passionate foster mom to the sick and orphaned animals that came into the shelter. At age 21, Kate graduated from St. Laurence College as a certified Veterinary Assistant and she began full time work at the Kanata Animal Hospital. Over time an interest in canine behaviour led Kate to leave her position at the animal hospital and pursue a career as a dog trainer with the Canadian Canine Training Academy in Ottawa. In 2003, Kate graduated from the Canadian Canine Training Academy as a certified Canine Behaviour Specialist. She spent the next 9 years with the CCTA focusing her attention on helping people learn to communicate effectively with their canine companions. As more and more clients began to request overnight boarding and daycare services for their dogs, Kate made the decision in 2012 to leave the CCTA and start her own business called Kate’s K9 Services. Over the next 10 years Kate, with the help of her husband Jason, continued to offer behaviour modification training, overnight boarding and daycare services to their clients. As the business continued to prosper they soon realized it was time to hire more staff. Kate and Jason decided to change the name of their company to Beckwith Canine Services in 2022 to incorporate the new staff members who help provide specialized canine care to clients in Lanark County and the greater Ottawa area.

Jason has always enjoyed the company of animals growing up. His first childhood dog was a Basset Hound named Basil. Unfortunately, his family was not prepared for the responsibility of a hound and sadly decided to find Basil a new home. This was a very sad time for the family, but Jason never lost his affection for dogs.

Jason had always dreamed of owning his own business and soon after he graduated high school he decided to take a business course at St. Laurence College in Kingston. Jason graduated in 2003 with a diploma in Business Administration, but with a wife and a new baby at home it was no time to take financial risks. Jason found himself a steady job as a teller with the Bank of Montreal to support his new family. A couple of years later Jason started a new job working for DiLabio Restaurant Services as a Repair Technician. The steady pay and benefits helped to support his family and allowed his wife, Kate, to start her own canine training and boarding business from home. In 2012, Jason made the decision to quit his steady job and took the risk to join his wife in running Kate’s K9 Services. His dream of running his own business had finally come true and he and Kate became business partners, caring for the dogs side by side. Jason brought a wealth of knowledge and business experience to Kate’s K9 Services along with handyman skills to help build a safe and reliable infrastructure for the business. Jason enjoys working with the dogs, interacting with clients and running the business with his wife. He continues to be an essential cornerstone at Beckwith Canine Services.

Julie grew up with a pack of beagles and hounds on her family farm. She has always had a love for dogs as long as she can remember. The determination to train dogs started as a young child when Julie would tie her father’s hunting hounds, who were strictly outdoor working dogs, around her waist and attempt to “walk them”. Years later, at age sixteen, Julie adopted her very own dog, a pure bred border collie named Bailey. Her close bond with her dog Bailey inspired Julie to pursue a variety of K9 sports including herding and agility. Julie has always had a strong love for all animals, not just dogs. She spent years working at an animal sanctuary that rescued neglected farm animals. She found great satisfaction in working alongside these animals and nursing them back to health. When Julie noticed the growing demand for canine obedience training and rehabilitation she made the decision to spend her post-secondary education studying canine phycology, behaviour modification and canine care. She has a driving passion to improve the quality of life between canine companions and their handlers, as well as a heart for fostering, rehabilitating and finding new homes for surrendered dogs. Julie has been working at Beckwith Canine Services since 2022 and has a natural gift when communicating and caring for the dogs in her care. She is the Head Kennel Manager on-site and is trusted with many important responsibilities at the kennel. Julie is certified in Emergency Canine First Aid and CPR.