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Blue Cord K9 turns service, resilience, and trust into a mission driven dog training business in Raeford

 

What started as one veteran鈥檚 search for healing has grown into a trusted, community centered dog training business serving Moore, Hoke, and surrounding counties.

Blue Cord K9 was founded by Army veteran Kevin Watts after he discovered the powerful role dogs played in helping him manage PTSD and a traumatic brain injury. After waiting three years for a service dog through a VA program without success, Watts trained his own service dog, Jekyll, an experience that reshaped his life and future.

That journey sparked a new calling. Watts went on to attend a local training school, graduating as a Master Trainer, and later completed advanced training in tracking, trailing, and article search. Together with his wife, Larinda Watts, the couple launched Blue Cord K9 to provide affordable, professional canine training tailored to each dog and household.

The name Blue Cord K9 reflects Kevin鈥檚 military roots. Infantry soldiers wear a light blue cord, known as a fourragere, on their Class A uniform. It symbolizes pride, excellence, and commitment. Those same values guide the business today.

Larinda Watts, who worked more than 15 years in public safety as a firefighter, EMT, and 911 dispatcher, brings her own service background into the company. Her passion for helping others shaped Blue Cord K9鈥檚 focus on employing veterans and first responders, supporting local rescues, and working with dogs often labeled 鈥渓ost causes.鈥�

Blue Cord K9 offers in-home, customized training for dogs of all breeds and ages, including basic obedience, puppy training, behavioral modification, and specialized service dog work. In-home training allows trainers to meet dogs where they live, recognizing that no two homes, families, or dogs are the same.

鈥淥ur philosophy is simple,鈥� Larinda Watts said. 鈥淲e train to standard, not to time. Every dog deserves training that fits their environment and their needs.鈥�

A typical day for the Blue Cord K9 team includes traveling between multiple homes and communities, sometimes working with a young puppy in the morning and a reactive or aggressive dog later that day. Each trainer completes specialized training to safely and effectively handle a wide range of behaviors.

 

Providing lifetime training support for dogs and their owners.

 

Basic obedience remains the most popular program, reflecting a growing awareness among dog owners that training early helps prevent future behavioral issues. What sets Blue Cord K9 apart is its lifetime support model. Programs are backed for the life of the dog, and clients receive ongoing guidance long after formal training ends.

The company鈥檚 impact reaches beyond individual households. Blue Cord K9 works closely with local rescues to conduct temperament testing, provide training, and help rehome dogs, reducing shelter overcrowding. Its Therapy Dog Team also brings comfort to the community through visits to retirement homes, nursing facilities, schools, and local businesses, including teacher workdays designed to reduce stress and boost morale.

One recent milestone highlights the organization鈥檚 mission. After receiving a call from DSS regarding two dogs deemed aggressive, Blue Cord K9 intervened with training rather than euthanasia. By building the dog鈥檚 confidence and teaching structure, the team helped return the dog safely to its home. Today, the dog is calm, affectionate, and thriving.

Building trust has been both the company鈥檚 greatest challenge and its greatest accomplishment. In-home training requires clients to open their doors and place faith in a trainer鈥檚 expertise, tools, and methods. Over time, professionalism, consistency, and results have earned Blue Cord K9 a reputation clients remember.

Looking ahead to 2026, the business plans to expand educational offerings, grow its Therapy Dog Team, and launch a program to help others enter the dog training profession while maintaining the same standards and values.

Want to learn more about Blue Cord K9

Blue Cord K9 encourages community members to continue supporting local businesses by welcoming training dogs into stores, trusting professional trainers, and sharing resources with dog owners who need help. Students and jobseekers interested in future employment or upcoming dog trainer education programs are encouraged to submit resumes and follow Blue Cord K9 for announcements at .

In Raeford, Blue Cord K9 stands as an example of how service, discipline, and compassion can create safer communities, stronger bonds, and second chances for both people and dogs.

 

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