The “Kut" Boys” from Kolekut Kennels, Nassau Bahamas.
Keron King and the “Kut Boys” are Realizing a Dream
By Julisa Corrigan, November 4 2026
Meet Keron King, owner and lead dog trainer of KoleKutKennels242 K9 Services. King got his start in training while he was still in high school, working first with American Pit Bull Terriers in 2010. He trained his canines in weight pulling and other physical tasks and discovered a true passion for canine training. In 2017, he won Best of Breed in his very first confirmation competition. He started offering training services in 2021 and today, his kennels are fully licensed and approved by the Bahamian authorities. He is also president of a small group of professional trainers called United K9 Training, or UKT.
For years, King watched the Annual Space Coast K9 Competition on YouTube from his hometown in Nassau, Bahamas, over 300 miles away. What he loved most about the competition was how practical it was. “I came across the competition on YouTube and watched every year in full that was posted,” he said. “I loved what I saw. There aren't any elements in the Space Coast Competition require that aren't real world applicable,” he said.
In 2024, he organized and hosted his own competition based on what he saw: the K9 invitational obstacle course Competition. Eight teams from the UKT participated. It was directly inspired by the Space Coast Police K9 Foundation’s event.
King has waited a long time to compete here at the Space Coast. His participation in 2025 was sidelined by the birth of his daughter. Now, on November 13th, he and his partner Soprano are finally bringing the heat to our shores. “It's an unreal feeling, to go from watching it on a screen to planning the logistics of making it happen,” he said. “Outside of United K9 Training, there aren't many people in the working dog community in the Bahamas. It is our hope that, after competing at the Space Coast, there will be greater interest here for our craft.”
Joining King and Soprano are King's one year old daughter, and fellow trainers Breon “Mice” Bethel and Jason “Twin” Brown, along with their partners Draco and Django. All three trainers serve as police officers in the Royal Bahamas Police Force, and are so closely knit that they are affectionately known as “The Kut Boys” back home.
For the Kut Boys, the competition is about much more than bringing home a title. It's an opportunity to learn from some of the best in the field, and to put the knowledge to use growing interest in the sport back home “Being able to compete in an international competition with dogs that were bred and trained on Bahamian soil is an accomplishment in itself,” King said. “We want to show that we can hang with the best of them.”
Brown will be competing with Draco, a 3-year-old Doberman Pinscher. Draco is the newest member of the three teams, stepping up after Brown’s previous dog, Ohani, died earlier this year. In spite of their relatively short time together Draco has already impressed with how quickly he took to agility and protection training.
K-9 Draco. Photo provided by Keron King.
Bethel will be handling D’Jango, a 3 year-old Belgian Malinois who was retired from police force prematurely after being determined lesser than other K9s on the unit. The two are eager to prove them wrong on the field.
K-9 D’Jango. Photo provided by Keron King.
Lastly, there's King himself and his faithful companion, Soprano. The pair have been together for four years, ever since Soprano was six weeks old. For these two, their bond goes deeper than most.
Keron King and K-9 Soprano. Photo provided by Keron King.
A few years ago, King broke a finger and was wearing a cast and sling when his car broke down in a dark area late at night. His wife was with him, as was Soprano, who was always at his side. While waiting for a family member to come help, an unfamiliar man approached the vehicle with his hands in his pocket. Soprano reacted immediately, and nearly broke the car window attempting to engage the individual. The man backed away and left. “I wholeheartedly believe that if Soprano had not been there, my wife and I would have had a situation,” King recalled. “I've had many dogs before Soprano and a handful after. None can come close to the bond and connection we share. Soprano isn't like family. Soprano IS family.”
You can witness the incredible bonds between the Kut Boys and their partners for yourself at the 8th Annual Space Coast Police K9 Competition, held Friday, November 13th at the Space Coast Stadium.
