About Us
At Bandit K9, everything starts with truly understanding the dog in front of us. We take the time to learn who they are - their personality, confidence, history and what really motivates them.
Training isn’t a one-size-fits-all, it’s a personalised, thoughtful process built around clear communication, trust and genuine progress. Your dog’s wellbeing and long-term success guide every decision we make.
We focus on building skills that last, strengthening the bond between you and your dog, and creating training that feels fair, enjoyable and achievable.
" Because for us, your dog is at the heart of everything we do. Their progress is our real success."
Behind every well trained dog is a team who genuinely cares. At Bandit K9, we're passionate about helping dogs and owners feel confident, supported and excited about training. Get to know the people who'll guide you and your dog every step of the way.
Meet Our Team
ROSARIO
Founder & Head trainer
LUCIA
Co-Founder & Creative Director
Meet Our Four - Legged Team Members
Bamsi and Shadow aren't just part of our family, they're a core part of Bandit K9. They're the inspiration behind our logo, our training and the dogs who help us bring everyday training to life for our clients.
Rosario Ferro’s journey with dogs began in an unconventional way. As a child, he was often chased by stray dogs on his way to school, and his mother’s fear of dogs meant he never grew up with one at home.
Everything changed in his mid 30s when he moved to Australia and welcomed his first large breed dog. What started as an exciting milestone quickly became a challenge as he navigated the realities of dog ownership, particularly in a culture where dogs are expected to socialise confidently in public, whether ready or not. His dog developed behavioural issues linked to improper socialisation, making everyday situations increasingly difficult. After several stressful encounters, Rosario realised that visits to the dog park were no longer beneficial for his dog. What was meant to be enjoyable had become a source of tension for both of them.
Determined to improve, he sought guidance from a professional trainer and committed himself to education. He attended classes, seminars, and got an interest in dog sports, steadily building a deeper understanding of training and behaviour.
Through this journey, he discovered the NEPOPO®️ system, developed by Bart Bellon and Michael Bellon, and was immediately drawn to its structured approach and later on decided to pursue formal education. In 2023, Rosario earned his NEPOPO®️ Silver Certificate in Apeldoorn, where he also received the nickname “Bandit” a name that later inspired his business, BanditK9. He continued his education, achieving NEPOPO®️ Gold Graduations in Perth with Ben Geurts in 2023 and in Turin with Hans Verbruggen in 2025.
Today, Rosario draws on his international experience to help dog owners build stronger, more respectful relationships with their dogs. His training approach is tailored to each individual dog, with a focus on trust, clarity, and communication.His journey continues.
Rosario’s long term goal is to become a NEPOPO® Gold Multiplicator, enabling him to train and certify future trainers within the NEPOPO®️ system.
Bamsi is our calm, reliable boy and a natural teacher for both dogs and owners. He earned his ANKC Scent Work Excellent Title before retiring from competition, and now plays a key role in our training programs.
He helps with:
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Behaviour assessments
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Demonstrating training techniques
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Modelling calm, confident behaviour
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Supporting dogs who need a steady, balanced role model
Bamsi also holds his BH title in IGP, showing his solid obedience foundation and stable temperament. He’s the dog that quietly keeps everything running smoothly.
Shadow is our driven, high energy girl with a love for precision and working closely with her handler. She excels in advanced obedience, engagement, and focused training sessions. Because of her intensity and high working drive, Shadow works mainly in controlled, structured environments rather than with unfamiliar dogs. This allows her to shine in what she does best demonstrating advanced skills and representing the working dog side of Bandit K9.
She helps with:
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Demonstrating advanced obedience and engagement
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Showing clients what structured, consistent training can achieve
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Confidence-building exercises that don’t involve direct dog-to-dog contact
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Educating owners about working breeds and drive management
In 2026, Shadow and Rosario became IGP1 National Champions at the WDFA Black Hound IGP National Championships. They are continuing their IGP journey together.
She brings a real working dog edge to Bandit K9 and represents the dedication and consistency that training requires.
Lucia is the creative force behind Bandit K9, combining hands on dog training experience with branding, media production, and gear design.
As Co-Founder, she bridges the gap between technical training and brand identity, overseeing social media, marketing, photography, and visual storytelling. If you’ve seen a Reel, photo, or post from Bandit K9, it was most likely captured through Lucia’s lens.
Beyond the digital space, Lucia is the lead designer and maker behind Bandit K9’s custom leashes and training equipment. Her deep understanding of functionality and durability ensures every piece of gear is designed with real world performance in mind.
Lucia’s experience extends into competitive dog sports, where she previously handled and competed with Bamsi in ANKC scent work trials. This background gives her a practical understanding of canine behaviour, handler communication, and teamwork, knowledge she applies when supporting training programs and documenting client progress.
Lucia’s work combines creativity with structure, helping Bandit K9 grow while staying true to its core values of quality, functionality, and authentic dog training.
“NePoPo® is a registered trademark of B.C.BB B.V. (Michael and Bart Bellon) and is used here with permission.”