Kevorn Ellis is a dog whisperer - St James man turns passion into a thriving canine empire

Kevorn Ellis' unshakeable belief in dogs as loyal companions has skyrocketed him to fame as one of western Jamaica's most trusted dog breeders and trainers. Now managing a pack of around 30 dogs, Ellis has become a social media sensation, with his brand, Souljapupkennels, taking TikTok by storm.

For Ellis, his lifelong love affair with dogs started in the Wiltshire, Anchovy community of St James. A shy child, he found solace in the companionship of a stray Royal Caribbean terrier, widely known as a mongrel dog.

"It started as far as I can remember. Mi used to walk and thief puppy when mi did likkle. I grew up as a child who didn't talk much. I always stayed to myself, so a dog was my way of having somebody around who was loyal. I used to always relax in the bushes with dogs. Dem tell me say mi always have a whole heap of dogs behind me and the love for them just continued to grow," Ellis said.

"I also used to rescue puppies and I would save my lunch money to buy food to feed them," he added.

His passion for pups only grew stronger and, by age 17, Ellis had started breeding German Shepherds. Now, at 33, has dogs from countries like the Czech Republic and Holland, rehoming them to families across Jamaica. His impressive pack includes German Shepherds, Rottweilers, and even a Shih-Poo. But he's never forgotten his roots - one mongrel still holds a special place in his heart.

Taking THE STAR on a tour of his property, Ellis beamed with pride, sharing how his dogs are led on twice-daily hikes through his rural community.

"They wake me up every morning at 6:30 because they want to go hiking. We usually spend two hours hiking and get back home at 9, [and] we go hiking again at 5 p.m. They walk with no restrictions, they get to just enjoy themselves because they are not allowed to attack people. The first set of dogs teaches the younger ones that they do not go after people without getting a command to attack," said Ellis.

While acknowledging the happiness he has gained from having dogs around, Ellis shared that he is always excited to hear happy stories from the families who purchase his canines. He said that this is usually the most rewarding part of the job. However, he stressed the importance of ensuring that the dogs are placed with good owners.

"We do all our checks with new owners to make sure that our puppies are going to good homes and loving families. We have also [repurchased] dogs. We have dogs here that we have rebought from owners because they were not treating the dogs well," he said.

While many Jamaicans are scared of dog bites, Ellis said he has lost count of the bites he has received. He said that the dogs are given commands to attack during training but have gone off-script a few times.

"Initially, I panicked, especially the first time a dog grabbed onto my belly - it was a pit bull. I panicked and tried pulling the dog away, which did more harm than good. But, apart from that, it's mostly at training where dogs break and hold onto me."