Blake Rashad is...

My Story

My work with dogs started long before it became a career. At twelve years old, I was already spending my time walking, training, and learning from neighborhood dogs. I did not have the language for it then, but I understood instinctively that dogs communicate differently than people and that trust has to be earned.

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That early passion eventually led to formal training and opportunities with professional handlers, and later to service in the United States Army as a K9 instructor. During my military career, I trained working dogs around the world in high-risk environments where precision, discipline, and reliability were non-negotiable. Much of that work was classified, but the responsibility shaped my understanding of what proper training truly means.

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After my military service, I joined the Atlanta Police Department, where I trained the city’s first three drug detection dogs and served on the Red Dog Team. Those dogs went on to make significant drug seizures, reinforcing the importance of temperament, purpose-driven training, and ethical handling.

As my career evolved, my focus shifted toward service and education. In 2011, my wife Sheila and I founded the Top Dogg K9 Foundation to train service dogs for disabled military veterans. Working with veterans living with PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, and physical disabilities changed my perspective on the role dogs can play in restoring independence, confidence, and peace.

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I have been bitten more times than I can count, and every incident taught me something. Those lessons reinforced my belief that dog behavior is not about blame, but understanding. That belief now informs my work in occupational dog bite prevention, expert witness testimony, public speaking, and responsible breeding practices rooted in health, temperament, and purpose.

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Everything I do today is grounded in one principle: when dogs are trained, bred, and handled responsibly, they can change lives, protect communities, and serve with honor.