About Us

Georgia K9 National Training Center, the South’s premier K9 training company.

Georgia K9 is a partnership of professional K9 trainers from across the United States with a wide range of dog training experience. We are nationally certified and work with dogs and handlers throughout the United States. We are specialists in a wide variety of K9 disciplines from dog obedience training, dog tracking and trailing, to canine narcotics detection. Whatever your needs might be, Georgia K9 has a solution for you!

At Georgia K9 we pride ourselves on our knowledge and experience with dogs.  We offer information on every breed of dog and every behavior problem. We have a staff of Certified Professional Trainers that will help teach the dogs proper behavior as well as educate you, the owner, on how to fairly and effectively communicate with your dog.  We offer a variety of services, each tailored to fit the individual personality of your dog.

Whatever your needs may be, Georgia K9′s trainers will work with you to achieve the relationship you’ve always wanted with your dog. Our specialties are dog obedience training, police K9 training, and service dogs for people with disabilities.

Kelli Collins

Kelli is a certified Police Officer in the State of Georgia.  She graduated from National K9® as a Certified Professional Trainer.  She is currently a trainer for Auburn University’s Canine Detection Training Center.

Kelli started The Georgia K9 Service dog program for children with disabilities with a special emphasis on providing dogs for kids with Autism.  Her ground breaking efforts have set the K9 stage for an entirely new approach to service dogs.

Certifications Include: Puppy Development, Breed Identification, Dog Behavior, Basic and Advanced Obedience, Retrieval Training, Utility Training, Trailing, Scent Discrimination, Police Service Dog Training, Narcotics Detection.

Jeff Schettler

Jeff Schettler is a Police K9 Trainer and a retired police K9 handler. He has worked for the Alameda Police Department, Amador County Sheriff’s Department, and was attached to the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team’s K-9 Assistance Program designed to apprehend high risk fugitives. Jeff is considered an expert witness in the areas of scent evidence and trailing.

Jeff is the author of “Red Dog Rising”, a chronological account of his police K9 work with Ronin, a modern police bloodhound.  Red Dog Rising won the 2009 Dog Writers Association of America’s Best Service Dog Book Award.   Jeff’s second book, a trailing training manual The “Straightest Path K9 Trailing”  will be published in October of this year. He is a frequent contributor to various dog magazines and is the K9 Trailing writer for K9 Cop Magazine.

Jeff established the first California Peace Officer Standards and Training K9 Trailing course in 1998.  He also produced California’s first POST certified Tactical Tracking Course and is considered and expert in tactical/ SWAT applications of trailing dogs. He is an analyst and advisor for various K9 programs throughout the United States.  Jeff coordinates approximately 10 K9 training courses per year in various parts of the US and abroad.

Phoebe Bault – General K9 Obedience Training Manager

Phoebe is a graduate of the Art Institute of Atlanta and has been involved in the professional K9 industry since 2007,  working at GAK9 NTC since June 2010. She is a K9 trainer/Kennel master who helps clients with their dogs’ obedience and is also responsible for overseeing the general management of the kennel, the dogs’ health, and managing the kennel technicians.

Phoebe has also been assisting Jeff Schettler and Kelli Collins with the Georgia K9 Service Dog, Trailing, and Detector dog programs.  Phoebe has recently received her certification as a AKC Canine Good Citizen test evaluator.

Gabby – K9 Trainer – K9 Behavior, Obedience, Trailing

Gabby was born and raised in New York but moved down south when she was 16. While in high school she worked at the local veterinary hospital as a vet tech for over 2 years.  After high school she attended Mississippi State University majoring in Pre-Vet.  During college she started a family and am a very proud mom with 2 boys and 1 adorable little girl.  All her life one of her true passions has been dogs.  “I love working with dogs and learning new things that come with this career each and every day.”
 

Joseph Citta – K9 Apprentice specializing in obedience, agility, scent detection and trailing

Jospeh is one of Georgia K9 NTC’s Kennel Techs responsible for overall kennel and ground maintenance and has worked as a Georgia K9 NTC Kennel tech since 2009.  He is currently serving as a K9 Apprentice specializing in the areas of scent discrimination, trailing, general K9 Scent Detection, and agility/ confidence course work.  Joseph has a strong interest in Search& Rescue as well as police K9 work.

Jennifer Fair – K9 Trainer, Obedience, Assistance, SAR

Jennifer Fair began handling in 2009 with Assistance Dog K9 Caleb. Jennifer was schooled in intermediate, advanced obedience and search and rescue training while going through the assistance dog program here at GAK9 NTC. She then accepted an apprenticeship with the company and began her career as a K9 trainer. She is an active participant in search and rescue seminars, on site obedience k9 training, and canine problem solving. She sits on the board of directors of Caleb’s Kids assistance dog foundation for children. Her passion and belief is that the relationship between dog and child has no boundaries, and that given the opportunity the two together can make the impossible possible.

Katie Tipton – K9 Training Apprentice

Katie Tipton is a long time K9 aficionado and has worked closely with the German Shepherd Dog Rescue of Georgia. She is currently apprenticing in Georgia K9 NTC’s K9 Trainer Program. She assists current Georgia K9 trainers with their client dogs as well as manages day to day kennel activity.

Georgia K9 Professional Trainers >>