Both Working Dog & Classroom Training

Eric Is the founder and owner of VanEss K9 Academy.  He worked as a K9 handler and trainer from 2005-2018, recently retired as the head trainer from Canton Police Department K9 Unit, along with the Police K9 Association. Eric spent time as a trainer for Naval Special Warfare Group 1 (SEALs) training, America’s elite Multi-Purpose Working Dogs. He is also the co-host of Working Dog Radio podcast, where he interviews trainers and handlers from all over the world. 

Howard has developed many successful K9 teams over the years and has been rewarded by their successes in the service of the community. In 2018, he and his wife created a private business under the name White Beard K9, Inc. He enjoys sharing his knowledge and experiences, hoping to impassion and broaden the skills of others to be successful in the world of working dogs.

Jeff Meyer retired in 2023 after serving more than 33 years with the Denver Police Department. Jeff has handled, certified and deployed dogs that have been used to find suspects, narcotics, explosives, guns, currency, and evidence.

Jeff spent over 17 years in the Patrol dog section working several patrol dogs before being tasked with starting a new detection K-9 unit for his department. When he retired he was involved in training dog teams in all divisions for his agency. In total Jeff was a handler for 27 years and a trainer for his agency 23 of those years. 

Mike is the lead instructor for Sheepdog Guardian Consulting and maintains the most comprehensive canine legal website, “Canine Legal Updates and Opinions” and contributed to multiple magazines, and podcasts. He has taught and written about police service and working dog operations, industry standards and legal updates for over 10-years and studied under Terry Fleck, Ed.D.. Mike is a committee member with the Illinois Tactical Officer’s Association K9 Committee (Subgroup: Patrol K9) and former member with the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board Working Group Canine Compliance.

Mike is a certified instructor in the following disciplines:

Use of Force, Below 100, Non-Lethal Training Ammunition, Handcuffing

MEGITTS XVT, PPCT/Defensive Tactics, Firearms, Rifle/Carbine, OC Chemical Spray, Less Lethal Impact Munitions, Chemical Munitions Distraction Devices, Instructor Development, CEW

Mike has also consulted on cases in federal and state court and has worked with the Illinois Law Enforcement Training & Standards Board for a Subject Matter Expert content developer for a new Narcotic-contraband legal course initiative through the Executive Institute at Western Illinois University (requirement for all Illinois Narcotic-contraband Detection handlers, both new and renewal qualifications).

Mike brings a unique perspective to the police service and working dog legal update arena because he is not an attorney, but an active dog handler with a background as a former union chapter president and current designated officer-in-charge. He has dedicated his career to studying and researching use of force and K9 Legality.

Ron Cloward retired Lieutenant with the Modesto Police Department. Ron has over 35 years in the business and almost 21,000 hours of K-9 training experience. Ron handled three different police dogs during his 26 year career.  Ron and his final partner, Pele, were named the Top Dog and Top Competitor in 1997.  Ron served as the trainer for the Modesto PD’s 14 team dog unit, after he was promoted to sergeant in 2000.  In 2005, Ron was promoted to lieutenant and became the K-9 unit commander.  He continued to serve as the trainer of the unit until he retired in 2011.

Michael Nezbeth is the Training Director and founder of Grassroots K9, an international training company that specializes in LEO canines. Michael is also the co-founder to Triple Threat Canine a company that offers seminars and workshops to LEO and civilians aimed at giving actionable training plans based on theory to practical applications. 

Michael is a well-versed trainer in numerous disciplines within the working dog world. He has a structured approach that is effectively transferred to both handlers and canines in the areas of Narcotic Detection, Explosive Detection, Obedience, Evidence Search, Problem Solving, Tracking and Apprehension work. Michael applies his education in learning theories to all facets of dog training but specifically has a passion for grip development. 

Steve “Zane” Stoops has spent the past 19 years as the Senior Combat Assault Dog Trainer(CAD) for the Joint Special Operations Command-JSOC, assigned to the 1st SFOD-D, located at Ft. Liberty, NC. He and a very small and exclusive group of Special Operators founded and developed the most successful working dog program on the planet. Steve also played a crucial role in the development of the Army Ranger CAD program and conducted the initial training course for them. He also selected and trained the CADs and Handlers for the elite British Special Forces, and travelled to England to instruct at the inaugural k9 course for both British Army and Naval Special Operators and their dogs. Also he selected and trained the dogs for the Danish Jaeger Corps, and travelled to Scandinavia to conduct training events. He stood up a Dog program in a combat zone by importing dogs into the zone for the Kurdish Counter Terror Group, (CTG). Steve assisted the German KSK with their program and was co-located with them on a combat deployments. He also assisted the Norwegian SOF Dog program in Afghanistan. Steve actively handled dogs in numerous combat situations to include fire fights, suicide bombers as well as iEDs. The veteran of 14 combat deployments, Steve was also requested by and assisted Naval Special Warfare units in Iraq.  Many of the training techniques used in the SOF programs to this day were developed by him and the Operators. He selected and trained dogs  and stood up a CAD program for the FBI Hostage Rescue Team, and conducted a multi week training course.

Prior to working for Special Operations, Steve went to Afghanistan in 2002 to stand up and supervise a protection dog program for Afghan President Hammed Karzai. In 2003 Steve travelled to Tirana, Albania where he stood up a detection dog program for the Albanian National Police.

Steve spent 20 years as a Police Officer in Anderson , Indiana, with 15 years as a K9 Officer. He was awarded four Combat Crosses for valor,  he experienced Officer involved shootings, edged weapon attacks, numerous narcotics seizures., he is a veteran of hundreds of k9 deployments, and numerous violent encounters with suspects. He was awarded an Outstanding Citizenship Award by President Clinton for his work in K9 and developing a nationwide anti drug program for elementary students, “The Puppy Patrol”. Steve was a SWAT Team member and SWAT Dog handler for several years.

Steve has taught dozens of Police K9 seminars throughout the country, and is a Qualified Expert Witness in The United States Federal Court System of the subject of Police k9.

Rob retired from the United Stated Border Patrol in 2019. During his career Rob held the positions of: Assistant Chief National Program Manager for the USBP K9 Program(900 K9 teams), and the USBP Checkpoint Management Office as well as Assistant Chief, Sector Program Manager responsible for the Management Inquiry Team, Work Labor Union, Unaccompanied Children, Prosecutions, Asset Forfeiture/Seizures, and the Remain in Mexico Program.

During his K9 career Rob was a handler, instructor, and the Training Operations Supervisor overseeing the training and certification of over 300 K9 teams per year at the canine training center in El Paso. 

Currently Rob is on the Executive board for the National Narcotics Detection Dog Association (NNDDA).

Rob is a certifying official for the NNDDA as well as the International Police Canine   Association (Formerly the CNCA)                                                                          

Billy has been a police officer for over 20 years in the State of Texas. He has worked Patrol, FTO, SWAT and K-9. He is currently the K-9 Sergeant / Trainer at the Allen Police Department where he has been since 1997. 
He has been working canines since 1999 to include 4 partners of his own.

Billy is a Certifying Official / Instructor in “Patrol” and “Narcotic Detection” with NNDDA (National Narcotic Detector Dog Association) and has instructed in numerous National Conferences. He has also served as a Trial Judge for many competitions to include the K-9 Trials at the Texas Police Games for several years.

Billy has had the opportunity to work with multiple departments in establishing new K-9 programs and/or evaluating their current ones.