We always meet a ton of incredible people in the K9 industry when we attend the annual HITS K9 Conference. And whenever possible, we jump at the opportunity to interview these handlers and trainers as part of our K9 Spotlight series. In this … read more

Tommy Fabian & Kai Dog Enthusiast // Adventure Dog "The image shows a happy Kai trying on his new Ray Allen  Icon Air Harness. I rescued Kai almost two years ago. In that time, he has become my VELCRO® Heeler … read more

If there’s one thing to know about the Ray Allen Manufacturing team, it’s that we hand-make the  highest-quality dog gear on the market. And if there’s another thing to know about us, it’s that we also love sitting down and interviewing oth … read more

Tamie Bradybaugh & K9 Bailey K9 Handler // SAR K9 "K9 Bailey and I are part of a search and rescue team located in Pennsylvania, called  K9 Response Search Team West Division. I've been working with and training Bailey for 4yr … read more

Nothing is more important than the health and wellbeing of your K9 companion, and your working dog’s health starts with a balanced and nutritional diet. Nobody knows this better than Cory Nordin, one of the K9 nutrition experts at Eukanuba and Roy … read more

Ryan Gilbert & MerlinSpecialty PE Coach & Dog Trainer // Competition Dog @k_pro_k9 "I fell in love with dog training after getting my first dog from the shelter. I went into training to make sure I was doing everything rig … read more

When we’re not hand-making our hardcore dog gear, we love sitting down with experienced K9 handlers and other industry pros to learn more about their backgrounds and what they do every day. Not only do these K9 Spotlight videos and blogs hel … read more

Colleen Harmon and Skoll Nurse // Assistance Dog "I have been working with and training Skoll to provide physical assistance. I have Menierre's attacks and I fall - he's big enough to help me up off the floor and keep me safe … read more

Emilia and Thor Child with H.I. // Alert Service Dog @project.emilia "Hi, my name is Emilia, and I am 2 years old. I was born with a rare disease known as Hyperinsulinism (H.I.). My Dad was active Military at my birth in the USMC and we w … read more

We always love attending the HITS K9 Seminar because we get a chance to see demonstrations of innovative K9 gear. One of the advanced pieces of equipment we got to check out at the 2022 Seminar is the K9 Vision System. K9 Vision System pioneered t … read more

We love getting the opportunity to sit down with professional dog trainers to get their take on industry insights, learn more about their careers in the field, and find out what they love about Ray Allen dog gear! In this edition of the K … read more

Beth Roberts and K9 Dane K9 Handler // Dual Purpose K9 @jcpd_k9_dane "I was partnered with K9 Dane in 2016 after my first dog had to medically retire early. I vividly remember the day my Sergeant at the time went to the K9 school to lo … read more

Lawrence Ervin and K9 Aurnia Flight Paramedic & Handler // SAR K9 "Aurnia and I met when she was a young, 3 month old pup. I had never had a Malinois companion and to be honest I didn’t know what the breed was all about. I researched … read more

K9s United is a non-profit organization that supports law enforcement K9 units by providing dog equipment and hosting K9 training sessions across the country. On top of their no-cost K9 training sessions, K9s United provides law enforcement depart … read more

Jordan Potts and Pablo CCSF K9 Handler // Private Sector K9@PottsJD "K-9 Pablo is a high energy Belgian Malinois + German Shepherd mix, imported from Slovakia. He’s a private sector K-9 that clocks countless hours, screening Air Cargo fo … read more

Many K9 handlers use E-Collars during K9 training, hunting, obedience training, or real-world fieldwork. For ultimate convenience and a hands on approach to training, you'll also need a transmitter holster. We sat down with Chris Burns, t … read more

When it comes to working dogs, nutrition and wellness are top priorities. No matter the age or health of the dog, they may need an extra boost to perform at their best. Adding a nutrient-rich dietary supplement into their daily meals can be t … read more

McKenzie Diaz and Diesel K9 Handler // Hospital Security K9 "K9 Diesel and I have been paired together as a team since November 2021. He is a 2 year old German Shepherd and was born in Kentucky. We are part of new K9 program for our loca … read more

We were fortunate enough to sit down and interview Mark Hines, the Lead Behavior Training Specialist of KONG™, the makers of premier dog training toys. Mark talked to us about the history of KONG™ dog toys, his experience … read more

We sat down with Jacque Bonéy, K9 trainer and owner of Allegiance Canine, to learn more about his favorite Ray Allen dog gear, his experience as a dog trainer, his company, and some advice to new handlers and K9 trainers in the industry. Watc … read more

Kristen Berry and Pilot Dog Trainer & Handler // Medical Service Dog https://pbdogtraining.com/ "As Pilot's trainer and handler, I set to work immediately laying his foundation for obedience. Since I already have a high level of stamina a … read more

Kristen Berry and Benji Dog Trainer // Working Dog https://pbdogtraining.com/ "It happens for many mothers. We lose our way on the path of life when our children grow up and leave the house. I'd lost my way alright, and it felt like a hap … read more

If you’re a professional K9 handler, you’ve likely heard of the annual HITS K9 Seminar. Heck, you may have even attended it a few times. Our team at Ray Allen was lucky enough to sit down with one of the founders of HITS, Andy Weiman, to … read more

Chris Page and Rochus K9 Handler // Police K9 "Rochus is from Slovakia, originally, but acquired to join our K9 unit. We completed our training together in Georgia, back in 2018. We have been working together for the past four and half year … read more

Countless charities aim to give shelter dogs a new home, and hundreds more work to improve the lives of military veterans. We recently sat down with Travis Hall, founder and head trainer of Second Chance K9, to learn more about how his team hel … read more

Ayla Mollen & Varlo Veterinary Student / Working Dog"My interest in working dogs started last November when I first volunteered with Operational K9 Medical Team of Wisconsin. Since then, I have become a volunteer instructor with them and … read more

Amina Westberg and LaylaTrainer / Universally Trained Demo Dog@westberg_working_dogs "I have owned 14 dogs in my lifetime and have worked with various working dog breeds, pet/companion dogs, show, sport etc. but not one has come close to my u … read more

Michael Bucher & K9 AndorK9 Handler / Police K9"Something I’ve always wanted to do was be a handler. I was interested in the job after seeing the teams work overseas and then helping with training for our departments K9 unit.In January of 2 … read more

Kyle Briley and K9 Rio Police K9 Team @georgiapolicek9foundation "K9 Rio and I have been partners for 8.5 years. In that time K9 Rio was deployed over 3,000 times. Rio assisted in 832 arrests throughout his career. K9 Rio was embedded … read more

Jef Verswyvel & Yvar Retired Belgian Army - Dog Enthusiast // Belgian K9 "I’ve always had a big admiration toward dogs. I can’t remember a day in my life when I wasn’t surrounded by a couple of furry friends. They helped me so many t … read more

Constance Baker & Kracken Deputy Sheriff, K9 Trainer // Working Dog KnightwatchK9 Story was submitted by Steve Estrada, on behalf of Constance Baker. "Constance Baker is my partner in our German Shepherd Breeding Program. … read more

Brennen Casey & SashaHandler // Service Dog@sashi_bomb "Sasha was re-homed to me after I had been looking for a Dutch Shepherd. It had been a while since losing my German Shepherd. She (Sasha) is a Service Dog for me. And, let … read more

Cheryl McRae & Jai Trainer // Personal Protection Dog "My boy Jai (P Jacob Von Wiese) and I have been a team for only the past 6 weeks. At 60 years old, I had decided to lighten the load and not take on a new working dog. But, I wasn … read more

Matthew "Bo" Boheler & Maggie K9 Handler & Trainer // Detection Dog (in training) @matthewboheler "Maggie (a 2yr old Shepinois) came into my life on December 20, 2021. I rescued her from a kill shelter where she was waiting to … read more

Kimber Harris & Rumi Handler // Service Dog "I was diagnosed with Stage IIIA breast cancer in December of 2019. After years of chemotherapy and radiation treatments, along with countless surgeries, I was recently declared NED. I’ve b … read more