About Us
Top Flight K9, established in 2006, is a complete k9 training facility. Top Flight serves law enforcement, dog sport enthusiasts, and the general public in all areas of both working k9 and companion animal issues. After several years working for renowned trainer Mike Bullock in Greenville, NC, Top Flight K9 opened for business in Western NC. Located just 25 miles outside of Charlotte, NC, Top Flight K9 is a high quality, low volume police k9 facility. We don't turn out hundreds of dogs a year, nor do we keep more than six to eight police dog candidates in kennel at any given time. Quality control-we select and train only the dogs we would be willing to take on the street ourselves. Remaining a small kennel enables us to give every facet of our training the time and dedication it takes to produce the finest working k9s in the southeastern United States. We don't limit our services to k9 units that we trained, any department is more than welcome to visit our facility and train with us-free of charge. No one understands more the importance of maintenance training or problem solving than we do, and often times the problem you are facing is one you can't see as the handler. Top Flight K9 is open seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day. Please feel free to contact us with any questions you might have at (704) 421-5925.
Eric Collins, Owner/Trainer-Eric grew up with German shepherd dogs but it wasn't until college that he started to pursue dog training as a career. While at East Carolina University, Eric also began his formal dog training education at Top Dog Academy in Greenville, NC. Studying traditional dog training methods, first made popular by William Koehler, Eric and Charlie, a black German shepherd dog, Eric quickly became interested in studying all facets of dog training. Eric soon began working a Bullock's Police K9, also in Greenville, NC. From kennel technician to trainer/handler/decoy, Eric was soon traveling all over the world training and selecting police dog candidates. In late 2005, family considerations pre-empted a move to the Charlotte area, and Top Flight K9 was born. Eric is a member of the American Working Dog Association (AWDA), the KNPV, Schutzhund USA, and is the national Director of Decoys for the AWDA. He is also a Schutzhund USA helper and was formally a French Ring decoy. He competes in various dog sports with his Belgian Malinois, Flash.
Pat Paxton, Owner/Trainer-Everyone should know someone like Pat. In his time, Pat has worked in veterinarian's office, trained dogs for every form of dog sport, and judged several different forms of k9 trials. Pat has done it all: champion beagle field trial competitor, field trial judge, retriever training and competition, duck hunting, squirrel hunting (with his Jack Russell-Chico), schutzhund, and police work. Pat lives in Ayden, NC and currently competes in schutzhund with his Belgian Malinois-he has five! Pat also travels all over the country training, testing, and purchasing police k9 candidates. |
