Not all stories or wounds are visible. Not every smiling face means they are OK. Blake Rashad struggled with anxiety and depression around the age of 7 and his shy personality kept him from meeting new people. He found a connection with dogs and convincing the neighborhood dog school to hire him, Rashad began his…

The signature program of Top Dogg K9 Foundation is Veterans Deserve Outstanding Generosity and Service (VDOGS), an integrated canine-companion service program that pairs veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other conditions correlated with a suicide attempt, suicidal ideation, and suicide. The program pairs veterans with canine service animals trained to serve in therapeutic…

An Atlanta Falcons player is tackling mental illness among veterans by offering a helping hand, or rather, a paw. Falcons tight end Hayden Hurst donated $20,000 and sponsored a service dog to help military veterans in Atlanta struggling with their mental health. The Hayden Hurst Family Foundation surprised Top Dogg K9 Foundation with the grant to help with…

“We’re just trying to get these heroes back to where they were,” says Blake Rashad, founder of Top Dogg K9 Foundation. Blake began Top Dogg K9 Foundation to support disabled veterans by training and pairing them with a K9. Once paired, the service dogs help veterans live day-to-day life with less anxiety, helping to reduce…

Hello Friends! As I write this, my heart is overflowing with love, compassion, and tremendous optimism for the future of our local veterans and the Top Dogg K9 Foundation! Blake and I have just returned from the Edgefield U.S. Federal Correctional Institution in South Carolina where we kicked off a new program that will prepare…

We are truly grateful for the opportunity to spread our message with the help of the NFL and Atlanta Falcons guard Ben Garland.  Ben Garland served in the Air Force, and continues to serve our country as a Captain in the National Guard. He along with the NFL and Home Depot decided to team up…