Top Dogg K9 Foundation was founded by Blake and Sheila Rashad in 2011 who are both US Army Veterans. Blake “Top Dogg” Rashad is a veteran, having served in the U.S. Army as a K-9 Dog Trainer. He has been training dogs since the age of 12. The inspiration for launching Top Dogg K9 Foundation came as a result of Blake, himself, who has dealt with depression since his childhood. He always had a trained dog by his side and was able to hide his anxiety and depression for years from those around him. After his wife observed the noticeable difference when he was without his dog, she inspired him to start speaking about his challenges and to help others by training service dogs for them.

The plethora of emotional scars to his psyche still exists today. Blake knew he could take his expertise in dog training and his military background to make a tremendous impact on the future health and wellbeing of veterans through this nonprofit organization.

Inspiration for Launching Top Dogg K9 Foundation

As a child, Blake had a beloved dog ever by his side. Sheila observed the noticeable difference in him when he was without his dog. He acknowledged he coped with depression and anxiety and together they saw the difference in his mood and emotions when that loyal dog was not with him. Sheila inspired him to start speaking publicly about his challenges and to help others by training Service Dogs for them, acknowledging and sharing his struggles as a huge gift to others who were also struggling.

The catalyst for launching Top Dogg K9 Foundation came after Blake met a retired combat veteran who had served in two wars during his 20-year career. Blake knew he could take his expertise in dog training and his military background to make a tremendous impact on the future health and wellbeing of this particular veteran. The warrior was gifted a Service Dog and was able to realize an immediate change in his quality of life.

Blake “Top Dogg” Rashad

Blake “Top Dogg” Rashad, one of the nation’s leading dog experts, speakers, and philanthropists developed a passion for dog training at a very early age.  At 12 years old, he started walking, playing with, and training neighborhood dogs. When a professional dog trainer offered Top Dogg (aka “Dog Boy” at the time) an opportunity to train dogs at his local facility, Top Dogg was pleasantly surprised to discover that he had a natural instinctive understanding of how dogs think.  Thus began his dog-training career.

Top Dogg then enlisted into the United States Army where he was again offered an opportunity to train K-9s for military purposes and was able to train all over the world.  His training was extensive and classified. Once out of the army, he became a police officer and began training dogs for the City of Atlanta police department. He successfully trained the City of Atlanta’s first three drug dogs, who made notable drug busts.

After his tenure with the police department, Top Dogg began a national career that nurtured his two prominent passions: Disabled Veterans and Children with Disabilities; in 2011, he founded the Top Dogg K-9 Foundation a non-profit that trains Dogs.

His broad range of experience and knowledge includes dog training: obedience, agility, tracking, protection, patrol, bomb detection, drug detection, repelling, airdrops, seeing impaired, Down Syndrome, autism, PTSD, TBI, companionship, and much more. He loves all breeds of dogs from small to large, but his favorite breed of dog is the Giant Schnauzer, which he affectionately calls the “Elegant Protector.”

Spokes Dog

e welcome you to meet Ziggy. Ziggy is the mascot gentle giant and the spokesdog for the organization. Although Ziggy is Blake’s certified PTSD service dog, he loves everyone, especially children. He is a 100 pound Giant Schnauzer with a wonderful goofy personality.

A Little More About Blake