Click each team member’s pic to learn a little more about them!
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Janet has been a certified Master Trainer from Tarheel Canine Training, Inc since 2001. Taking notice of her potential, Janet was offered a trainer’s position at the academy, located in Sanford, NC. Tarheel Canine is a world-renowned training facility and one of the largest in this country.
Janet ran the pet obedience program at Tarheel Canine, specializing in severe behavior modification (aggression, shyness), and took that program to the highest level in its history. She had the opportunity to work with some extreme cases of shyness and aggression for “last chance” dogs, providing them (and their owners) a life they never thought could happen. Along with training the pets and their owners, she instructed student trainers looking to start their own dog training careers. Her students have not only come from the United States but from all over the the world such as South Africa, Portugal, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia and more. Many of her students now have successful training businesses of their own. Janet then began training SAR and police K9s for detection (narcotics, explosives), patrol and man trailing along with instructing their handlers. She has trained 100+ active dog teams working the streets for local, state and federal agencies throughout the United States. She spent 3 years managing the North Carolina training facility, directing all trainers and programs. She relocated to Hanover and started Stateline Canine in 2011. She has a GSD, Jaro, certified in cadaver recovery that she uses on a volunteer basis for law enforcement. And a Belgian Malinois, Zuko, which she competes with in the protection sport of PSA. Zuko has earned his PSA1, PSA2 and PSA3 titles; only 8 other teams have accomplished this in the history of the sport. Janet is only the 2nd female handler to earn this title. Not only has Zuko earned these titles but he is the ONLY dog to have been a National Champion at every level in the sport; 2007 PSA1, 2009 PSA2 and 2012 PSA 3 National Champion. Janet and Zuko are also certified in narcotics detection and work with Dogs Finding Drugs providing private detection services. They have been featured on several local and national news/tv shows with Dogs Finding Drugs including Good Morning America, Fox News Channel and CBS’ The Talk.
Shawn has been handling K9s since 1994, spending time as a MWD handler in the Air Force and then working for Baltimore City PD for over 20 years. While on the BPD; he was a K9 Handler as an Officer and Detective Sergeant. He was the K9 Unit’s Head Trainer and Unit Commander. He has been involved in PSA since 2002 as a decoy and handler. As a decoy has experience building dogs all the way up to a PSA 3, has been a National Select Decoy numerous times and has been a judge since 2014. He too is in the PSA Hall of Fame. Shawn has also developed a very successful course for developing effective training decoys.
Mykala’s journey in dog training began in 2014 when she started raising puppies that would go on to become Seeing Eye dogs. It was during that experience that she discovered her natural connection with teaching dogs and her desire to dive deeper into training as a career. In 2018 she attended Tarheel Canine in North Carolina where she was certified in obedience, behavior modification, detection, tracking and patrol work. Upon her certification she began her career at Stateline Canine where she has worked hand in hand with hundreds of dogs and their families to give them the best relationship possible for life.
Chris Hunt, has been training dogs for 7 years, the last 2 of which has been at Stateline. He joined Stateline in 2019 to apprentice under Janet and Shawn Edwards. His passion is behavior modification and developing solid communication between dog and owner. Chris is also an expert in working dog training including detection, tracking/trailing protection and much more.
My name is Cora Lankford and my journey with dog training and Stateline Canine started in 2018. I was a senior in High school and was torn between going to school for veterinary technician or dog training. I reached out to Janet to ask if I could volunteer and get an idea of
what dog training looks like first hand. After about a year of volunteering, watching and learning, I began getting lectures from Janet to become a trainer myself. Over the next few years I began falling more and more in love with dog training. I got a position as a trainer and I’m now one of the lead trainers. I’ve been here for almost 5 years and I love what I do! I love the pet world but I also am drawn to the protection/ working side of dogs and enjoy working with K9’s and sport dogs and hope to compete in some sport with my Australian Koolie Kida.
Hi! I am Victoria Graham, and I went to Tarheel Canine Inc. in 2021. I did the master trainer course,
graduated in 2022. I started working at Stateline Canine in May 2022. I have 2 dogs that are
working in the sport PSA. I have 3 years of experience with working with dogs.
I love helping dogs and their owners build clear and comfortable communication! I have always been an advocate for rescuing dogs, so working in behavior modification is very rewarding.
Hi there! I am April, a local resident of the area and have lived in the area most of my life. I’ve spent the last 8 years raising Seeing Eye dogs and have been around dogs my whole life. Raising Seeing Eye dogs have given me a different perceptive of the love and determination it takes to raise and own a pet. I enjoy working at Stateline Canine as the Office Manager. Along with answering calls and taking care of all the office duties, I always make time to cuddle and love up on all the pups that come in .
