K9 Radio by Project Paws Alive

Retired Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer Chris Connell of the Saving Private K-9 TV series on The Sportsman Channel. Chris is a combat veteran with 20 years of military service. He has served with multiple SEAL teams, Naval Special Warfare Unit, and the Naval Special Warfare Advanced Training Command. Deployed to the Middle East three times and South East Asia once, Chris was cited for heroic achievement (Valor) during combat operations Sadr City Iraq in 2005. He volunteered and augmented West Coast SEAL Multi-purpose K9 Unit and is the owner of C2K9 (formally PlatinumK9) which provides clients with unique and innovative force-free training plans through an unprecedented approach that combines in-depth understanding of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) principals with unconventional problem solving. Chris also services as a consultant and Subject Matter Expert on Special Operations and Canine Behavior for Call of Duty: Ghosts – the video game in addition to many Hollywood studio movies. Chris has recently been the consultant, advisor, and lead working dog handler for the made for television original series on the Sportsman Channel – Saving Private K9 where he hand selected a team of 7 extraordinary trainers and personally temperament tested 15 working dogs and led them during all stages of preparation, rehearsal, and execution during 70 hours of filming 10 episodes and promotional commercial footage. Additionally, appeared on Fox News on the Fox and Friends television show as well as The Blaze television network promoting Saving Private K9, as well as other promotional engagements such as appearing at a FDNY station.

Vohne Liche Kennels was founded in 1993 by United States Air Force Senior Master Sergeant Kenneth Licklider. Ken has over 37 years in the working dog field. The training staff at VLK consists of eighteen (18) on site trainers and six (6) off site trainers. All of the training staff is either former military, law enforcement or both. Ken oversees several VLK training facilities and continues to train, select, and provide industry expertise to the working dog community globally. Also known as the star of National Geographic's hit TV show Alpha Dogs, Ken continues to be very active in many law enforcment K9 conferences to assist and promote the K9 career field. From top-secret government assignments to training royal military units in several foreign countries, Ken brings with him a true passion and love of the K9 industry and the vital role they play in saving lives every day.

Author, Adam David Russ and Officer Michael Serio of the Salt Lake City Police K9 Unit in Utah join us to talk about Russ’ book ,"Bloodhound in Blue: The True Tales of Police Dog JJ and His Two-Legged Partner" which highlights the life of 10-year-old K-9 JJ, who worked for the Salt Lake City Police Department with Officer Serio. The book takes you on an amazing journey as you learn how with JJ's ability to sniff out suspects and Serio's apprehension skills, the duo caught murderers, rapists, and drug dealers, often tracking them over fences and through crowded city blocks and dense forests. They also captured one of Utah's Most Wanted. Together the team changed the way police units operate today and both JJ and Officer Serio were awarded the Salt Lake City Officer of the Year Award, an award that Officer Serio has won twice; the only officer in state history to achieve this.

K920 is an “on demand” 3-point shooting challenge launched by OPERATION HAWKEYE to elevate awareness regarding the service and sacrifice of fallen Special Operations forces (SOF) military working dogs and their handlers in honor of U.S. Navy Petty Officer First Class John Douangdara and a brave military dog, a Belgian Malinois named Bart, both of whom were killed on August 6, 2011 when the Taliban shot down their CH-47 Chinook helicopter, call sign EXTORTION 17, in Afghanistan. In addition to Douangdara and Bart, 29 other American warriors died that day, along with seven Afghan commandos and a civilian interpreter, in what remains the largest single-day loss of life in Operation Enduring Freedom, and in the history of U.S. Naval Special Warfare. Douangdara, of South Sioux City, Nebraska, enlisted in February 2003. His initial service school training occurred at Norfolk, Virginia, before he joined the security detachment at Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy, in June 2003. He later moved to Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut in August 2006 before joining his East Coast-based SEAL team in January 2008. Douangdara’s decorations include the Bronze Star with ‘V’ device; Joint Service Commendation Medal with ‘V’ device; Army Commendation Medal; Presidential Unit Citation; Good Conduct Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal; Iraq Campaign Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Sea Service Deployment Ribbon; three Overseas Service Ribbons; Rifle Marksmanship Medal and the Pistol Marksmanship Medal.

Project Paws Alive is a nationwide non-profit raising money to provide protective K9 equipment to Law Enforcement, Fire, Search & Rescue, and Military K-9s. We also provide specialized Pet Oxygen Recovery Mask kits to Fire, Rescue, and EMS in the US. Our mission is to provide combo stab/bullet-protective K9 vests, K9 first aid field trauma kits, K9 cooling vests, K9 heat alarms, and other vital K9 equipment to Law Enforcement, Fire, Search and Rescue, and Military K-9s throughout the US.Project Paws Alive is an all volunteer 501c3 non-profit and does not get paid. Funds are raised by donations, sponsorships, and fundraisers. All monies go directly to purchasing equipment.We exist because 92% of all K-9 units and agencies nationwide do not have the ability or funds needed to purchase this vital K9 equipment to protect their K9s. Many K9 units are run solely on donations.K9 units are typically classified as "non-essential specialty units" nationwide; which means they receive little to no funding and cannot afford the high-dollar protective equipment that can save the lives of the K9s and, in most cases, can also save the officer's life.Please join us in helping to "Protect The K9s Who Protect Us" nationwide. Consider making a tax-deductible donation or becoming a volunteer at http://ProjectPawsAlive.org/