Dogs have always been a huge part of my life, I knew at a very young age that my adult life and career would be centered around dogs and other animals. Before attending Tarheel Canine I was studying PreVet in college, it was during courses in animal behavior that I became very intrigued in the non-medical aspect of the canine world. I began to look up dog training schools around the country and focused in on Tarheel Canine Training Inc.,/North State K9 Academy and one other school. I researched and decided from my research to take a drive to Tarheel and speak with Jerry. I was more than impressed with all the information Jerry and other trainers were able to give and all my questions were answered. I decided that I would take a break from my PreVet education and go forward with animal behavior and training at Tarheel Canine. I attended TK9 in February 2007 and I can honestly say it was one of the most fun and memorable times in my life. I got to learn under Jerry himself and his team of amazing trainers/instructors who were not only extremely talented but who were also wonderful people with such a passion for not only training but in teaching others. There was an even closer connection between instructors and students as the instructors for former students of Tarheel. Aside from the great instructors I also made great friendships with everyone who was a student at the same time as me and who have all also graduated and gone on to do wonderful things in the dog training world. Upon graduating I traveled from East Coast to West Coast apprenticing under 3 different trainers to further my education in animal behavior and I was also the head obedience, agility, service dog and protection canine trainer at a large training facility in Charlotte NC and later started up my own private Obedience Training and Custom Behavior Modification specializing in extreme behavior cases. I also went back to school to be a Licensed Veterinary Technician and have been the training consultant at 3 different animal hospitals I have worked for. So now I have the best of both worlds -the knowledge of medicine and the knowledge and behavior and training in the canine species. Of the people I have learned from and worked for, I have been most impressed with Tarheel Canine and Jerry Bradshaw. The training instilled in me while a student there will always be the core of my ways of training. I am so proud to say that I am a graduate of Tarheel Canine and would recommend it to anyone seeking interest in canine training.

Emily Faircloth

Graduate of TK9/NSK9 2007