Today we’d like to introduce you to Blake Rashad
Hi Blake, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Our mission at Top Dogg K9 (TDK9) Foundation is to meet the critical needs of disabled veteran families and local communities and to reduce the number of military families that are impacted by suicide due to mental illness each year. TDK9 Foundation stands on the principle that Veterans Deserve Outstanding Generosity and Service (VDOGS). It supports this principle by rescuing, training and pairing suitable K9s with disabled veterans for a happier and healthier life.
In 2011, I founded Top Dogg K9 (TDK9) Foundation along with my wife, Sheila, who, like me, is a US Army Veteran. I had been training dogs since the age of 12 and served in the U.S. Army as a K-9 Dog Trainer. After the Army, I became a police officer and trained the first drug dogs for the city of Atlanta Police Department.
The inspiration for launching TDK9 Foundation came as a result of my own struggles with depression. I always had a trained dog by my side and was able to hide my anxiety and depression for years from people around me. After my wife observed the noticeable difference when I was without a dog, she inspired me to start speaking about my challenges and to help others by training service dogs for them while acknowledging and sharing my struggles – a huge gift to others who were also struggling. In fact, while I had trained dogs in the past for obedience, the first “service” dog I trained was for myself.
The catalyst for launching TDK9 Foundation came after I met a retired combat veteran who had served in two wars during his 20-year career. I knew I could take my expertise in dog training and my military background to make a tremendous impact on the future health and wellbeing of this particular veteran. The warrior was given a Service Dog and was able to realize an immediate change in his quality of life.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Has it been a smooth road? That answer is no. Just navigating through the Veterans Administration (VA) system and getting support for the veterans who are so deserving of care is a challenge. It’s always a struggle locating a winning grant to support a service that has had documented proven success for the benefit of our military vets. We know that these service animals can reduce symptoms of PTSD, improve sleep, reduce anxiety and depression, increase social interactions, and improve overall quality of life by allowing our veterans to return to work or school and participate in activities they once enjoyed.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I would say one of my proudest moments was receiving the 2024 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award. This was a huge accomplishment for me and our team here at TDK9 Foundation. I’m also very proud of the work we’ve done in the community and for saving so many disabled veterans’ lives through our program. To date, our foundation has paired over 400 dogs and serviced over 2500 military veteran families in need. What sets us apart from others is that we are the only non-profit in Georgia that trains and provides service dogs for disabled veterans free of charge. When you join the Top Dog K9 Foundation, you are a part of the family.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I see a huge shift in the future of TDK9 Foundation as we work toward our vision and goal of developing a Veteran Reintegration Ranch (VRR). Our success as a disabled veteran service dog provider has created a demand that our current facility can no longer accommodate to support the nearly 300,000 military veterans living in the Metro Atlanta area. The VRR will be a new home to expand our training of service dogs for disabled veterans and provide much needed wrap-around services to meet the growing demand from veterans in need of a service dog. We know the need is great for those veterans who are challenged with getting full benefits for medical care, housing and social services, while also struggling with mental and physical disabilities. The VRR will become a place of refuge for veterans and serve as a bridge to reintegration, rehabilitation, and resiliency.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://topdoggk9.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/topdoggk9/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/topdoggk9foundation
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@topdoggk9foundation126
