Jerry Johnson and Brian Yates Johnson met while providing a K-9 unit to the Baghdad International Airport.
The company they were working for started experiencing financial and other problems, but they knew that there was a high demand for K-9 units worldwide. So together, they made the decision to buy out the K-9 division from the company and start Canine Associates International.
Just two years later, a typical month for the men could entail as many as 80 hours of flying time with stops in Jordan, Egypt, Iraq and Israel, and meetings with top military and police officials at home.
Canine Associates quickly established a reputation for quality and results. The men also realized that to continue to provide the best K-9 services, they were going to need a training facility. Prior to CAI, a company that consistently trained a large number of dogs and their handlers did not exist. CAI created a state-of-the-art facility and hired the best trainer available.
The facility opened up a new revenue stream for the company. Not only were they able to provide the K-9 team service, they were also able to begin selling the dogs they had trained and offered training classes for those purchasing the dogs. The company is opening a second facility in Las Vegas to cover the western United States.
The Johnsons were also able to hire one of the best minds in the dog breeding business as an employee, and as a result of his scientific methods of preparing dogs for the stress of a K-9 unit, CAI can now breed and prepare a pup for a fraction of the industry norm.
How to reach: Canine Associates International, (815) 495-2900 or www.k9intl.com
