About Black Anchor K9
Black Anchor K9 was born out of founder Eric's desire to extend his expertise beyond the military. Established in early 2024, our mission is to provide top-tier dog training services that go beyond obedience. At Black Anchor K9, we prioritize building your dog's confidence through the proven NePoPo training technique. Whether you're looking for basic obedience training or specialized programs, our goal is to transform your dog into a well-mannered and self-assured companion.
Our commitment to excellence, combined with Eric's extensive background in high-stakes training, ensures that your dog will receive the highest quality training available. Join us at Black Anchor K9, where we turn training into a journey of growth and confidence for both you and your dog.
A bout Owner: Eric West
Eric West, the founder and head trainer at Black Anchor K9, brings a wealth of experience and dedication to the world of dog training. With a remarkable 17-year career in the Navy, Eric specializes in basic obedience training as well as advanced skills specific to military needs, like detecting explosives, narcotics, and tracking individuals, honing his skills to perfection. Despite remaining active military, Eric's passion for dog training led him to establish Black Anchor K9 in early 2024.
As a father of three sons, Eric balances his military duties and family life with his commitment to helping pet owners achieve well-behaved and confident dogs.
Certifications:
The United States Air Force Working Dog Handler Course
NEPOPO Silver Program
AKC Canine Good Citizenship Program
About Trainer: Sean Dearden
With a 22-year career in the U.S. military police, Sean brings unmatched experience and professionalism to every training session. For 17 of those years, he specialized in handling and training Military Working Dogs (MWDs), including serving on four combat tours — one as a military police officer and three as a K9 handler.
During his deployments, he worked alongside Joint Special Operations in Afghanistan, served as a drug dog handler in Iraq, and was stationed in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. He is a graduate of multiple elite K9 training programs, including:
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Specialized Search Dog (SSD)
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Patrol Explosive Detector Dog Enhanced (PEDD-E)
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Kennel Master Supervisor’s Course at JBSA Lackland
His extensive assignments include:
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Drug detection in South Korea and Fort Rucker, Alabama
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Explosives detection at Fort Rucker and Schofield Barracks, Hawaii
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Specialized detection across multiple global deployments
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Leadership roles as Team Leader, Squad Leader, and Operations Planner while stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas
Most recently, he spent the last four years training the next generation of MWD teams at the Department of Defense Military Working Dog School at JBSA Lackland — the nation’s premier military K9 training facility.
Sean now brings his elite-level experience to civilian dog training, combining discipline, precision, and real-world expertise to help dogs and their owners succeed.
About Trainer: Mary Busch
Mary is a dedicated and skilled dog trainer specializing in Nepopo style K9 training and neuro-puppy training. With a background as an Army Intelligence Veteran and over 20 years of experience in education, she brings a wealth of knowledge to the training process, focusing on customizing her approach to meet each dog’s unique needs.
Mary’s training philosophy centers around fostering long-term skill mastery, building confidence in both pets and their owners, and addressing aggressive or reactive behaviors. She is passionate about helping dogs and their families build strong, lasting bonds through effective and compassionate training techniques that ensure a positive, well-behaved companion.
She's a happy dog mom of a Belgian Malinois she is training for Detection/PPD and a sweet Staffy Mix rescue dog!