Tarheel Canine
About usWelcome to Tarheel Canine, your one-stop solution for canine training services.
We pride ourselves on delivering the most efficient and up-to-date canine training methods to our clients. From Police K9 services to Pet Obedience we strive to ensure that our clients and their dogs maximize their potential.
Who We Are
At Tarheel Canine, we prioritize customer satisfaction and provide a wide range of services, from pet training to Police K9 services. Our commitment to staying up to date with the latest methods and efficient training systems ensures that you receive the most effective training available. Our trainers are dedicated to sharpening their skills through seminars, conferences, networking and competition, guaranteeing the best information and techniques for you and your dog. As a licensed and accredited company, we have a strong track record in the industry, serving various clients including federal, state and local law enforcement agencies as well as private security companies and defense contractors. We take pride in our extensive experience and global reach, having conducted training and education programs worldwide in places like the UK, Canada, Brazil, Belize, Taiwan, China, South Africa, Australia, Malaysia, and India.
Philosophy & Methods
We believe in personalized training that recognizes the unique temperament qualities of each dog and handler team. Our methods are based on motivation, aiming to build confidence and success through humane, consistent, and emotionally interactive training. We view dogs as active participants and students to be taught with methods appropriate to their unique talents. With our extensive knowledge of animal behavior and years of experience, we shape behavior and foster willing participation in the training process. We also recognize that training is a serious pursuit, behavioral problems such as aggression require real solutions, police dogs must exhibit proper control, and as such we must also hold our dogs accountable for their behavior to be ethical stewards of the animals we love.
Our Mission
Whether you are interested in having a well-behaved, obedient pet to enjoy, looking to compete in obedience, tracking, PSA or American Schutzhund, or are looking for a K-9 law enforcement partner, Tarheel Canine Training, Inc. promises to provide the best and most progressive training at a reasonable price, backed with the best possible service for our clients. Trust The Professionals has been our tag-line since the beginning, and as professionals we promise to be up to date on the latest training methods and processes.
Trust the professionals at Tarheel Canine for all your training needs.
Tarheel’s Story
Jerry Bradshaw, the founder and CEO of Tarheel Canine, grew up in Monticello in the Catskill Mountains of New York. He excelled in school and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Virginia Tech in 1985. Jerry then pursued a Master of Science in Applied Economics at Virginia Tech, which he received in 1989. Jerry’s Master’s Thesis yielded published articles in reputable academic Journals that are still cited today.
In the fall of 1989, Jerry entered the Ph.D. program in Economics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with the goal of becoming a university professor. He completed coursework in the fields of macroeconomics and econometrics, taught both graduate and undergraduate classes at UNC and other local colleges and universities including Elon University and Meredith College Schoof of Graduate Business, and received recognition for his teaching in the form of a Teaching Award voted on by the Undergraduate Student Econ majors at UNC.
During his time at UNC, Jerry experienced a life-changing event when he encountered an intruder in his home. This incident led him to consider getting a dog for security purposes. After adopting a German Shepherd Mix named Penny, and taking her to obedience classes, he discovered a passion for dog training. Jerry volunteered in obedience classes as an assistant instructor, joined a Schutzhund club, and eventually purchased a Belgian Malinois named Arrow, and then another one named Ben.
Through diligent training, Jerry and Arrow achieved success in the Schutzhund sport, participating in regional and national championships. Arrow was 5x SchH3 when he retired, and Ben retired with a SchH2 title. Jerry continued his competition career in PSA training two more exceptional dogs, Rocky and Ricardo, both to PSA 3 and winning the 2003 PSA 3 National Championship with Ricardo. In recent years Jerry has titled 2 more dogs in PSA, Drago PSA 2 and Raptor PSA 3 (3x National Champion 2017, 2019, 2020). Jerry is currently training K9 Fire PSA 1 for his advanced titles.
In 1994, Jerry founded Tarheel Canine with a modest investment from a summer teaching gig and eventually established it as a renowned training facility for Working Police Dogs, Sport K9 Training, and Canine Education. The business grew rapidly, and Tarheel Canine became a prominent player in the industry. Jerry and the Tarheel Canine staff have been featured speakers at police K9 conferences and have instructed workshops and seminars nationwide. Jerry has also been instrumental in the development of the protection dog sport PSA and the National Tactical Police Dog Association.
Jerry and Tarheel Canine have garnered media attention through interviews, articles, and appearances in various publications and television programs. They have trained dogs for movies, commercials, and videos, working alongside notable personalities. Tarheel Canine’s police dogs are employed across the United States in federal, state, and local jurisdictions. Jerry has taught seminars for the US Military, foreign militaries including Tier 1 units, and police K9 agencies worldwide for the past 30 years, and continues to compete with his dogs in PSA.
The story of Tarheel Canine continues with each new Police Dog Class graduated and every new student who becomes part of the worldwide Tarheel Canine family of excellence. Jerry lives in Sanford NC with his fiancee Taylor Jones, Tarheel Canine’s Head Police Dog Trainer, along with K9s Fire, Drago and Storm.
Meet The Team
Tarheel Canine’s trainers and staff conduct training for police K9 units worldwide, federal agencies, and defense contractors. We are dedicated to continuing to educate ourselves and the public through giving and attending seminars, competitions, and membership in professional associations.
Jerry Bradshaw
CEO / Training Director
jbradshaw@tarheelcanine.com
