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Criss Gardner is the owner and head trainer of Von Klein Stein Working Dogs which has been in service since 1988. He is currently serving as a Police K-9 handler/trainer and has done so for the past 14 years. During his service as a police officer he became a certified Law Enforcement Instructor for the state of Arkansas. Criss has been selected as a certifying judge for the National Narcotic Detector Dog Association (NNDDA). He certifies K-9 Teams for NNDDA for police narcotic and patrol duties. Criss has also been selected as National Trainer via the NNDDA and as a Judge for the 2002 Police K-9 Olympics Muncie , IN. |
| Criss has competed in both Schutzhund and AKC competitions. Through his wide knowledge in dog training, he has trained and assisted hundreds of K-9 teams. To ensure quality K-9 teams, Criss is a custom importer of the highest quality European K-9 available to Law Enforcement today. Criss and VKSWD K-9's have won the 1993, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006 Arkansas State Narcotic Dog competition (NNDDA) and won 2005 Patrol competition. He was also the 2007 and 2008 State Patrol Dog and Narcotic Dog Champion |
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Mike Yarnell has been working with us for several years, most of it behind the scenes. Mike and Criss have worked together for years helping each other build their K-9 businesses. Mike established Sundown Kennels in 1980, breeding and working German Shepherds. He has trained and competed in AKC confirmation and obedience and has been actively training and competing in the sport of Schutzhund since 1985. Mike has placed working German Shepherds throughout the United States. He has trained dual purpose police K-9's (Narcotics and Tracking), and has completed numerous hours of police K-9 schools. |
| Mike has helped establish the Hot Springs Police Department's K-9 program. He has helped several police departments with K-9 training problems and has placed several of his own dogs with departments in Arkansas. Mike has worked with some of the best trainers in the United States and Germany and has kept up with the latest training methods. |
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Von Klein Stein Working Dogs is a full service police K-9 training facility that has built its reputation for providing law enforcement agencies with the highest quality police service dog’s in the industry today.
VKSWD was established in 1988. During the past two decades, it has provided training to hundreds of agencies throughout the country. Along with teaching numerous seminars in the United States, VKSWD has acted as a judge at National Police K9 Olympic events and certifying official to the National Narcotic Detector Dog Association for Narcotic, Explosive and Patrol Dogs.
VKSWD combination of training the highest quality canine available from the world’s top European importers and its unparallel handler training together creates the best possible K9 Team for your department and community.
VKSWD prides itself on utilizing the most up-to-date training techniques available to the law enforcement today. Its 50 years of combined experience in police K-9, schutzhund and many other forms of competitive training has proven it’s self as one of the top training kennels in the United States.
VKSWD is Arkansas’s only Police K-9 Training Facility that caters solely to the law enforcement community! Our focus is providing each and every agency with unmatched professional yet individual training for their K-9 and handler.
to see what departments and handlers have to say about us.