Meet Justin Rigney

Founder and head trainer, K9 Services Unlimited · Knoxville, TN

33 years of professional dog training

Justin Rigney has 33 years of professional dog training experience and was a law enforcement officer for 17 years, 10 of which he spent as a K-9 handler and trainer. His unique background and experience in civilian dog training, as well as police service dog training, set him apart from other trainers in his field.

Justin’s passion for dog training is evident, as he has assisted thousands of pet owners in enhancing their relationships with their dogs and bridging the communication gap with their beloved four-legged family members. Justin utilizes a proven, reliable, humane, and clear real-world training system that produces results and develops dogs that know and love their jobs.

Law enforcement and K-9 service

During his law enforcement career, Justin was fortunate enough to work with three patrol dogs. Justin is a former member of the Davie Police Department and its K-9 Unit, where he served as the handler for K-9 “Vader,” a Belgian Malinois produced from his own breeding program. Watching Vader take his very first breath and grow into a productive K-9 partner was extremely rewarding.

K-9 “Bosko,” an all-black German Shepherd Dog (GSD), was responsible for hundreds of arrests and apprehensions of violent felony offenders and was instrumental in recovering numerous valuable pieces of evidence. After retirement, Bosko earned his Brevet title in French Ring Sport.

His last patrol dog, K-9 “Zeke,” is a sable GSD raised from puppyhood by Justin and his wife, Alison. During his career, Zeke proved to be a vigilant and tenacious police service dog. Most notably, he defended his handler during a deadly force encounter and officer-involved shooting. Zeke will continue to work and compete in civilian dog sports.

Justin was also a Corporal and trainer for the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, which maintained 60 dogs department-wide. Throughout his professional dog training career, he has trained with hundreds of police K-9 teams and competed in Schutzhund, Ring Sport, and other dog sports. He has also trained dogs for celebrities, professional athletes, and thousands of pet owners.

Training credentials and expertise

Justin graduated from and was awarded a diploma in the NePoPo® Gold Training System, the modern language of dog training developed by Bart Bellon. He formerly served as President of the Florida Law Enforcement Canine Association and was one of its founding members. He also served as a judge and instructor for FLECA.

Justin has been retained as an expert witness in civil litigation involving K-9 training, use of force, and deployment. He has had the opportunity to certify and train hundreds of police K-9 teams. Justin continually pursues further knowledge in many different applications of dog training by working with some of the top canine trainers in the world.

Train with Justin and the K9 Services Unlimited team

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