Mel Helmick – K-9 Kampus/Owner

Mel started working with horses and dogs at a very young age. She credits her early learning of animals to her beloved Great Grandfather who passed away at the age of 101 years old, leaving an enormous amount of knowledge and experiences embedded in the lives of many.

Mel owns and operates K-9 Kampus in Malvern, AR. K-9 Kampus merged with QK9C in February of 2008 as partner kennel in the south. Mel is one of the best K9 Instructors in the business today. She has served as an Animal Cruelty Investigator for the state of Arkansas , and is an accomplished Animal Care Specialist and possesses a unique understanding of animal behavior that comes from several years of exposure to different situations and environments. She has an innate sense of handling and training the dogs that no one thinks can be fixed.

Mel is one of QK9C’s Master Trainers that runs Handler Courses, and is considered and expert for Search and Rescue, and is in charge of Commercial/Residential Detection Services for QK9C. She is also a Judge for the American Patrol and Protection Dog Association. Mel is a published author and her current book on K-9 Psychology is available now.

University of Kentucky
Terrorism Response and Preparedness
Pediatric Terrorism, Bioterrorism, and Agroterrorism Extension Level Training

Matt Hammond – Director of Decoys/K-9 Kampus

Is the Founder of Quality K9 Concepts, with a decorated 11-year career in the U.S. Army as a K-9 handler were he built an extensive foundation of knowledge through situational and combat experience. Matt is a combat veteran having served in Bosnia , Kosovo , Afghanistan , and Iraq . If there was a need for a dog team in the past decade Matt was there. Whether it was protecting the front lines standing next to Special Op’s operators in Afghanistan or providing security for the President of the United States . Matt was also called on to work at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City , UT.

Matt brings experience in obedience, protection, tactical work and narcotic/explosive detection training. He also possesses considerable knowledge in the evaluation of canine disposition, conformation and trainability. Matt has trained under some of the best trainers in the world. If you ask him he will easily credit William McClure and Lewis Lundy with teaching him the craft of Schutzhund helper work, and Ken Hungerford for teaching him the art of Suit work. Being able to call upon these guys is more then a blessing. Matt conducts decoy seminars around the country and will be the first to pass credit to these three great men.

Matt is a member of the USA (United Schutzhund Clubs of America), a board of director’s member for APPDA ( American Patrol and Protection Dog Association ) and a certifying authority for the EGWDA (East Georgia Working Dog Association), an AKC canine good citizen evaluator, a Schutzhund trial helper, Director of Decoys for the APPDA , and a ASR Certified Decoy.

Wade Helmick-

Having grown up in the K9 industry, Wade has had an unmatched advantage of learning through visual, and hands on experience. Possessing an intuitive understanding and ability to read the varying level of a particular dogs abilities, characteristics, and disposition accelerates Wade’s ability to work through various training evolutions.Wade’s understanding of the dog has become not only a benefit to his personal training and life experiences, but also to K-9 Kampus as he has matured into a fine decoy, and has progressed beyond merely helping with training, to conducting on his own.  Wade is a certified decoy for APPDA, Quality K9 Concepts, and K-9 Kampus.

All of us who know Wade personally, look forward to his progression in not only the K9 Industry, but also with his goals and future plans, as he has a very promising future ahead of him.