Battle Ridge Squad-Profile

Mike Mayes, the owner and head trainer of Battle Ridge K9 Services, LLC and Vom Kampfgrat German Shorthair Pointers, retired from the West Virginia State Police after 25 years of service, retiring at the rank of Captain.  Mike also served as Chief Deputy with the Logan County Sheriff’s Department for over 7 years where he handled an EOD K9.

In 1994, Mike initiated a statewide K9 program for the State Police and served as the commander and trainer for that program from 1993 until 2003. During this time while serving as supervisor of the K9 program, Mike provided supervision and training to over 30 K9 handlers across the state. While assigned as commander of the K9 program, Mike handled two patrol dogs and one explosive detection dog. Over the past 30 years, Mike has personally trained over 600 police service dogs.

K9 Experience

Special Operations (West Virginia State Police)

  • – K9 Operations Commander
  • – Daily Supervison of multiple K9 teams.
  • – Oversee Roadway/Nonroadway Interdiction Programs
  • – Conduct training of K9 teams
  • – Supervise K9 teams during deployments
  • – Selection of handlers/dogs
  • – Conduct in-service training of K9 teams
  • – Develop Unit S.O.P.’s

K9/Tactical Related Training

Criminal Patrol Drug Enforcement School September 
– Florida Highway Patrol
Basic Drug School – West Virginia State Police Academy
Advanced K9 Handlers Street Survival Training  – Madison County Sheriffs Department, Virginia
Patrol K9 Seminar  – West Virginia Police Canine Association
Mantrailing Techniques – Kansas Department of Corrections
Domestic Canine Interdiction 
Explosive Detector Dog Training  – Wilmington Police Department, North Carolina
  Advanced Tactical K9 Training  – North American Police Work Dog Association
  Explosive Recognition

 

Work Related Training and Experience

  • Owner/Operator of Battle Ridge K9 Services, Madison, West Virginia, since 1997
    Owner of Vom Kampfgrat German Shorthair Pointers
    Initiated the West Virginia State Police K9 Program
    Personally trained or provided maintenance training for over 600 police K9 teams
    Trained or provided maintenance training of K9 teams for over 60 police agencies
    Head Trainer for the WV State Police from 1993 – 2003
    Former Board of Directors, West Virginia K9 Search and Rescue
    Past vice President, West Virginia Police K9 Association
    Prior West Virginia State Coordinator for North American Police Work Dog Association

Publications/Articles

  • Trooper’s Journal
    Statewide K9 Program Risk Management Program
    North American Police Work Dog Association Magazine
    West Virginia Law Enforcement Fieldbook, 2nd Edition
    The Trooper Newsletter
    The Educator (Training Source from a Law Enforcement Academy)
    Authored the Standard Operating Policies and Procedures for the WV State Police K9 Operations

 

Neal Juran

  • Assistant trainer at Battle Ridge K9
  • Assistant trainer at Vom Kampfgrat German Shorthair Pointers
  • Owner and head trainer at Juran K9Neal lives in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania and joined the Battle Ridge Squad in 2022.  Neal brings an extensive knowledge of understanding the drives of working dogs and will be helping raise and imprint young puppies and dogs to prepare them for working environments.  
  • Neal will be working with puppies from our KNPV line of Dutch Shepherds and Malinois that will be imprinted to prepare them for police work or a high level home/personal protection candidate.  Our European line of German Shorthair Pointers will be serving as avid bird hunters or highly motivated detection dogs.  

 

Kaylee Dahlke

  • Assistant trainer at Battle Ridge K9
  • Assistant trainer Vom Kampfgrat German Shorthair Pointers
  • Owner of K’s Basic to Ballistic K9 Training, LLC
  • Owner of Woof Lodge, LLC
  • Kaylee has been training dogs for several years and has experience working with a multitude of breeds.  She specializes in obedience and working with dogs with behavioural problems.  
  • Kaylee joined the Battle Ridge Squad in 2022 and will be assisting with puppy development and imprinting them for future working roles.

Dwayne Smith

  • Assistant trainer at Battle Ridge K9
  • Assistant trainer at Vom Kampfgrat German Shorthair Pointers
  • Dwayne joined the Battle Ridge Squad in 2022 and will be assisting with puppies from our KNPV line of Dutch Shepherds and Malinois as well as puppies from our Vom Kampfgrat German Shorthairs.
  • Dwayne has a passion for decoy work in both the sport world as well as for police K9s.  Dwayne has extensive knowledge on how to properly evaluate and work a dog no matter the age or ability level of that dog.  His skills at working a dog is truly an asset to our team.
  • In addition to his decoy work, Dwayne has a podcast that routinely feature some of the biggest names in the world of dog training.