Meeting Blue The Rescue Dog Who Changed Everything

Meeting Blue
The Rescue Dog Who Changed Everything

Hi there! I'm Brandon, and my journey into dog training has been nothing short of a transformative adventure. A few years back, I was fortunate enough to be selected for one of the most sought-after positions in Florida—becoming a K9 handler with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). This was a dream come true for me. There are only about 20 of these positions across the entire state, and to be chosen was incredibly humbling. I was thrilled, excited, and—honestly—nervous to get started with my new partner, a rescue dog named Blue. When I met her for the first time, I quickly learned that she was a dog who had faced some challenges in her past. She was independent, reactive to almost everything, and I was told she had been involved in some pretty intense situations with other dogs. But, I didn’t see a dog who was aggressive—I saw a dog who had never experienced true structure or boundaries. I knew she had potential, and that gave me hope.

Hi there! I'm Brandon, and my journey into dog training has been nothing short of a transformative adventure. A few years back, I was fortunate enough to be selected for one of the most sought-after positions in Florida—becoming a K9 handler with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). This was a dream come true for me. There are only about 20 of these positions across the entire state, and to be chosen was incredibly humbling.

I was thrilled, excited, and—honestly—nervous to get started with my new partner, a rescue dog named Blue. When I met her for the first time, I quickly learned that she was a dog who had faced some challenges in her past. She was independent, reactive to almost everything, and I was told she had been involved in some pretty intense situations with other dogs. But, I didn’t see a dog who was aggressive—I saw a dog who had never experienced true structure or boundaries. I knew she had potential, and that gave me hope.

Meet Brandon Hadwin

As we trained, it became clear that Blue and I needed to learn how to work together. While we made progress, it was tough. I felt frustrated at times, overwhelmed even, and unsure if we were ever going to truly connect. But I didn’t give up. I started reaching out to every trainer and expert I could find. I dove into podcasts, sent emails, and attended seminars. I began learning new methods, ones that empowered both Blue and me. Slowly but surely, I saw our bond grow stronger, and we started seeing real progress—especially in tracking, which Blue seemed to love.

It wasn’t long before I realized the training techniques I was learning could help other dogs too—not just law enforcement dogs, but pets. One of the trainers who mentored me, Mike Lilley, encouraged me to give pet dog training a try. At first, I wasn’t sure. But after spending more time with dogs in the field and shadowing Mike in Tennessee, I realized something: I had a natural ability to connect with dogs and their owners.

And that’s when it clicked—I wasn’t just passionate about dogs; I was passionate about helping people and their dogs. What sets me apart as a trainer is my ability to relate to my clients and make complex training concepts easy to understand. I believe that many trainers can train a dog to a high level, but what’s equally important is teaching the owners how to continue that success at home.

I began training pet dogs, starting with a neighbor’s Husky, Amira. After just a few weeks of training, she was a completely different dog. Her owners were thrilled, and seeing their joy made me realize this was my true calling. There’s nothing more rewarding than hearing from a client who is amazed by the progress their dog has made—and knowing I had a hand in making that happen.

As we trained, it became clear that Blue and I needed to learn how to work together. While we made progress, it was tough. I felt frustrated at times, overwhelmed even, and unsure if we were ever going to truly connect. But I didn’t give up. I started reaching out to every trainer and expert I could find. I dove into podcasts, sent emails, and attended seminars. I began learning new methods, ones that empowered both Blue and me. Slowly but surely, I saw our bond grow stronger, and we started seeing real progress—especially in tracking, which Blue seemed to love.

It wasn’t long before I realized the training techniques I was learning could help other dogs too—not just law enforcement dogs, but pets. One of the trainers who mentored me, Mike Lilley, encouraged me to give pet dog training a try. At first, I wasn’t sure. But after spending more time with dogs in the field and shadowing Mike in Tennessee, I realized something: I had a natural ability to connect with dogs and their owners.

And that’s when it clicked—I wasn’t just passionate about dogs; I was passionate about helping people and their dogs. What sets me apart as a trainer is my ability to relate to my clients and make complex training concepts easy to understand. I believe that many trainers can train a dog to a high level, but what’s equally important is teaching the owners how to continue that success at home.

I began training pet dogs, starting with a neighbor’s Husky, Amira. After just a few weeks of training, she was a completely different dog. Her owners were thrilled, and seeing their joy made me realize this was my true calling. There’s nothing more rewarding than hearing from a client who is amazed by the progress their dog has made—and knowing I had a hand in making that happen.