Meet the Team

Rob Shewmake

Owner / K9 Handler

The love and affection that Rob shows to his dogs are beyond impressive. There is no better example of what a personal protection dog is if you were to meet his beloved Ado. Rob has always had a love of dogs and this drew him into the K9 world. He is a good handler and takes the time to travel the country to attend as many seminars as he can to continue learning different techniques and current training methods to keep his dogs on their toes. Competing in Protection Competitions has become a passion for Rob and his dogs. Rob served an honorable 4 years in the Army as Military Police. following that Rob served an additional 3 years in the civilian law enforcement sector.

Kason Newman

Operations Manager / K9 Handler

Kason was born and raised in Southern Missouri. In 2013 he enlisted into the United States Air Force to become a Military Working Dog Handler. During his time as a Handler, he trained in K9 patrol tactics, narcotics detection, and explosives detection. His day-to-day operations varied between routine patrols, responding to emergency call-outs, and conducting explosives detection for various agencies. Additionally, he was fortunate enough to work alongside the United States Secret Service, on multiple occasions, to help protect the President, Vice-President, Presidential Cabinet Members, and Foreign and Domestic Dignitaries. Through all of this, Kason learned a great deal about the handling and management of working dogs. He now has the opportunity to expand his knowledge by working with the JFK9 Team.

Mike Hayes

Trainer

Mike was born and raised in New York. When Mike discovered his passion for dogs he decided to turn his passion into a career. Mike travelled to St.Louis, Missouri to attend The Tom Rose School. While at the Tom Rose School Mike went through the Professional and Master dog training program where he learned all the in’s and out’s of today’s modern training methods and techniques.

Zeke Johnson

Master Trainer

Zeke was born and raised in Arkansas. In 2007 he left the nest to join the world’s most elite warriors The United States Marines. During his tenure he deployed to distant lands and travelled many a sandy mile. When he returned to the states and was released he had no direction other than up. Zeke has moved several times and held a plethora of jobs but in 2018 he found a dog and rescued him. Little did he know this dog (who would later be known as Buck) would change his life forever.

Buck and Zeke traveled to Abbeville, Louisianna where we learned all about dog training from a true Master, Roger Abshire of USK9. From Obedience, Tracking, Odor Detection and imprinting to bite work and Decoy training and kennel care he learned the gambit. Buck graduated to become a USK9 Certified Single Purpose Police dog specializing in bomb detection. Zeke’s journey there ended in March and his new journey with Joint Forces K9 has begun as a Master Trainer.

Hanna Keith

Dog Trainer and Behavior Specialist

Hanna was born with a love of animals regardless of species, or size. In high school, she started focusing more on her handling skills with dogs. She has worked in grooming salons, doggie daycares, pet boutiques, and even as a puppy sitter.

Hanna has always had a passion for learning as much as she can about Canine behavior and will always strive to continue her knowledge. This led her to attend Purdue University to receive a degree in Animal Behavior and Wellness. Soon after graduating, she travelled to Starmark Academy in Texas, where after hard work and dedication, she is proud to have the title of a Certified Canine Trainer and Behavior Specialist.

Hanna has been accompanied on these adventures by her two dogs, Willow and Valko, who help push her to be the best trainer she can be!

Sonya Roberson

Kennel Technician

Sonya Roberson was born and raised a country girl here in beautiful Northwest Arkansas. From bonfires to baby animals she loves all that the country life has to offer.

Sonya has a servants heart, destined to help those around her as well as their four-legged companions. She grew up raising animals, dogs, cats, pigs, bunnies even the occasional squirrel or chipmunk. Her love for animals drove Sonya to attend Petra Allied Health where she studied to become a Veterinary Technician. She has been doing that for 3 years now at a local clinic in addition to working with JFK9.

Her faith in Jesus Christ is number one and is the driving force in all that I do. Through Him, all things are possible.

Bryan Gibby

Dog Trainer/Kennel Technician

Bryan is an Oklahoma native who has spent most of his life in Arkansas. His passion for dogs has led him to a 5 year career immersing himself in animal health. This intense drive has only grown his love for them and has inspired him to pursue a lifelong commitment in mastering and training dogs. Bryan has joined the Joint Forces K9 team and is excited to become proficient in all aspects of training dogs for your every need.

Abby Rice

Dog Trainer and Behavior Specialist

Ever since she can remember, Abby has always had a passion for animals. Her passion for animals extends beyond cats and dogs, however. She has owned almost every animal you can think of, from rodents to snakes and even arachnids. Abby is originally from Virginia but moved to Arkansas in early 2018. She grew up between the city and the country and has a melting pot of interests and hobbies.

When she first arrived, she got a job at the Siloam Springs Animal Shelter as a kennel technician. This job solidified the fact that she wanted to work with dogs and so she sought better potential at Joint Forces K9. She initially worked at JFK9 as a kennel technician but was inspired by the other trainers to attend school. Graduating from Starmark in 2019, she’s back and as eager as ever to help dogs and people become families.

Supporting her on this journey is Sophie the Great Dane, Indigo the Australian Shepherd, and her amazing life partner Austin.

Cody Hinkle

Dog Trainer/Service Dog Advisor

Cody was raised in Worthington, Ohio. In 2008 he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served until 2013. Cody has always had a passion for dogs and knew he wanted to find a way to make It a career. In May of 2014 he attended Starmark Academy in Hutto, Texas and completed the Canine Behavioral Specialist program. Since then, Cody has trained at a couple organizations in Ohio where he continued to hone his ability to read and understand dog behaviors. In 2016, he moved to Arkansas and became the head trainer for a non-profit placing service dogs with Veterans who have PTSD.

Cody’s passion for working with dogs grows with each family that benefits from his training and he knows this is his lifelong career.

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