Greg Guidice and Lisa Blanchard of Elite Detection K9, with Honey the lab and her puppy in Depot Park. Photo by Phil Custodio

BY PHIL CUSTODIO
Clarkston News Editor
Greg Guidice, president and CEO of Elite Detection K9, is on a recruiting tour of Oakland County communities, looking for volunteers to help raise the next generation of bomb-detection dogs.
“Families with a nice home environment and fenced in backyard,” said Guidice during a visit to Clarkston’s Depot Park.
He was at the park with Lisa Blanchard, manager of puppy and canine development, Honey, one of their breeding dogs, and a puppy, one of three born by Honey.
Volunteers are placed with a mother dog, which they care for as a pet.
“Four litters, then she retires and the host family can keep her as a pet,” Guidice said.
Volunteers don’t need dog-breeding experience, but must be able to provide a loving home for the mother dog, mostly Labrador Retrievers and German Shepherds, and her puppies. EDK9 provides comprehensive training, whelping pen, scale, heat lamp, and other materials needed to have a litter at home, and vet care.
At approximately 7 weeks old, puppies are taken to live at a correctional facility under the care of inmates qualified for rehabilitation. The inmates name the puppies, and provide a safe environment, love, nurturing, socialization experiences, and obedience and progressive play training. At 12-15 months, the puppies go back to Elite Detection for scent education and training.
When training is completed, the K9 dog-and-handler teams go to work detecting bombs and guns in businesses, schools, universities, hospitals, and other public venues.
“We’re honored to provide American-bred dogs to protect the community,” Guidice said.
EDK9, a Leader Dogs for the Blind company, was founded in 2018 and is based in Auburn Hills. For more information, go to Elitedetectionk9.com or call 248-218-6661.