Mitchell Christian

Head Trainer/Owner

Mitch Christian is a Marine Corps veteran, certified police and military K9 instructor, and founder of Christian K9 Academy and Midwest Working Dogs.

His passion for working dogs began at an early age, inspired by the hunting dogs owned by his grandfather and uncle. After completing his military service and working as an engineering technician at Honda and Battelle, Mitch attended The Ohio State University before committing himself fully to professional dog training.

Mitch has traveled extensively to study under respected trainers and instructors throughout the working-dog industry. He graduated at the top of his class from Highland K9 International School for Dog Trainers, earning certification as a police and military K9 instructor.

With more than a decade of professional experience, Mitch specializes in developing reliable working dogs and effective handler teams. His expertise includes patrol work, narcotics and explosives detection, tracking, article searches, building searches, directional control, obedience, decoy development, and scenario-based training.

Mitch regularly travels throughout Europe to personally evaluate and hand-select prospective police K9s. Each dog is carefully assessed for health, temperament, environmental stability, working drives, and suitability for the agency’s mission before being selected and imported to the United States.

Today, Mitch works closely with law-enforcement agencies to select, train, and deploy dependable K9 teams. His approach prioritizes clear communication, operational reliability, sound decision-making, and training that prepares both the dog and handler for the realities of the street. His mission is to provide agencies with capable working dogs, confident handlers, and dependable support long after handler school is complete.

Our Facility

Located just west of Columbus, Ohio, Midwest Working Dogs operates from a luxury private 20 acre training campus designed specifically for working-dog development and handler education. The campus features a state-of-the-art 10,000 sqft facility with two large indoor training areas, a dedicated classroom, premium kennels, and a complete USPCA agility course.

Open fields, wooded trails, buildings, vehicles, and varied natural terrain provide K9 teams with exposure to realistic operational environments. This secure and controlled campus allows agencies to conduct detection, tracking, patrol, building-search, obedience, agility, and scenario-based training in one location.

From initial canine development through handler school and advanced in service training, Midwest Working Dogs provides the facilities, equipment, and real-world training environments needed to prepare dependable K9 teams for the street.

What We Offer:

Beyond the Ordinary

Customized Training Regimens: Every canine is unique, and so are our training programs. We tailor our approaches based on individual canine capabilities and client needs.

International Collaborations: Our ties with global canine experts allow us to incorporate international best practices and offer a diverse range of breeds and training techniques.

Holistic Canine Welfare:Beyond training, we prioritize the overall well-being of our dogs, ensuring they are mentally stimulated, physically fit, and emotionally content.