Chip Johnson started training K9s as a teenager. Always one to have a family pet, all of whom he can describe by name, breed, appearance, special skills, etc....
Chip attended his first dog training class in 1991 in Sebastopol California. Upon seeing the agitator in the suit, it was within hours he was asking for a turn. Over the course of the next 7 years, Chip would apprentice at the same training facility under the guidance and friendship of Jim Patrick. Their collaboration worked to make both Chip and Jim better trainers and well respected K9 trainers in the dog world.
Chip later enrolled and completed his Master trainers course in Ohio.
After years of working for Patrick, Chip eventually went into business for himself, making his first law enforcement K9 sale to Mendocino County, a contract he still maintains today. Over the course of the next 20+ years Chip would supply top notch K9s to over 70 Law enforcement agencies, be asked to testify on behalf of K9s in court cases, supply and train top security dogs for our Department of Defense, asked to serve as a consultant to our Special team forces in the military, and become known world wide for his ability to read dogs and problem solve.
He would cultivate friendships with vendors worldwide, gain the friendship and mutual respect with what he would describe as only a handful of great trainers in the world, and prove to set the bar of what a trainers are capable of.
Chip resides in Northern California with his family. Outside of his success in the "dog world", Chip's proudest accomplishment is being the proud father of 2 Marines, and a cowgirl. Every dog that has come thru Top Shelf has been handled by his kids or his wife at one point or another. His innate ability to read and train dogs is being handed down to his children, thus the legacy continues.