From an early age, Mike Lilley developed a deep love and respect for dogs, along with a passion for the training that helps them reach their full potential. His father maintained a kennel of 15 to 20 hunting dogs at any given time, often with multiple litters of puppies. Mike and his younger brother were responsible for daily care, which taught him how to properly tend to dogs’ physical and emotional needs. These early experiences laid the foundation for what would become a lifelong career in dog training.
As he grew older, Mike’s interest in raising and training dogs became more focused and intentional. He worked with several highly skilled trainers over the years, learning techniques that he would later apply while training both working dogs and household pets.
At the age of 24, Mike began his law enforcement career with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). During his time there, he was voted Officer of the Year for his region and also received the NWTF Officer of the Year award. He served as a member of the Special Operations Group (SOG) and helped establish the Resource Protection Unit (RPU) within FWC. His interest in K9 work led him to apply for the FWC K9 Program, where he successfully passed a demanding interview and physical assessment process.
Mike was ultimately selected and partnered with his first police K9, K9 Roscoe. After completing a seven-month K9 school, they returned to their assigned region certified in tracking, article recovery, and fish and game detection through NAPWDA. Mike and K9 Roscoe were responsible for numerous arrests and collaborated with outside agencies to locate critical evidence that would have otherwise been missed, helping to keep dangerous individuals off the streets.
Following his success at FWC, Mike pursued a new opportunity to work with a dual-purpose patrol dog at the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO). He selected a 10-month-old Belgian Malinois named Neko from Royal Police Dogs in Tallahassee and attended patrol school with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit (PBSO). After completing more than 800 hours of training, Mike and K9 Neko became certified through FLECA in patrol, tracking, and narcotics detection. His expertise earned him an invitation to assist with training a large PBSO K9 class that included teams from multiple agencies. He later earned his official Police K9 Trainer’s Certification.
In 2016, Mike became a full-time professional dog trainer and was promoted to Sergeant over the K9 Unit. He trained multiple police K9s for his department and helped other agencies solve complex problems to improve the effectiveness of their K9 units. Mike and his wife, Suzi, also launched their pet training business, New Age K-9 Services, to help dog owners rebuild strong, reliable relationships with their dogs.
After relocating to East Tennessee, Mike and Suzi opened MLK9, which evolved into Ridgeside K9 Knoxville. Today, the business serves clients across Knoxville, Alcoa, Maryville, and surrounding communities with high-level obedience, behavior training, and K9 services.
Mike currently works with pet dogs in basic and advanced obedience, civilian scent detection, and law enforcement K9 development. He is also an instructor for K9s United, where he provides modern training strategies to police agencies across the United States. Mike has collaborated with Military Special Forces K9 teams in both Australia and Colorado, offering international support to enhance K9 team performance and safety.
In addition, Mike is a graduate of the NePoPo® Silver and Gold Schools, trained by Bart and Michael Bellon. This advanced system allows him to use modern remote collar technology to clearly and fairly communicate with dogs. His approach is always evolving to include the latest tools and techniques, ensuring every client receives personalized, effective training that supports a lifelong bond between dog and handler.
