Derbylou Designs

For most of his adult life, Dave was involved with training canines. In 2013, he founded DOGS HELPING HEROES (DHH), a non-profit organization dedicated to training rescue dogs and providing them as service and therapy dogs for veterans and first responders wounded during their service, as well as to their gold star families. While DHH continued its mission, Dave moved on to become "Dave the Dogman," providing an in-home consulting and training service for people and their canine companions while also serving as trainer for the dogs rescued by the HUMANE SOCIETY OF OLDHAM COUNTY (HSOC). Over the years, he oversaw and worked with hundreds of dogs enrolled in the rescue's prison programs, including HSOC's KSR Camp K-9 program at Kentucky State Reformatory. Here, qualifying inmates are granted the opportunity to nurture and train a HSOC rescue dog to learn basic behavior and commands, increasing its chances of becoming a highly adoptable family pet. Dave continued specialized training with the stand-out dogs graduating from KSR Camp K-9 that would go on to become service and therapy dogs for veterans, first responders, gold star families and special needs individuals through HSOC's 4 Paws 4 Service program.

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Dave lived life to the fullest, always with humble gratitude toward the opportunities presented to him. As an outdoorsman, certified yoga instructor, mentor and of course dog trainer, Dave wore many hats. Dave was also known for literally donning a choice from several styles of brimmed hats, well-worn, edges curled. No matter what hat Dave was wearing, it never overshadowed his kindness and sincerity. He will long be missed and remembered for his ability to transform "the ordinary to the extraordinary" and for the positive impact he brought to the lives of so many people and their dog companions.