How It Started
At New Life K9s, our mission is to provide free, expertly trained service dogs to Veterans and First Responders living with PTSD.
Driven by the profound human-animal bond, we are committed to enhancing the lives of those who have courageously served our communities.
By offering unwavering support and companionship, we strive to prevent suicide, enrich relationships, and foster healing, ensuring our heroes receive the care and assistance they deserve.
Service Dog Training
Through our rehabilitation prison program, dog handlers assist in training our service dogs in obedience, socialization, and specialized skills such as retrieving medication and responding to panic attacks.
Supporting Our Heroes
Our mission is to support those who’ve served by providing trained service dogs and raising awareness of the benefits they bring to Veterans and First Responders with PTSD.
Building A Community
We believe that by providing free service dogs, we can help Veterans and First Responders lead more independent and fulfilling lives.
Meet the Team
Nathan
Program Manager
Growing up with dogs gave Nathan a deep love and appreciation for them and for all the capabilities they are able to perform.
That love and appreciation has carried with him throughout his life and given him a pathway while he served eight years in the United States Marine Corps as a Military Working Dog Handler and Chief Trainer.
After his service he decided to move back to San Luis Obispo County with his family - where he was born and raised. As a veteran, he is proud to help serve local veterans and first responders in their search for a canine companion to aid them in their life's journey.
Matt
Dog Trainer
Matt worked at Thousand Hills and Gentle Touch Pet Training for over four years, learning how to handle and train pet dogs and specializing in positive reinforcement.
Now working at New Life K9s he puts that experience into training our dogs for service work, primarily with hands on training with the dogs out in public and assisting in teaching our incarcerated handlers at CMC.
Nicole R.
Lead Dog Trainer/Prison Program Coordinator
After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from San Diego State University, Nicole began her professional career in San Diego, serving military personnel and veterans through Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs. Following years of community service with nonprofit organizations, she pursued her lifelong passion for dogs, earning a second college degree in Assistance Dog Education from Bergin College of Canine Studies in 2023.
At Bergin, Nicole served as a Dog Program Associate and teaching assistant in all service dog classes under Bonnie Bergin. She also led student field trips, taught college-level courses, and helped establish a puppy-raising program in Canyonville, Oregon, managing and training more than 40 volunteer puppy raisers. Her work with volunteer dog therapy teams at the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Main Adult Detention Facility (MADF) inspired her interest in helping incarcerated individuals train service dogs.
In May 2026, Nicole joined New Life K9 as Lead Service Dog Trainer, managing the CMC prison program while training incarcerated handlers and developing dogs both inside and outside the prison, including expanding opportunities for public access practice.
Nicole is passionate about the transformative potential of the human-canine bond and the opportunities service dog training creates for both people and dogs.
Nichole B.
Dog Trainer/Puppy Raiser Coordinator
Nichole grew up on the Central Coast and is excited to be back in the area getting to do what she loves most, working with dogs.
She graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a degree in Animal Science, and has spent the past decade working professionally with dogs in a variety of training, handling, and care settings. Throughout her career, Nichole has worked with dogs of all ages, breeds, and backgrounds, with a particular passion for service dog training.
As the Puppy Raiser Coordinator at New Life K9s, Nichole loves getting to combine her experience with her favorite part of dog training: teaching people.
When she’s not working, you’ll usually find her exploring the Central Coast with her poodles, hiking, or spending time with family.