Healing Veterans & Dogs with the Power of Love & Sports
No bad dogs. No broken people. Only lives waiting to be healed.
Veteran suicide prevention through canine‑assisted adaptive sports, peer support, and vocational training at the K9 Warrior League Field Lab in Saint Hedwig, TX.
You are already a Hero!
Now become a K9 Warrior!
A New Mission. A New Bond. A New Life.
K9 Warrior League is a 501(c)(3) public charity founded by retired U.S. Air Force veteran Don Kreitner in Saint Hedwig, Texas. We help Veterans, first responders, and their families heal, reconnect, and rebuild purpose through the life‑changing bond between people and dogs. Through canine training, adaptive sports, structured programming, and community partnerships, we create safe, repeatable opportunities for warriors to regain confidence, independence, and connection—the key protective factors that stand between a hard night and a tragic decision.
Our mission
K9 Warrior League exists to prevent suicide and long‑term harm among Veterans, first responders, and others who have faced difficult battles in life by harnessing the healing power of dogs and canine adaptive sports.
We believe there are no bad dogs and no broken people—only hard experiences, wounded spirits, and the need for the right guidance, structure, and support. A K9 Warrior is anyone who has fought through hardship and found strength, healing, or hope through a bond with a dog, and our primary focus is helping Veterans use that bond to reclaim health, purpose, and independence instead of losing hope.
The Power of a K9 Warrior
Watch how one K9 Warrior team turned trauma into a new mission through trust, training, and sport.
YouTube video player – “Blind Veteran Meets the Most Dangerous Retired Police Dog — What the Dog Did Next Shocks Everyone!”
Please watch our warriors’ stories from start to finish and imagine what’s possible when a dog stands between a Veteran and the darkest moment.
Our story
Built in Saint Hedwig. Built for Warriors.
K9 Warrior League was born on six acres of land in Saint Hedwig, Texas, where dogs have been trained, loved, and healed for more than 40 years. Founder Don Kreitner is a medically retired, legally blind U.S. Air Force veteran, lifelong dog trainer, and creator of the Fast-Dogs movement, one of the fastest‑growing canine sports communities in Texas. After his own transition to civilian life with a 100% service‑connected disability rating, Don asked a deeper question: “If a dog could help heal me, could a dog help heal others too?”—and K9 Warrior League exists to answer that question with action, one Veteran, one dog, and one restored life at a time.
What Is a K9 Warrior?
A K9 Warrior is:
the Veteran carrying invisible wounds who steps back from the edge because a dog gave him a reason to keep going, the police officer or firefighter who faces trauma on duty and finds daily grounding in a dog’s unconditional love, the child grieving a parent lost to war who discovers comfort beside a dog, or the person broken by life who needs one steady, living presence without judgment to stay here one more day. Any age, any background, any battle—if a dog helped you heal or stay, you are a K9 Warrior.
What We Do &
How We Do It
What We Do & How We Do it
K9 Warrior League helps Veterans, first responders, and their families cope with the high stress of everyday life, help prevent suicide, and build a pathway to a new career. If a Warrior does not already have a dog, we will pair them with a high-drive dog from a local shelter at no cost to them.
Here's how we do it:
Three Core Pillars
Adaptive Sports & Recreation
Veterans train alongside dogs in canine sports including agility, fast-dog racing, and freestyle frisbee. All programs use safer FKC-sanctioned "No-Weave" standards to reduce injury risk, and grant-funded all-terrain mobility scooters ensure every veteran can participate regardless of physical limitations. These activities replace isolation with competition, purpose, and daily structure.
Therapeutic Reintegration
Veterans train in small squads—creating a "platoon culture" that provides peer accountability and combats the isolation often linked to PTSD. The structured routines of dog handling and training offer consistent, judgment-free support, and the "Slow One Philosophy" ensures every team progresses at their own pace toward success.
Vocational Training
K9 Warrior League offers a 24-month Legacy Trainer paid Apprenticeship that transforms veterans' passion for dogs into professional careers. Graduates earn Master Canine Instructor certifications and are prepared to work with service dogs, sports clients, and behavior cases, building the next generation of K9 industry leaders.
K9 Support Changes Lives
Fund Free Programs for Veterans
K9 Warrior League is a 501(c)(3) public charity operating a six‑acre Field Lab in Saint Hedwig, TX, where Veterans, first responders, and their families train side‑by‑side with dogs in adaptive sports and healing routines. Every program we offer—agility, fast‑dog racing, freestyle frisbee, and therapy‑focused activities—is 100% free to qualified participants. Your support keeps these programs accessible at no cost and helps prevent Veteran suicide by replacing isolation with community, purpose, and the steady presence of a dog.
THE THREE PILLARS OF THE LEAGUE
Adaptive Sports & Recreation
No sidelines: Every Veteran plays, using grant-funded, all‑terrain mobility scooters when needed.
Safer rules: FKC‑sanctioned “No‑Weave” standards reduce impact and injury risk for both dogs and handlers.
Real competition: From 100‑yard sprints to Canine Frisbee Baseball, you and your dog get back in the game.
Therapeutic Reintegration
Platoon culture: Train inside a small “squad” of Veterans and dogs instead of doing therapy alone.
PTSD support: Structured routines, peer accountability, and dog‑handling challenges help fight isolation and anxiety.
“Slow One” path: Our Slow One Philosophy guarantees every team has a customized route to the Hall of Fame, no matter where they start.
Vocational Excellence
Career track: A 24‑month Legacy Trainer Apprenticeship turns your passion for dogs into paid, professional work.
Real certifications: Graduates qualify as Master Canine Instructors ready for service‑dog, sport, and behavior clients.
Leadership focus: We aren’t just training dogs; we are building the next generation of industry leaders in the K9 world.