Meet the Trainers
Shana Rideout, Owner of CR Shepherds
Shana brings over 20 years of dog training experience to the table. In 2018, she took over CR Shepherds from her father, Neal, when he decided to retire. Growing up surrounded by animals, Shana has always had a deep connection to them. Training dogs has been a long-standing passion in their family for generations. Now training in the Mountain Home, AR area.
Sarah Smith, CMDT
Sarah’s passion for dogs has been a lifelong journey. As a child, she spent her summers with her grandparents, the founders of CR Shepherds, where she gained her first experience with working dogs. Later, Sarah attended Conifer Canine Dog Trainer College in Spencer, IN, earning her master trainer certification in November 2020. This certification provided her with the knowledge and skills to consistently exceed her clients’ expectations. Offering services in the Tallahassee, FL area.
The founders
Neal
Neal’s journey into dog training began in 1958 when he volunteered as a decoy in the Air Force. His passion for working dogs took him around the world—most notably to Costa Rica—where many of his trained dogs went on to serve in police departments, protect homes, and become exceptional family companions.
In 2000, Neal joined forces with Gary LaFollette at the LaFollette Training Center in Missouri, becoming a certified Drugbeat agent and focusing on training detection dogs for law enforcement.
By 2004, he launched CR Shepherds, breeding and training top-tier K-9s both domestically and internationally until his retirement in 2018.
Today, CR Shepherds is managed by Shana and her daughter Sarah.
NYPD K9