OUR STORY

Ghost K9 Academy was founded in 2023 as a tribute to world-renowned dog trainer Ernie Trafford, whose pioneering methods and elite-level skills helped shape the modern dog-training world. Although the term Master Trainer didn’t formally exist during his time, Ernie was known internationally as one of the most skilled trainers of his generation. His legacy and training system form the foundation of everything we do today.

Our founder, Stephen Kalil, is a Massachusetts-based dog trainer who began his professional training journey at the young age of 12. Under the close mentorship of Ernie Trafford, Stephen learned every advanced skill required for high-level canine training including:

• Aggressive dog rehabilitation

• Obedience and behavior modification

• Executive and personal protection handling

• Family and child-focused safety protocols

• Decoy, handler protection, and security work

Stephen was not in the military; his expertise comes solely from decades of hands-on experience training directly under one of the most respected canine trainers in the world.