Christopher Darhower is the owner of OLK9 Springfield, Massachusetts. Chris grew up near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania where he had served his community as a Firefighter, an Army Combat Veteran of OIF, and a medically-retired Police Officer after sustaining an injury in the line of duty chasing a suspect with his K9 partner, Pedro. Post-combat deployment, Chris suffered a heart attack while fighting a fire at age 29. At age 33, Chris fractured his back while deploying his K9, and then had another heart attack at age 35. He knew he was being called on to follow his passion for training dogs, after saving his K9 partner Pedro, who had behavioral issues and was being considered for euthanasia prior to be assigned to Chris. 

Chris went on to become a trainer for Off Leash K9 Training, and later moved onto ownership within the organization including OLK9 Harrisburg Pennsylvania, and OLK9 Worcester, Massachusetts. Chris has his own pack of dogs and fosters that he calls his “Muttley Crew” and maintains participation in several local organizations including working with dogs in a prison program and volunteering with Find Toby in PA to help locate and secure lost or unwanted dogs. Chris also competed in AKC conformation handling with Greater Swiss and Bernese Mountain Dogs, at one time ranking #7 in the Nation and #2 in Pennsylvania state. 

Chris and his amazing staff continue to give back to the community with “Cumberland Valley Animal Assistance Program” (www.cvaap.org) which provides a free pet food pantry to several local counties around his Harrisburg, PA location and travels throughout the East Coast providing disaster response for animals. He also maintains active communication through his organization with local law enforcement and provides a Safe Haven for found pets looking for their owners or transitioning to rescue.

He lives at home with his family and “pack” which currently consists of 2 Miniature Dachshunds, a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, a Saint Bernard, a GSD-Mix, a Beagle-Mix, and 3 fostered bullies.  

Chris believes in the quote by author Dean Koontz, “Once you have had a wonderful dog, a life without one, is a life diminished.” He says, “I treat dogs like I treat my daughter. I respect them. I admire them for their own unique personalities and differences. It reignites my passion to train every time I see that light bulb come on and they master a skill. The pride you see come over them and the happiness on their owner’s faces. That’s what this job is all about.”