I was born and raised in Long Island, NY and moved to Miami when I was offered a softball scholarship to attend Barry University in Miami. Rather than return to northern winters, I remained in Florida and have lived in Punta Gorda, FL for the past 31 years.

I have worked in the veterinary field for most of my life. Inspired by the many unruly clients I met, I began my own pet dog training business in 2014. In 1995, I was looking for a German Shepherd and went to a local club and was introduced to schutzhund. I attended that club for awhile, met a friend there, and we started our own club, Peace River Schutzhund Club, in 1997. My first dog was a German Shepherd and we earned our Sch1 and an AD. I obtained my first Malinois in 1997. I have trained and titled 3 Malinois from Bh to 3. I have also trained and titled a rottweiler from BH to 3, and competed with him at the International Federation of Rottweilers World Championship in Spain in 2004.

I became a judge in 2013 because I wanted to encourage new members, inspire them, and help grow our sport. I believe a judge needs to be an active competitor to keep the feelings of handlers at heart.

I am looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones. I look forward to seeing some great performances and wish all competitors success!

My name is James “Akin” Akin-Otiko. My friends call me “Akin”. My IGP journey started in 1990, after I brought back a pure-bred German shepherd puppy HOT - Odolf van Der Hulster Molen, BH Schutzhund 2 from the Netherlands while playing professional basketball in Eindhoven. I started in the sport when it was called Schutzhund – VPG – IPO and now IGP and of course with the name changes a ton of changes in the rules and the sport have happened. I joined a USCA club (OWDA) in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma from 1992 to 1998 and began my IGP experience. I then joined a DVG club – Tulsa Schutzhund Club in 1998 and I have remained a DVG member in good standing ever since.

Over the years, I have trained and titled several dogs from different breeds, however, I got more involved in and with the helper/decoy aspect of the sport. I reveled in the physical challenge as well as the interaction between myself and the dogs that I worked and helped to train more than just training. As a helper/decoy, I worked countless club trials, 5 KG (Regional) championships in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 4 LV(National) championships in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, the AWDF championship (back-half) in 2007, the Doberman Nationals in 2008 and was invited to work several other National championship events. Even now, I continue to work my local club trials, while teaching new helper enthusiasts the ropes.

I have served as both KG (Regional) OfG (Training Director) and LV (National) OfG (Training Director). I was the Mid-West KG OfG for almost seven years and the LV OfG for more than two terms. In both capacities, I served on the KG and LV boards while performing numerous helper seminar/certifications all over the country. During my tenure in office, I certified and upgraded over 65 helpers, some of whom worked numerous LV Championships and the 2013 WUSV that was held on American soil.

With the dogs that I trialed, all of them HOT, (Rottweilers, German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois) I received “V” excellent ratings in all three phases of the sport with different dogs at different trials. I also helped many dog and handler teams along the way in working towards and obtaining titles on their dogs. I am the President and Training Director for Nebraska Hundesport Club, in Omaha Nebraska, and I am currently working on getting the IGP 3 title on my young dog Chilli Brigades Draconian “Draco” – BH, IGP1, IGP 2, while helping my club members with their goals in titling their dogs as well.

I have been a licensed DVG judge since 2013 and very grateful to still be involved in the sport at a high enough level to make a difference and to give back to the sport. I am very excited in my capacity as a judge for the opportunity to be an ambassador and advocate of the sport wherever I go. I am convinced that my years of experience as a handler and a helper/decoy gives him a unique point of view now that I am a judge.

All I feel is gratitude to all those who helped me along the way in my journey as a helper/decoy and ultimately now that I am a DVG judge. Thank you Hartmut Beckman – DVG LRO (Director of Judges) for this privilege. I am especially grateful to my club members and most importantly, my children for all their sacrifices and my wonderful wife Sylvie Marie for her love and support.

This year's LV Championship holds a special place in my heart because the host club Tulsa Schutzhund Club is where I started my DVG adventure. Not only that, I went to Undergraduate and Graduate school at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, so, it is a home coming of sorts for me. I am looking forward to seeing old friends and making new ones. I wish all the competitors the best of all that is good and a special thanks to everyone in the fore front and behind the scenes involved in making this year's LV Championship the success that it will be.

Joel has been in the sport for over 30yrs. He has received a 286+ on 10 different dogs, has been on five world teams, and competed at 10 national events with 10 different dogs with multiple breeds. Joel has been on championship podiums many times with many different dogs. Currently, he is getting ready to title his two young shepherds and said, “I'm looking forward to judging this prestigious event in Phase C.”