Meet the team
Our passion, love and respect for these magnificent animals and their ability to enrich our own lives is the driving force behind the creation and founding of California Elite Family and Executive Protection Dogs.
Founder and Owner
With over 20 years of experience as a top-performing enterprise account executive in the high-tech sales industry and 30+ years competing at all levels in dog sport, Claudia has built a reputation for excellence.
​
She has worked with some of the world's most recognized brands, including AT&T, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Oracle, while representing industry leaders like Hewlett-Packard and innovative startup software companies. She represented the US on the IPO team at the WUSV Sieger World Championships in Spain - 2021.
​
Bringing her expertise in executive-level collaboration, problem-solving, attentive listening, and meticulous attention to detail, Claudia now applies her professionalism and passion to California Elite Family and Executive Protection Dogs.
She firmly believes that an exceptional customer experience and world-class service are essential—whether purchasing a product, a service, or a highly trained protection dog. In her view, these qualities are what set apart industry leaders, ensuring long-term success and client satisfaction.
Master Trainer and
Head of Operations
Markus is a well-known world-class master dog trainer from Wardenberg, Germany, with an extensive track record of excellence in both competitive dog sports and elite service dog training. His accomplishments span both the global and local stage, earning him recognition as a leader in the field.
With a distinguished career in dog sport, Markus has achieved elite status by training high-performing service dogs for military, police, and private clients worldwide. His expertise extends across multiple breeds, with a primary focus on German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Malinois, Boxers, and Dobermans—breeds known for their exceptional abilities in competition and protection work.
Among his many achievements, Markus has secured victories in prestigious championships, including ADRK, BK, SV, and VDH events. Beyond competition, he is also the director of his own renowned working dog club in Oldenburg, Germany, where he continues to mentor and develop top-tier canine teams.
Training Director
Michelle began working with dogs and competing at an early age with her parents in Southwestern Germany. She quickly excelled and moved north to mentor under Markus Maaser (our Head of Operations). She continues to work closely with Markus and currently manages an elite police dog training facility in Oldenburg, Germany for him.
​​
Michelle is known for her protection and obedience training.
​
Richard Sheppard
Master Trainer
With over 10 years of experience in dog sports competition and 15 years training dogs, I have dedicated my career to mastering the art and science of canine training. My passion for the bond between humans and animals—particularly dogs—has driven me to continuously refine my skills and expand my expertise. As a certified NePoPo® trainer, I have had the privilege of learning from some of the world’s most esteemed professionals in the field.
Currently, I compete at both the National and Regional levels with my German Shepherds, demonstrating the effectiveness of my training methodologies at the highest levels of competition.