Meet Your MLK9 Trainers

Aaron Hans is a co-owner and lead trainer at MLK9 Myrtle Beach. His passion for dog training started at a young age and has grown into a career built around working dogs, handler communication, structure, and helping owners build a better relationship with their dogs.

Aaron first became interested in dog training in 2004, when he was just 11 years old. His father was a K9 handler, and Aaron always wanted to tag along to training sessions whenever he had the chance. Being around police K9 work at a young age sparked a lasting interest in dogs, obedience, and the relationship between a dog and its handler.

In 2014, Aaron got his first Belgian Malinois, Reechi, who went on to have a successful career with a sheriff's office. By 2016, Aaron became a K9 handler himself with another Malinois named Biko. Since then, he has worked several K9s and attended numerous training seminars, events, and programs, learning from experienced trainers across the country. Aaron currently works with a Malinois/Shepherd mix named Nero. K9 Nero is trained in narcotics, tracking and article searches.

In the spring of 2025, Aaron and co-owner Zach met Mike Lilley at a conference and were impressed by his K9 tracking methods and approach to training. After several conversations and a shared interest in bringing structured, real-world dog training to pet owners, Aaron and Zach opened MLK9 Myrtle Beach.

At MLK9 Myrtle Beach, Aaron focuses on training that is practical, reliable, and designed to carry over into everyday life -- structured and clear, while still fair to the dog and focused on building confidence. Whether working on obedience, puppy development, off-leash reliability, leash manners, or behavior challenges, his goal is to give owners a dog that is easier to live with and a system they can confidently maintain at home.

Outside of training, Aaron enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters. He brings the same values from his K9 and law enforcement career into his work: professionalism, accountability, patience, and a commitment to doing right by both the dog and the owner.

Train with Aaron

Zach McDermott was born in Newburgh, New York, and raised alongside his brother. From an early age, Zach developed a strong appreciation for teamwork, discipline, and accountability through baseball, a sport he played throughout his childhood.

His interest in law enforcement and working dogs began during a school career day, when a police K9 handler gave a demonstration on how police dogs work alongside their handlers. Seeing that relationship left a lasting impression on him.

Zach later began his law enforcement career in South Carolina. During his time in local law enforcement, he developed a strong interest in police K9 work and eventually became a K-9 handler. He started working with his K-9 partner, Gass, while assigned to the Traffic Unit before quickly moving to the Street Crimes Unit under Narcotics. K9 Gass was trained in narcotics detection, article searches, and tracking. Together, Zach and Gass worked in real-world law enforcement environments where structure, communication, consistency, and trust were essential.

Throughout his K-9 career, Zach attended numerous police K-9 training seminars and events, continuing to build his knowledge in detection, tracking, obedience, and real-world deployment. His law enforcement background shaped his training style: structured, fair, clear, and focused on helping each dog understand what's being asked while building confidence.

Zach met Aaron while they were both working at their previous police agency, where they quickly built a bond through their shared passion for K-9 training. After meeting Mike Lilley at several conferences, they started MLK9 Myrtle Beach in 2025. In 2026, when K9 Gass retired, Zach moved over to MLK9 full time.

Now serving as co-owner and lead trainer, Zach brings professionalism, accountability, patience, and hands-on K9 experience to pet dog training. Outside of training, Zach enjoys spending time with and continuing to train his chocolate Labrador Retriever, Maverick. His goal at MLK9 Myrtle Beach is to help dogs become calmer, more obedient, and more enjoyable companions while giving owners the tools and confidence to maintain that training at home.

Train with Zach