A Family Business. A National Standard. A Global Clientele.
Priority 1 Canine is a family-owned protection canine firm based in Ohio. Led by U.S. Marine Corps veteran Wade Morrell and Lori Morrell, we place a deliberately limited number of fully trained protection dogs each year with families, executives, family offices, and members of Middle Eastern royal households. Every placement is private. Every dog is personally evaluated and delivered by Wade. Every relationship is built for the lifetime of the dog.
What Priority 1 Canine Does
Every Priority 1 canine is selected, finished, and placed to serve two roles at once a guardian capable of decisive response, and a companion fully integrated into the household.
Each dog is trained to:
Operate calmly in a home environment, around family, staff, and guests
Move comfortably through travel, vehicles, and public settings
Recognize and respond to genuine threats with measured precision
Remain under handler control at all times — on command, off command, and off leash
Built on Military Standards
Priority 1 is built by a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and shaped by 26 years of law enforcement and military training methodology.
Founded by a USMC veteran with 26 years of law enforcement and military experience
Trained on the same operational principles as professional working canines
Finished in real homes, around real families, before placement
Selected only when the dog meets the standard — not when the calendar says so
Who We Place With
Priority 1 Canine works with a deliberately narrow set of clients. Placement is private, vetted, and matched to lifestyle.
Priority 1 clients include:
Families and estates with elevated security profiles
Executives, founders, and public-facing professionals
Family offices managing protective protocols across multiple properties
International principals, including members of Middle Eastern royal households
Individuals who value preparedness, discretion, and quiet competence
Prior dog-handling experience is not required. A serious commitment to responsible ownership is.
Process
Match, Don't Sell.
Every Priority 1 placement is structured, private, and led by Wade Morrell from first contact to final delivery. We do not let clients select dogs from a catalog. We match a specific dog to a specific household.
The process:
Private Consultation — A direct conversation with Wade. Lifestyle, environment, and security profile are mapped before any dog is discussed.
Client Assessment — Confirmation of fit, expectations, and household readiness.
Match Selection — A specific dog is chosen from current candidates based on temperament, environment, and family composition. If no dog meets the standard, we wait.
White-Glove Placement — Wade personally delivers the dog and remains on-site through the household transition.
Lifetime Support — Ongoing performance maintenance, annual revisits, and direct access to the Morrells for the life of the dog.
""The right dog in the right home is not a deterrent. It is the difference between something happening and something never starting.""— Wade Morrell Founder, USMC Veteran
In the News
Wade and Lori Morrell have been covered by national television, national magazines, and central Ohio news since 2013. The coverage is about the work and the owners. None of it names a client. Read why we never post our clients.
ABC6 WSYX. From 'Shark Tank' to service dogs, a local company gives back, August 25, 2023.
Home Defense, Athlon Outdoors. Man's Best Bodyguard: Choosing a Personal Protection Dog, June 7, 2017.
RECOIL Magazine. Canine Technology, March 7, 2017.
ABC6 WSYX. Pickerington Couple's Business Booms after 'Shark Tank' Appearance, March 10, 2015.
Fox 28 Columbus. Priority 1 Canine Back from ABC Shark Tank, November 10, 2014.
ABC's Shark Tank. Season 6, Episode 8: Priority 1 Canine, November 7, 2014.
The Columbus Dispatch. Pickerington couple to appear on 'Shark Tank', November 6, 2014.
mlive. Into the 'Shark Tank': Whitehall native to appear on ABC's popular reality show, November 2, 2014.
The Columbus Dispatch. Trainer offers 'luxury bodyguard' family dogs, February 18, 2013.
RECOIL Magazine. Like a Hairy Hollow Point, Issue 8.
10TV WBNS. Designer Dogs: How Far Would You Go To Protect Your Family?.
Media inquiries go directly to Wade. Contact us.
The Experience Behind Every Placement
Priority 1 Canine was founded by Wade Morrell a United States Marine Corps veteran with more than 26 years of combined law enforcement, military, and canine training experience.
That background is not branding. It is the operational foundation behind every selection, every training decision, and every placement. Our standards are drawn from real deployment environments, not classroom theory or sport-dog disciplines.
When a Priority 1 canine is placed in your home, it carries the discipline of every program Wade has served in applied to the only environment that matters: yours.
Built for One Outcome
Priority 1 Canine exists to place a capable, controlled, family-integrated protection canine in households where standard security solutions are no longer enough.
Twelve placements per year. By application. No volume targets. No staff trainers. No middle layer between the family and the founder.
One outcome a dog you can lead, a family you can protect, and the quiet certainty that the most decisive defender in your home is also the most loyal one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Priority 1 Canine specializes in fully trained, family-integrated protection dogs designed for real-world personal security.
Families, executives, and high net worth individuals worldwide who want dependable protection without sacrificing household stability.
Priority 1 Canine does not offer basic obedience training or untrained dogs. We provide complete, professionally trained protection dogs with structured placement and long-term support.
The program is designed primarily for family and personal environments, not commercial security or sport use.
The founders remain directly involved in training standards, placement decisions, and client support to maintain consistency and accountability.
Yes. We place dogs throughout the United States and internationally. Personal delivery and in home training are included with every placement.
The first step is a conversation to assess needs, environment, and fit before any commitment is made.
The Next Step Is a Conversation.
A Priority 1 placement begins with a private conversation — not a sales call. We listen first. We evaluate fit honestly. If your household is right for a Priority 1 canine, we say so. If it isn't, we say that too. Direct access to Wade. No intake teams. No scripted process.
Begin a Private Conversation