This article published in The Journal explains how a K9 Unit can conduct quality in service training, which is the bedrock of a productive unit. Training to standards, choosing a training group, what to look for in a trainer to lead your group, instructor training is all covered in this informative article. A must read for administrators of new K9 Units or those in need of increased productivity within the agency.
Five Simple Steps to Set K9 up for SuccessTarheel Canine
Getting a new K9 unit, here are five things an administration can do to really help ensure that the K9 unit is set up for success by creating a culture that will lead to productivity and support!
The “Course Topics” series from Manage Train Learn and Slide Topics is a collection of over 4000 slides that will help you master a wide range of management and personal development skills. The 202 PowerPoints in this series offer you a complete and in-depth study of each topic. This presentation is on "Evaluating Training".
The study is a descriptive study of current dog trainer practices and preferences.
The study was developed to be used by trainers as a formative assessment by allowing them to refer their clients to an Owner/handler (client) satisfaction survey.
The study would allow the greater dog training community to see how owners/handlers respond to different training methods and equipment.
Five Simple Steps to Set K9 up for SuccessTarheel Canine
Getting a new K9 unit, here are five things an administration can do to really help ensure that the K9 unit is set up for success by creating a culture that will lead to productivity and support!
The “Course Topics” series from Manage Train Learn and Slide Topics is a collection of over 4000 slides that will help you master a wide range of management and personal development skills. The 202 PowerPoints in this series offer you a complete and in-depth study of each topic. This presentation is on "Evaluating Training".
The study is a descriptive study of current dog trainer practices and preferences.
The study was developed to be used by trainers as a formative assessment by allowing them to refer their clients to an Owner/handler (client) satisfaction survey.
The study would allow the greater dog training community to see how owners/handlers respond to different training methods and equipment.
Lexipol White Paper: Fire Department Training (Bruce Bjorge)Bigriver911
Training is the backbone of any fire department—it supports every organizational goal and objective. Training translates the department’s vision and mission into action, equipping firefighters to quickly make decisions and take actions in line with organizational values.
As you begin your dog training, it is preferable that you know all the different options you have at your disposal. You can find many types of training in many different places. These types of courses vary in price with each of them has something different to offer both you and your dog.
This article explores how to select K9 handlers from the agency perspective. What work, family life, experience, and personality traits are most important to consider for a long term successful selection.
In this brochure, you will find detailed information about the 3 year professional training in horse coaching by Equiboost.
Find out more about the Filly Class, Seabiscuit Class and Oro's Class now !
New cycle 2014 starts April 16th - registrations now open.
The “Course Topics” series from Manage Train Learn and Slide Topics is a collection of over 4000 slides that will help you master a wide range of management and personal development skills. The 202 PowerPoints in this series offer you a complete and in-depth study of each topic. This presentation is on "Running a Course".
In this project we used the concepts we had learned throughout the quarter, and developed a creative (video advertisement) in addition to the paper, which was fun.
Puppy Training: The Comprehensive Guide to Puppy Training - A Step by Step Activity Guide to: Housebreaking, Crate Training, Puppy Sleep Training and More teaches you all the basics of puppy training.
Dog Owner's Delight: Make Your Dog Obey Every Command With The Most Powerful ...MustakMansuri1
Training is essential for building relationship Training can make the behavior better Training can make him intelligent Training gives a sense of acceptance to dog Proper training can save your time
Optimizely & Photobox - DON'T PANIC: The No-Confusion Experimentation Startup...Optimizely
How do you know where to start with experimentation? What if you don’t have enough information, or simply too much to decide where to begin and where to invest your time/effort/money?
In this breakout session we will cover how to cut the BS by treating experimentation as an “internal services startup”, where the customers are the teams in your business: commercial, trading, marketing, product, SEO etc.
You wouldn’t start a startup by hiring a bunch of people without a tool or an idea to work on, or buy an office or expensive work management solution for a startup of 3 people without developing a product and taking it to market first. So why treat experimentation that way?
This companion course to our High Risk Deployments / Tactical Building Search Course can be scheduled either before or after the Tactical Building Search class. It deals primarily with suspect encounters to ensure the highest likelihood of K9 engagement and proper tactical applications for street encounters. Three day class, 24 hours of instruction, working slots open to LE only, approved civilian auditors are also welcome.
High Risk Deployments & E-Collar Harrisburg PA April 2023.docTarheel Canine
This class will take place over 3 nights, 24 hours of instruction, and be open to Law Enforcement K-9 handlers and supervisors. The class will be open to up to 15 handler/dog teams. Spectators, including supervisors are welcome to attend. The class will comprise both classroom instruction and practical street work. Classroom work will cover tactical approaches, deployments, and apprehensions, using trained police dogs in building/area searches, felony vehicle stops and other scenario based high risk applications. Instruction will also cover the tactics of integration of K9 teams with back-up officer in high risk scenarios. Additional instruction will cover proper decoy techniques for HRD applications, including proper use of bite suit, hidden sleeve and muzzle. The methods taught in this seminar allow for safer approaches to high risk deployments, easier integration into tactical units, and significantly reduced liability exposure. Additionally we will cover progressive use of e-technology for distance control of K9s both in training and under deployment. Explanations of how to train with e-collars, and integrate them into the functions of your K9 unit will be covered in detail.
More Related Content
Similar to Conducting Quality In service K9 Training
Lexipol White Paper: Fire Department Training (Bruce Bjorge)Bigriver911
Training is the backbone of any fire department—it supports every organizational goal and objective. Training translates the department’s vision and mission into action, equipping firefighters to quickly make decisions and take actions in line with organizational values.
As you begin your dog training, it is preferable that you know all the different options you have at your disposal. You can find many types of training in many different places. These types of courses vary in price with each of them has something different to offer both you and your dog.
This article explores how to select K9 handlers from the agency perspective. What work, family life, experience, and personality traits are most important to consider for a long term successful selection.
In this brochure, you will find detailed information about the 3 year professional training in horse coaching by Equiboost.
Find out more about the Filly Class, Seabiscuit Class and Oro's Class now !
New cycle 2014 starts April 16th - registrations now open.
The “Course Topics” series from Manage Train Learn and Slide Topics is a collection of over 4000 slides that will help you master a wide range of management and personal development skills. The 202 PowerPoints in this series offer you a complete and in-depth study of each topic. This presentation is on "Running a Course".
In this project we used the concepts we had learned throughout the quarter, and developed a creative (video advertisement) in addition to the paper, which was fun.
Puppy Training: The Comprehensive Guide to Puppy Training - A Step by Step Activity Guide to: Housebreaking, Crate Training, Puppy Sleep Training and More teaches you all the basics of puppy training.
Dog Owner's Delight: Make Your Dog Obey Every Command With The Most Powerful ...MustakMansuri1
Training is essential for building relationship Training can make the behavior better Training can make him intelligent Training gives a sense of acceptance to dog Proper training can save your time
Optimizely & Photobox - DON'T PANIC: The No-Confusion Experimentation Startup...Optimizely
How do you know where to start with experimentation? What if you don’t have enough information, or simply too much to decide where to begin and where to invest your time/effort/money?
In this breakout session we will cover how to cut the BS by treating experimentation as an “internal services startup”, where the customers are the teams in your business: commercial, trading, marketing, product, SEO etc.
You wouldn’t start a startup by hiring a bunch of people without a tool or an idea to work on, or buy an office or expensive work management solution for a startup of 3 people without developing a product and taking it to market first. So why treat experimentation that way?
Similar to Conducting Quality In service K9 Training (20)
This companion course to our High Risk Deployments / Tactical Building Search Course can be scheduled either before or after the Tactical Building Search class. It deals primarily with suspect encounters to ensure the highest likelihood of K9 engagement and proper tactical applications for street encounters. Three day class, 24 hours of instruction, working slots open to LE only, approved civilian auditors are also welcome.
High Risk Deployments & E-Collar Harrisburg PA April 2023.docTarheel Canine
This class will take place over 3 nights, 24 hours of instruction, and be open to Law Enforcement K-9 handlers and supervisors. The class will be open to up to 15 handler/dog teams. Spectators, including supervisors are welcome to attend. The class will comprise both classroom instruction and practical street work. Classroom work will cover tactical approaches, deployments, and apprehensions, using trained police dogs in building/area searches, felony vehicle stops and other scenario based high risk applications. Instruction will also cover the tactics of integration of K9 teams with back-up officer in high risk scenarios. Additional instruction will cover proper decoy techniques for HRD applications, including proper use of bite suit, hidden sleeve and muzzle. The methods taught in this seminar allow for safer approaches to high risk deployments, easier integration into tactical units, and significantly reduced liability exposure. Additionally we will cover progressive use of e-technology for distance control of K9s both in training and under deployment. Explanations of how to train with e-collars, and integrate them into the functions of your K9 unit will be covered in detail.
HME & Large Hide Seminar 2023 May 12 Tarheel Canine.docTarheel Canine
This is a one day seminar in association with Tripwire Operations Group where we will break down the class among 4 Police K9 instructors to provide exposure to both home-made explosives (HME) as well as large quantity high/low explosive hides. The class will be open to up to 18 handler/dog teams in order to maximize the number of repetitions and scenarios we can provide. LE, registered security companies, or Military only. Spectators, including supervisors and trainers are welcome to attend at the audit rate. The class will mainly be hands on runs of the HME and large hides. The opportunities to run your operational dogs on these hides don’t come around often! Trainers Thomas Blandino, Jerry Bradshaw, Courtney Mills and Taylor Jones will address any deficiencies noted in the teams, and provide problem solving and training plans moving forward.
Police K9 Decoy- Mitchell County NC March 2023.docxTarheel Canine
A lack of decoy skill will reflect in the poor performance of patrol dogs. There is no way around it, decoy skills in the police K9 world need to improve to have the performance of patrol K9s improve. The good news is, these skills can be taught.
This class will take place over 3 working days, 24 hours of instruction, and be open to Law Enforcement/Military participants. The class will be open to up to 15 participants. Supervisors are welcome to attend. The class will comprise both classroom instruction and practical decoy work. Classroom work will cover reading K9 behavior during controlled aggression, drive manipulation, and goal setting for training sessions. Practical instruction will include proper technique in the suit and hidden sleeve. Proper mechanics for safely catching police dogs in training, and techniques to work dogs to their goals in foundation and skills training will be covered in depth.
Police K9 Decoy- Deschutes County OR April 2023.docxTarheel Canine
A lack of decoy skill will reflect in the poor performance of patrol dogs. There is no way around it, decoy skills in the police K9 world need to improve to have the performance of patrol K9s improve. The good news is, these skills can be taught.
This class will take place over 3 working days, 24 hours of instruction, and be open to Law Enforcement/Military participants. The class will be open to up to 15 participants. Supervisors are welcome to attend. The class will comprise both classroom instruction and practical decoy work. Classroom work will cover reading K9 behavior during controlled aggression, drive manipulation, and goal setting for training sessions. Practical instruction will include proper technique in the suit and hidden sleeve. Proper mechanics for safely catching police dogs in training, and techniques to work dogs to their goals in foundation and skills training will be covered in depth.
HME & Large Hide Seminar 2023 February 9 Tarheel Canine.docTarheel Canine
This is a one day seminar in association with Tripwire Operations Group where we will break down the class among 4 Police K9 instructors to provide exposure to both home-made explosives (HME) as well as large quantity high/low explosive hides. The class will be open to up to 18 handler/dog teams in order to maximize the number of repetitions and scenarios we can provide. LE, registered security companies, or Military only. Spectators, including supervisors and trainers are welcome to attend at the audit rate. The class will mainly be hands on runs of the HME and large hides. The opportunities to run your operational dogs on these hides don’t come around often! Trainers Thomas Blandino, Jerry Bradshaw, Courtney Mills and Taylor Jones will address any deficiencies noted in the teams, and provide problem solving and training plans moving forward.
Police K9 Decoy Seminar Rock Hill SC October 2022.docTarheel Canine
A lack of decoy skill will reflect in the poor performance of patrol dogs. There is no way around it, decoy skills in the police K9 world need to improve to have the performance of patrol K9s improve. The good news is, these skills can be taught.
This class will take place over 3 working days, 24 hours of instruction, and be open to Law Enforcement/Military participants. The class will be open to up to 15 participants. Supervisors are welcome to attend. The class will comprise both classroom instruction and practical decoy work. Classroom work will cover reading K9 behavior during controlled aggression, drive manipulation, and goal setting for training sessions. Practical instruction will include proper technique in the suit and hidden sleeve. Proper mechanics for safely catching police dogs in training, and techniques to work dogs to their goals in foundation and skills training will be covered in depth.
Police K9 Decoy Seminar DE State Police 2022.docTarheel Canine
The decoy is the mechanism for operant conditioning of patrol behaviors, learn how to properly work Police K9 Patrol Dogs at this seminar. Proper catch techniques for suit, hidden sleeve, upper body and leg targeting, fendeds, passive subjects, prone passive techniques, redirects, as well as properly decoying for outs, recalls and ground fighting!
Police K9 Decoy Seminar Meagher County MT 2022.docTarheel Canine
This is a 3 day police k9 decoy seminar where students will learn catching technique, upper and lower body targeting, ground fighting, proper technique for decoying patrol skills of out/redirects/ recalls. And much more!
Police K9 Decoy Seminar DE State Police May 2022.docTarheel Canine
This will be a 3 day police k9 decoy seminar where participants will learn the skills of upper and lower body targeting in a bite suit, proper use and delivery of hidden sleeves, civil aggression techniques, and more!
This is a week-long seminar, 5 training days, where the first 3 days will consist of a police K9 decoy seminar and the last 2 days will be High Risk Deployments seminar where we will use the decoy skills in scenario based training.
High Risk Deployments & E-Collar Seminar Sanford NC Tarheel Canine
Scenario based training in high risk K,9 scenarios including building search, area search, high risk vehicle stops, skills transitions in a night training setting.
Police K9 Decoy Seminar will cover foundation work, drive channeling, catching drills on the suit, triceps, biceps, legs (primary and secondary targeting), fended, skills such as decoying for out, redirect and recall drills, stopped apprehensions, ground fighting, and more!
This is a one day seminar in association with Tripwire Operations Group where we will break down the class among 4 Police K9 instructors to provide exposure to both home-made explosives (HME) as well as large quantity high/low explosive hides. The class will be open to up to 18 handler/dog teams in order to maximize the number of repetitions and scenarios we can provide. LE, registered security companies, or Military only. Spectators, including supervisors and trainers are welcome to attend at the audit rate. The class will mainly be hands on runs of the HME and large hides. The opportunities to run your operational dogs on these hides don’t come around often! Trainers Thomas Blandino, Jerry Bradshaw, Ben Lipinski and Taylor Jones will address any deficiencies noted in the teams, and provide problem solving and training plans moving forward.
Police k9 decoy_seminar_louisville ky october 2021Tarheel Canine
Police K9 Decoy seminar covers sleeve and suit work for the police K9 decoy with an emphasis on both safe catching technique as well as applications to patrol skills such as redirects, equipment orientation, outs and more!
High risk deployments e collar seminar (ocean city pd november 2021)Tarheel Canine
HRD seminar for police K9. Tactical Building search, area search, vehicle extractions, in a scenario driven seminar. Challenge your dogs in training so you are ready operationally.
PSA Handling & Problem Solving Seminar June 2021Tarheel Canine
Jerry Bradshaw & Ben Lepinski host a PSA handling & problem solving seminar for all levels in PSA. Get tuned up for competition, and get feedback and a training plan for any issues you have been struggling with in obedience or protection! Two of the most accomplished PSA trainers of the last 5 years will help you build your training program to achieve your goals.
Is your favorite ring slipping and sliding on your finger? You're not alone. Must Read this Guide on What To Do If Your Ring Is Too Big as shared by the experts of Andrews Jewelers.
Johnny Depp Long Hair: A Signature Look Through the Yearsgreendigital
Johnny Depp, synonymous with eclectic roles and unparalleled acting prowess. has also been a significant figure in fashion and style. Johnny Depp long hair is a distinctive trademark among the various elements that define his unique persona. This article delves into the evolution, impact. and cultural significance of Johnny Depp long hair. exploring how it has contributed to his iconic status.
Follow us on: Pinterest
Introduction
Johnny Depp is an actor known for his chameleon-like ability to transform into a wide range of characters. from the eccentric Captain Jack Sparrow in "Pirates of the Caribbean" to the introspective Edward Scissorhands. His long hair is one constant throughout his evolving roles and public appearances. Johnny Depp long hair is not a style choice but a significant aspect of his identity. contributing to his allure and mystique. This article explores the journey and significance of Johnny Depp long hair. highlighting how it has become integral to his brand.
The Early Years: A Budding Star with Signature Locks
1980s: The Rise of a Young Heartthrob
Johnny Depp's journey in Hollywood began in the 1980s. with his breakout role in the television series "21 Jump Street." During this time, his hair was short, but it was already clear that Depp had a penchant for unique and edgy styles. By the decade's end, Depp started experimenting with longer hair. setting the stage for a lifelong signature.
1990s: From Heartthrob to Icon
The 1990s were transformative for Johnny Depp his career and personal style. Films like "Edward Scissorhands" (1990) and "Benny & Joon" (1993) saw Depp sporting various hair lengths and styles. But, his long, unkempt hair in "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" (1993) began to draw significant attention. This period marked the beginning of Johnny Depp long hair. which became a defining feature of his image.
The Iconic Roles: Hair as a Character Element
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
In "Edward Scissorhands," Johnny Depp's character had a wild and mane that complemented his ethereal and misunderstood persona. This role showcased how long hair Johnny Depp could enhance a character's depth and mystery.
Captain Jack Sparrow: The Pirate with Flowing Locks
One of Johnny Depp's iconic roles is Captain Jack Sparrow from the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series. Sparrow's long, dreadlocked hair symbolised his rebellious and unpredictable nature. The character's look, complete with beads and trinkets woven into his hair. was a collaboration between Depp and the film's costume designers. This style became iconic and influenced fashion trends and Halloween costumes worldwide.
Other Memorable Characters
Depp's long hair has also been featured in other roles, such as Ichabod Crane in "Sleepy Hollow" (1999). and Roux in "Chocolat" (2000). In these films, his hair added a layer of authenticity and depth to his characters. proving that Johnny Depp with long hair is more than a style—it's a storytelling tool.
Off-Screen Influenc
MRS PUNE 2024 - WINNER AMRUTHAA UTTAM JAGDHANEDK PAGEANT
Amruthaa Uttam Jagdhane, a stunning woman from Pune, has won the esteemed title of Mrs. India 2024, which is given out by the Dk Exhibition. Her journey to this prestigious accomplishment is a confirmation of her faithful assurance, extraordinary gifts, and profound commitment to enabling women.
Care Instructions for Activewear & Swim Suits.pdfsundazesurf80
SunDaze Surf offers top swimwear tips: choose high-quality, UV-protective fabrics to shield your skin. Opt for secure fits that withstand waves and active movement. Bright colors enhance visibility, while adjustable straps ensure comfort. Prioritize styles with good support, like racerbacks or underwire tops, for active beach days. Always rinse swimwear after use to maintain fabric integrity.
Have you ever wondered about the lost city of Atlantis and its profound connection to our modern world? Ruth Elisabeth Hancock’s podcast, “Visions of Atlantis,” delves deep into this intriguing topic in a captivating conversation with Michael Le Flem, author of the enlightening book titled “Visions of Atlantis.” This podcast episode offers a thought-provoking blend of historical inquiry, esoteric wisdom, and contemporary reflections. Let’s embark on a journey of discovery as we unpack the mysteries of ancient civilizations and their relevance to our present existence.
From Stress to Success How Oakland's Corporate Wellness Programs are Cultivat...Kitchen on Fire
Discover how Oakland's innovative corporate wellness initiatives are transforming workplace culture, nurturing the well-being of employees, and fostering a thriving environment. From comprehensive mental health support to flexible work arrangements and holistic wellness workshops, these programs are empowering individuals to navigate stress effectively, leading to increased productivity, satisfaction, and overall success.
La transidentité, un sujet qui fractionne les FrançaisIpsos France
Ipsos, l’une des principales sociétés mondiales d’études de marché dévoile les résultats de son étude Ipsos Global Advisor “Pride 2024”. De ses débuts aux Etats-Unis et désormais dans de très nombreux pays, le mois de juin est traditionnellement consacré aux « Marches des Fiertés » et à des événements festifs autour du concept de Pride. A cette occasion, Ipsos a réalisé une enquête dans vingt-six pays dressant plusieurs constats. Les clivages des opinions entre générations s’accentuent tandis que le soutien à des mesures sociétales et d’inclusion en faveur des LGBT+ notamment transgenres continue de s’effriter.
2. In my last article in the Journal, Training and Supervision of a
New K9 Unit, we touched on the very important topic of in service
hours. The industry standard for monthly in service training hours,
across all disciplines (detection, tracking, apprehension, obedience,
and agility) is 16 hours a month. Most major certification organizations including the USPCA, NPCA, NAPWDA and NTPDA
endorse a minimum of 16 hours of training a month. I cannot emphasize enough that this is a minimum standard. This is also a minimum
standard per team. If your dog is a single purpose narcotics detection
dog, your mandatory minimum is 16 hours. If your dog is multi-purpose
narcotics detection, tracking, apprehension K9, your industry standard is
also 16 hours!
One would imagine that if your dog has more than one area of proficiency, that more training time would be a good idea. If you see the flaw here,
you get it. This is a minimum, and if you want to be really successful, you need to
do more than the minimum. Many excellent programs with which I have familiarity,
allow for twice this minimum each month and it shows in their preparation for deployments.
If you fall below this minimum number of hours per month per K9 team, you can be opening your department up to a lawsuit for negligent training or negligent supervision. If a dog makes an
apprehension, or a large drug/money seizure, and your training comes into question, failure to train to industry
standard and common practice this will surely be used against you. It is imperative that you conduct the minimum hours
of training across all disciplines every month.
Many agencies use the excuse that there isn’t time for this training, however, would they make the same argument for proper training in
the use of a firearm, ASP baton, or Taser? Proper training for any piece of equipment including your K9 is critical. Proper in service training
maintains both the proficiency of the K9 itself and of the handler deploying said K9. Remember, case law addresses these issues of failure to
train and failure to supervise. You do not want, either as a handler or a supervisor, to be caught on the wrong side of this requirement.
Typically, K9 handlers will do some of the monthly training on their own or with other handlers on shift (and yes, I am going to say it,
on their off time). Many police officers choose to go to the range on their off time, knowing that proficiency with a firearm could save their
life regardless if they are being paid for that hour. Many go to the Gym on their off time, knowing that their fitness could be the difference
between going home or not, should a life or death struggle ensue. The top K9 handlers also do some training of their K9 partners on their
off time, to ensure they have a seamless relationship, a proper ability to communicate, and their dog’s performance exceeds the minimum
standards, knowing that their preparation as a team, and the K9’s skills must be the best that they can be if something goes sideways on a
deployment. K9 officers are often the first to go to the most dangerous situations, and preparation is critical. K9 officers are involved in
shootings at a much higher rate than regular patrol officers.
86
The Journal • Fall/Winter 2013
3. Selecting a training group
In addition to doing some training at home or on shift, most K9
officers will be a part of a larger local or regional training group, or go
back to their vendor for a portion of the 16 hour monthly minimum
of training hours. Selecting a training group that is going to help you
achieve your goals, maintain certification, and focus on honing your
skills for daily usage of your K9 is no easy task.
Not all training groups are led by experienced trainers, and
unfortunately, too many K9 trainers have a “My Way or the
Highway” philosophy and aren’t interested in your input into training, nor taking into consideration how your dog was trained and if
the training they suggest will complement or conflict with what your
dog knows.
Handlers v. Trainers
Many groups are handlers that get together to help one another,
and there may not be an actual trainer in the group. I think it is critical to make a clear distinction between a handler and a trainer. Just
like every cop must master his firearm in order to be able to perform
his duty, not every cop is a firearms instructor, able to troubleshoot
performance issues in other people. Being a K9 handler no matter for how many years, does not necessarily prepare someone to
be a trainer, able to diagnose and solve training problems other K9
teams may be experiencing. An instructor should know, inside and
out, learning theory as it applies to K9s, both operant and classical
conditioning, understand how to reduce complex trained behaviors
to essential components, and be familiar with canine behavior in
general. But that’s not all.
A trainer must be able to explain a particular training progression, for instance, how to train a building search from beginning to
end, and all the essential variables involved, and how to manipulate
them during the progression of training. A trainer must be familiar
with pitfalls in any training progression, where problems may be
expected to show up, and how to make proper, reasoned, and skillful adjustments based on actual experience. Dog training is both a
science and an art. One must know the science behind what is being
done, or asked of the dog, and also be familiar with the application of
the principles to a living being. All too often, handlers think because
they were able to train successfully with their dog, that they are an
expert in something other than, just their dog. A trainer has a range
of experience, perhaps training multiple dogs from start to finish,
and having gone through a respected trainer course, where both the
science of training is learned, as well as having the opportunity to
practice on real dogs in training.
No matter how much handling experience one may have, being
a trainer requires another level of dedication. If you are interested in
joining a training group, there should be some objective yardsticks
used to measure the skill of the trainer who will now be overseeing
your dog’s training. They should be trained as a trainer, and be able
to adapt to training progressions you are already working on (training is never finished) and know how what you are doing fits into
how he thinks about training. Broad experience and a lack of ego are
critical. The most insecure and unskilled trainers are ones who are
the most “dominant” and use appeals to their experience and authority to gain compliance from their groups rather than results. If they
disagree with you they should be able to explain why they disagree, if
not in the middle of the training, at a minimum after it’s done. They
should want you to get on board with their philosophy, and be able
to have that philosophy make sense, and be willing to explain it. If
the dogs in the training group are poorly trained, unproductive, or
the methods and philosophies are very different from how your dog
was trained, find another place to train. Do not let mere convenience
screw up your dog. Changing training philosophies and methods just
to “fit in” is a common occurrence among K9 handlers, and is done
at the detriment of your K9’s performance and can result in him
becoming confused and as a consequence can create major problems
in performance.
Scenario Training
v. Certification Training
As you check out an in service group, also look at some other
things to help you make your decision. In service training is unfortunately often designed around running certification exercises over
and over again. This is a really big waste of time. Training should be
designed to promote goals in training. Your trainer should explain
what goals (in the short run and in the long run) you are trying
to achieve (better threat identification on passive subjects, better
distance control on the out, quicker and more fluid outs, stronger
grips, more neutrality to the handler approaching the dog on the
bite, better odor recognition, more stamina on long tracks to name
a few). These goals should be mostly focused on preparing you and
your dog in a scenario based context for deployments you will likely
encounter in your work, from detection to tracking to apprehension.
You should prepare for a level of proficiency well above certification. Your training should incorporate elements of skills that will be
required for certification, so that your certification exercises will be
relatively easy compared to the deployment scenarios you are running in in service training.
Further, as each dog/handler team has different experience, different strengths and different weaknesses, training exercises, drills,
and scenarios should be designed to be run to make adjustments for
individual dogs in the training group. If you see every dog (rookie
K9 to 5 years on the road) doing exactly the same training in every
phase you are wasting your time with that training group. Trainers
make adjustments. They make adjustments for skill level, handler
skill, and design scenarios and drills to build on strengths and remediate weaknesses, and teach lessons. If these adjustments aren’t being
made, training is poorly designed as “one size fits all.”
In order to maximize productive training time, join a smaller
group if you can. This will reduce dead time (an unfortunate by
product of our work due to the need for odor-based training to
allow for permeation times), and allow for more time to talk through
training, individualize training, and to debrief performances to learn
how to design the next training exercises to build upon successes, or
remediate any deficiencies exposed.
Smaller groups can also allow for varying training environments,
meeting up at different places to train (don’t always train in the same
building or the same field), or meeting up on the road. Smaller
groups can encourage handlers to speak about their experiences,
challenges they have encountered in real life deployments. As an
example of the flexibility of smaller groups, they can arrange to park
away from one another (the great gathering of K9 vehicles in one
parking lot is a signal to the dog that training is going to happen – a
remarkable fact of classical conditioning) to make training scenarios
that much more realistic for the dog.
Fall/Winter 2013 • The Journal
87
4. Align your Training
Philosophies
When you visit a training group, make sure that the group’s general philosophy about training and deploying a police K9 is in line
with the philosophy behind your team’s training.
Look at things such as reward methodology in detection, whether the group has skilled and trained decoys, whether they insist on
proper targeting training (see the link to my training articles at the
end of this piece for an explanation of this and other training philosophies). If you and your K9 have been trained in the progressive
way of deploying building searches using a long line and employing
a systematic clear, down and cover methodology, don’t just give it up
because nobody else in the group does it!
Some groups believe in allowing a detection dog to do his job
with minimal handler influence, and other more old school trainers
have the handler constantly presenting every crack and seam in a
room. This over- handling in detection can create massive problems
in a dog that is used to being independent and having the handler
just make sure that a room has been thoroughly sniffed. Does the
training you see incorporate tactics? Is equipment orientation something that is being created by poor decoy work or neglect of human
orientation drills? Are enough blank areas being used in the detection
problems, especially for the explosives dogs, or are all dogs doing the
same things every time. Make sure e-collars aren’t being wantonly
used without proper instruction, and thus creating confusion and
conflict behavior in the dog. Can anyone explain the methodology
behind the use of the e-collar?
There will always be minor differences in training philosophy,
and minor differences can and should be tolerated in any group.
Every dog doesn’t need to be trained with the same cookie cutter
approach. A good training director will be able to help you realize
why these differences might exist. All training should be a mixture
of component training, full scenarios, drills, and fundamentals.
Training should be well thought out, and challenging and inspire
you to get better. There should be time spent on each area of training
from detection to tracking/trailing to patrol/apprehension based on
the mandatory minimums and the needs of each team that day.
Problems
Imagine you graduate from your basic school, get certified and
are on the road. You are going to in-service training and you see a
problem start to come up. Let’s say the out on command starts to get
progressively slower and now your dog is fighting the out. The first
thing you must do, despite being in a training group, is seek help
from the trainer that knows your dog best. Contact the trainer in the
academy that trained you and your dog to be sure it isn’t something
you are doing now that is encouraging the problem. I cannot tell
you how many months can be wasted with in service groups struggling over a problem, that could have been dealt with by the vendor
or academy trainer that originally trained the dog. Seek help from
vendors before you make things worse. I cannot tell you how many
times I have heard the phrase, “Our group’s trainer has 30 years’
experience and we have tried everything.” No, you have tried everything he knows, and it is also possible he has been a mediocre trainer
(or just a glorified handler not a trained trainer) for 30 years. Maybe
he stopped learning 20 years ago, and hasn’t kept up on new developments in the field, or new techniques, or maybe he isn’t familiar
88
The Journal • Fall/Winter 2013
with how this particular dog was trained. Remember experience and
authority are not arguments for being right. “Appeal to authority” is
considered to be a logical fallacy of argumentation, yet it exists in the
Police K9 community in a big way.
The only things to consider when dealing with a problem
behavior are: what was actually done to remedy the problem and
how it was carried out, and what did the result teach us about the
problem. Theory can be poorly applied in training – you can have
the right idea about what to do but carry out the training poorly. You
can also have the wrong idea about the problem, but carry out the
plan based on that poor diagnosis perfectly. To be complete you can
have a poor plan and also execute the poor plan poorly! In any case
you will likely not make headway.
Diagnosing the problem properly is critical. E.g. let’s say when
the team started with this in service group they started making the
dog do all his outs as “out and recall” and providing no rewards for
the act of releasing, only punishment when the out is refused, a
typical strategy because out and recall is standard in many certifications, and let’s be honest it is what all the other handlers are doing!
If the dog has a hard temperament, he likely would begin fighting
the punishment, because he is used to being rewarded for releasing
properly, and that has been changed from his former training protocol. (Imagine if a trainer stopped rewarding dogs for finding drugs or
explosives, we would think that is crazy, but handlers and trainers fail
to reward outs properly all the time). This change in training results
in the conflict over possession of the decoy. Therefore either the out
needs to be changed back to an out and guard where the release can
be properly rewarded on a variable basis to alleviate the conflict,
or the out and recall must be set up to properly to reward the dog
for releasing and recalling to the handler by a mixture of warm and
cold redirect drills. In my vast experience with such problem cases
the “tried everything” doesn’t include these things at the heart of the
issue. Usually “tried everything” means more punishment for failing
to release. That only causes the dog to fight against the training more
and more creating a vicious circle.
Creating your own unit
training group
Many K9 units are taking the initiative to send a senior handler
through an instructor course, so that training can be run within the
agency’s K9 unit more seamlessly, and the instructor will have the
benefit of having learned the theory and how to apply it in training progressions and drills. I think every unit should have a desig-
5. nated trainer who has been through a proper course to assist the unit
with monthly in service, problem solving, and to help frame problems
to come up with good solutions, or at a minimum feel comfortable
reaching out to those who certified him as a trainer to get input on
problems.
Conclusions
Getting home from an academy or a private trainer
with your certified K9 is just the beginning of the
process of keeping your dog proficient, and advancing him beyond basic competency. I always try
to explain to our new K9 teams that graduating
basic school is just the beginning, like when you
came out of your police academy. There is still
much to be learned. Just as your in-service
as a police officer, mixed in with your street
experience makes you grow year after year
as an effective law enforcement officer,
we should attach the same expectations
to the K9 team. They should grow
year after year, in proficiency, experience, and ability. Certifications should
get easier year after year, and the team
will have trained well above basic competency. Your dog should become more and
more efficient in locating contraband, tracking
suspects, and making apprehensions, if your inservice training is being done properly and challenging the dog to become better and better.
Jerry Bradshaw is Training Director & President of Tarheel
Canine Training, Inc. in Sanford, North Carolina. Jerry has
been training dogs for competitive protection sports since
1991, and has competed in National Championship trials
in both Schutzhund and PSA, winning the PSA National
Championships in 2003 with his dog Ricardo v.d. Natuurzicht
PSA 3. Jerry has trained many Belgian Malinois to the highest titles in the sports in which he competed including Arrow
of Tigerpaws , SchH 3, BH; Ben von Lowenfels, SchH 2,
BH; Rocky de la Maison Des Lions PSA 3; and Ricardo v.d.
Natuurzicht PH 1, PSA 3.
Tarheel Canine Training Inc. is a nationally renowned
training facility for police service dogs, and has placed
trained police dogs at federal, state and local law enforcement agencies nationally and internationally since 1993.
Jerry is often a featured speaker at national police K9
conferences, and travels extensively giving seminars to
police departments, the US Military, and sport trainers
across the United States. Jerry has written a book,
Controlled Aggression, which is rapidly becoming the
standard text for understanding the fundamentals of
canine aggression training for police service, personal protection, and competitive dog sports. Jerry also
maintains a free blog at www.tarheelcanine.com.
Many of the training concepts mentioned in
this article are covered in depth in published articles
available on the Tarheel Canine website at
www.tarheelcanine.com/media-area/training-articles/
Please feel free to make your handlers, trainers, and training groups aware of this resource.
Fall/Winter 2013 • The Journal
89