k-9 Training Courses

Our basic K9 handler's course is designed to equip K9 teams with the skills and knowledge needed to work a K9 on patrol. Recognizing that a K9 is a significant investment for agencies, we emphasize the importance of properly caring for the K9, both day-to-day and during emergencies or traumatic events. Handlers are trained in essential areas such as obedience, scent detection, tracking, and tactical deployment, while also focusing on the handler’s ability to maintain control in high-pressure situations. The courses require teams to operate in a variety of challenging, real-world environments, improving effectiveness and instilling confidence in new teams. Additionally, we stress the importance of sound, fundamental safety tactics when working with a K9, as handlers often face dangerous challenges in the field. Real-time field instruction and feedback are integral to our courses, allowing handlers to refine their skills, improve their decision-making abilities, and enhance their overall performance in every exercise.   

Our K9 Decoy course is specifically designed to train individuals in the techniques of working as a decoy for K9 teams in law enforcement and security settings. This course teaches participants how to safely and effectively develop K-9s building into presentation as a realistic suspect. Trainees will learn the proper use of protective gear, effective timing, and body positioning to get the desired behavior. Our decoy course maintains strict safety protocols while insuring efficient and impactful training sessions to improve the K9 Team.

Our K9 Maintenance Course is designed for agencies looking to establish a structured, year-round program that assesses, develops, and addresses challenges within their existing K9 teams. Our trainers collaborate with the agency to schedule incremental blocks of instruction that reinforce fundamental skills while advancing the team’s capabilities. The course focuses on identifying and addressing weaknesses observed during deployments or training, ensuring that teams maintain peak performance. Maintenance training includes live scenarios that replicate real-world deployments from across the country, or can be tailored to address specific issues faced by a particular team. These realistic scenarios provide invaluable opportunities for teams to problem-solve and refine their skills in a dynamic environment.

Our training group offers a dedicated, scenario-based block- titled "On the Street" and it is exactly what the name implies. Scenarios are designed to replicate real-world deployments that our team has personally experienced, either on patrol, downrange, or in active operations across the country. These immersive scenarios can be video recorded using stationary, mobile, and drone cameras for detailed assessment and debriefing. The scenarios are highly realistic, incorporating force-on-force weapons and ammunition, costumes, shot boxes, noise, special effects, and carefully selected training locations, vehicles, and personnel tailored to each specific situation. Scenarios can be customized to address the unique needs of your agency or selected from our standard Setpoint scenario library, which has been developed and tested for maximum effectiveness in real-world training.

This course focuses on nose down tracking on grass and crushed vegetation. The course outline caters to law enforcement K-9 certification tracking and civilian title tracking. Students will work on sport style tracking, progressing from short, straight-line tracks to tracks with turns. 

The primary focus for this course is to locate a man for apprehension or search and rescue utilizing the dog's natural hunting skill. Handlers will be taught how to understand and interpret their K9's behavior in relation to finding a person. Topics include tracking vs. trailing, wind scenting, hard surface/urban track-trailing, and tactical considerations during proximity alerts for apprehensions. Course work will accommodate attending Search and Rescue teams. The course caters independently to the level of experience of each attendee.