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SPECIAL REPORT K9 Standards & Training l Successful K9 Teams u The handler should be a leader, self-motivated, openminded, and patient; a person who makes sound decisions both on and off duty. p Like learning a foreign language, a dog���s training is perishable. If skills are not practiced regularly, they will diminish. enough. Your trainer should possess a strong working knowledge of K9 behavior and be able to select high-quality working dogs. Torough selection tests show a trainer the strengths and weaknesses of the dog in question and if this dog will be a good candidate as a police service dog. Quality is more important than quantity. Cost should not be the main factor when selecting a trainer. Prices should be fair, but should you sacrifce quality for the sole purpose of saving money, what you save now you may pay for later. Selecting the Right Trainer Adequate Supervision and Support For agencies that do not have a trainer assigned to their unit, selecting a quality trainer is imperative. A good trainer will try to meet your needs, guarantee their work, and be able to provide references. Do your homework, inquire about the training, and ask how the trainer has addressed any training or other issues that have arisen after the team has left basic K9 training. Meet with prospective trainers and have them perform a demonstration to show you what they have to ofer. Trainers who deal in large volumes do not always provide the best quality service. Tere are largevolume vendors / trainers who consistently provide high-quality dogs and some who consistently provide dogs that possess inadequate traits to fulfll the function in which they are sold. Selecting a K9 Supervisor may be as important to long-term success as selecting the right handler. Tey have to believe in the program, support and promote the program. Supervisors should be involved with their handlers and make regular appearances during K9 maintenance training. A K9 supervisor should be aware of his / her team���s strengths and weaknesses, ensuring the team has what they need and is making adequate progress. K9 supervisors should attend training workshops and also stay current on issues that will afect the unit. A ���hands-on��� approach to K9 team supervision can reduce liability and increase productivity. Like learning a foreign language, a dog���s training is perishable. If skills are not practiced regularly, they will diminish. With all teams, handlers are going to make mistakes that will cause undesired results in K9 behavior. When addressed early, most of these mistakes are minor setbacks and can be fxed without much difculty. However, if these problems are not addressed, they can develop into bigger long-term problems. Due to a lack of experience, new handlers may not initially recognize these problems and not know how to correctly remedy them. New handlers should attend weekly maintenance training with a trainer and experienced handlers. Teams should also be encouraged to attend workshops and advanced training on a regular basis. If you follow these guidelines, you should experience the benefts of a successful K9 program, a program that will be an asset your agency will not ever want to work without. t Selecting a K9 Supervisor may be as important to long-term success as selecting the right handler. Steve Dunham has been a law enforcement K9 handler since 1998. He is the owner of Police Dog Services LLC and currently serves as the Vice President of the Ohio Law Enforcement K9 Association (OLEKA). He can be reached at steve@policedogservices.com. Photos courtesy of Amy Burlile. Post your comments on this story by visiting www.trmagonline.com 14 Tactical Response Mar-Apr 2013