Course Overview
Students will learn how to train the behaviors needed in effective police dogs and/or military working dogs. Our police dog trainer school provides a full focus upon K9 training and includes basic and advanced obedience as well as practical hands-on lessons in tactical insertions, report writing, case law and more. The course is taught from a balanced training approach. You will learn about training equipment, record keeping, tracking, explosives and narcotics detection, drive development, first aid and much more. Using real-life situations, trainers will learn what it takes to train effective K9 units from the start to finished product. Students desiring to train pet dogs, handle canine behavioral issues, and hone business ownership skills may add-on the Obedience/Behavior course, which begins six weeks prior to the K9 Instructor course.
Learn how to train police dogs, tracking dogs, scent detection dogs and more. Graduates will be ready to hit the ground running and start training active police/military/security dogs upon graduation. The K9 Instructor course excludes Human Remains Detection and Search/Rescue (these skills are included into the Master Trainer Course and the Cadaver Detection course).
This course is included in our Master Trainer program. Applications must be received in our office no later than two weeks prior to the start date. Custom start dates can be arranged for groups. A group discount is available for groups of 5 or more.
Please note: All students in this course will be involved as a decoy, helper, and handler. This will include bite-work with dogs in real-life settings. While safety measures will be in place, injury and/or death is a possibility. Those who are unwilling to be involved in this element of training should not apply to the K9 Instructor course
Both financial aid and/or lodging is available, if needed. With our competitive financing options, you can take this awesome course for as little as $139/month.* Sorry, we do not accept VA education or voc rehab benefits.
*Rates and terms will vary according to individual credit score, co-signer (if any), and amount of down payment.
Classes in this course begin April 14 and August 11, 2025
This course meets M-F from 9am to approximately 4pm
(Depending upon class size, weather, number of dogs to train, etc)
Classes are held on-site at our facility near Spencer, IN.
Graduates receive certification as a K9 Instructor.
Six-Week Course
$5,700
What You Will Learn
- Understand the concepts behind efficient training
- Diagnose training problems and formulate a plan to overcome them
- Recognize health issues of the canine and be able to administer emergency first aid
- Select solid candidates for Police K9 dog prospects
- Understand how to train the detection dog from start to finish
- Comprehend case law that affects utilization of a K9
- Conduct practical agility
- Instruct handlers, K9 supervisors, and the K9
- Handle tracking/trailing dogs dependably
- Recognize canine behavior on the track
- Engage and neutralize a suspect
- Recognize inferior qualities that would hinder reliable K9 work
- Recognize the variety of equipment used in K9 training
- Utilize equipment effectively, properly, and safely
- Learn how to be a great decoy (helper, agitator)
- Teach tracking/trailing searches in various environments
- Learn about Osphresiology and how it affects the search
- Conduct SWAT operations with the K9
- Learn how to work with the dog – not against him; bringing out the best in the dog
- Understand how genetics, upbringing, and training technique will influence the final product
- Understand the need for real-life training and certifications
- Enhance the dog’s drives
- Utilize patrol containment techniques
Curriculum Outline
- Conditioning
- Phases of Training
- Correction vs. Reward
- Basic and Advanced
- Proper use of a Prong collar
- Proper use of a Remote collar
- Canine CPR
- Canine First Aid
- Kennel Management
- Confidence Development
- The Trailing Dog
- Osphresiology
- Narcotics and Explosives Detection
- Puppy
- Adult
- Puppy development
- Prey Drive
- Defense Drive Hunting Ability
- Bite Sleeves
- Bite Suit
- Muzzle
- Proper Handling Techniques
- Agitation
- Working the Grip
- Target Biting
- Channeling Drives
- Scent Theory
- Variable Surface Trailing
- Scent Discrimination Trailing
- Problem Solving
- Patrol Containment Techniques
- Building Searches
- Open Area Searches
- K9 Swat Integration
- Problem Solving
- Case law
- Tactical Insertions
- Search & Seizure
- History of K9 training
- Real-life Scenario training
- Imprinting Target Odor
- Simple Direct Association
- Deferred Response
- Other Detection Training Methods
- Search Methods
- Vehicle Searches
- Building Searches
- Teaching the Alert
- Problem Solving
- Proofing
