2023 COURSE DATES NOW AVAILABLE

This graduate training workshop will expose participants to types of service dogs, related terminology, and service dog trainer ethics. Students will learn the importance of proper client and dog selection when forming service dog teams. Standards of behaviors for service dogs and public access expectations are covered.

Service Dog Training requires continual creative problem solving by trainers to match dogs to the unique abilities and needs of disabled individuals. Graduates are exposed to many facets of training including necessary critical thinking skills to meet the recipient’s individual needs. The classroom and workshop instruction provide a foundation for participants to train service dogs and handlers. This unit covers:

• Evaluation of individual service dog candidates and their special training needs
• Selection of dogs for service training including temperament, physical, and socialization assessment
• Obedience training and socialization foundations needed for service dogs
• Retrieval of dropped items and counter retrieval
• Pulling wheelchairs, activating switches, and other specialized training challenges
• Education and public relations with service dog recipients

This graduate training workshop introduces students how to utilize a dog’s advanced sense of smell. Because of their keen sense of smell, dogs can assist us with locating lost individuals, disaster survivors, cadaver remains, narcotics, explosives, and more. This graduate training workshop’s classroom and workshop instruction will provide an overview and hands-on experience in the basics of:

• Types of detection training
• Evaluation and selection of dogs for detection training
• Odor imprinting and training aids
• Scent training, search scenarios, and search patterns
• Detection dog handling techniques, equipment, and training records
• Reading of scenting dog’s body language
• Advanced Utility training to teach dogs to jump over obstacles, climb, navigate on moving or unstable objects, and other skills that may be required of dogs in civil duty

This graduate training workshop expands on the information covered in the Scent Detection unit by introducing students to dogs’ ability to track and trail lost or elusive people. This introduction to tracking and trailing will expose students to the following in classroom and workshop instruction:

• Evaluating and selecting dogs for tracking and trailing training
• Foundation training and teaching the dog soft-mouth retrieval for greater reliability while tracking and trailing
• Basic handling techniques and equipment
• Use of a scent article and article finds
• Uses and differences of air scenting versus tracking and trailing
• Search patterns and techniques
• Impact of environment, geography, and the effects of weather conditions
• Continued concentrated reading of canine body language

The goal of Personal Protection Training is to teach qualified dogs how to recognize a threat on command towards their owner/handler and refine a dog’s natural protective instincts to provide owner-controlled defense. Although some dogs do not readily show aggression, they do possess the ability to protect their owners. This form of training prepares the dog to defend his/her owner on command by naturally enhancing the dog’s suspicion level and building their confidence.

One of the greatest benefits in learning to train dogs in protection work is that the students thoroughly learn how to recognize the difference between real aggression and “bluff” or defensive-type aggression. Students who are not certain they will train dogs for protection, find that this part of the course greatly improves their ability to read and deal with all sorts of aggression problems during customer evaluations and obedience training, regardless of the breed or size of dog.

Emphasis is placed on the safety of both the dog and owner. Students also are taught to evaluate the limitations of a protection trained dog. All forms of training to control aggression are accomplished and refined without physical abuse by utilizing the dog’s natural abilities while retaining his/her out-going and friendly personality.  Participants will experience:

• How to evaluate a dog to determine if she/he has the potential to become a protection dog
• How to evaluate and access an individual customer’s need for a personal protection dog
• How to enhance a dog’s natural defensive abilities and increase their confidence level
• The art of civil agitation through naturally raising the dog’s suspicion level by participating in agitation sessions in supervised workshops
• Concentrated reading of canine body language
• Personal protection training involves students to be in good health and physical condition. Please contact the school to speak with an instructor if you have any questions.

The National K-9 School Dog Trainers will also offer other on-going education opportunities related to dog training, behavior, and care. Topics and subject matter may include more information related to dog training, health, nutrition, care, sports, therapy, and more. The school for dog trainers welcomes and encourages graduates to submit requests for on-going education opportunities.