Become a Certified Police Dog Trainer: 7 Essential Steps, Qualifications & Career Benefits

I always wondered how amazing it would be to take my dog on rescue missions, make it catch the cheapest thief or take it hunting with me during my holiday hunting trips. Well! My dog obeys all my simple commands like sit, stand, catch, run and a few others but I was always curious to know how well-trained police dogs obeyed more commands than my own dog.

Well, I realized that they had special trainers for that and the first thing about learning how to train those kinds of dogs was to first become a police officer.

Yeah! You can’t learn how to become a police dog trainer without first being a police officer. You might have had some outside training but you must first join the force, then continue from there.

Becoming a police dog trainer entails a lot because it isn’t for the faint-hearted. There are lots to consider. First and foremost, you must be sure that you want to choose that career path because it isn’t just about training dogs and making them obey commands or taking them on trips with you.

No! It’s a lot more.

This is why I have decided to kill your curiosity and tell you how to go about it and also tell you everything I learnt about it.

So, join me on this educational trip to discovering the secrets of being a good police dog trainer.

We are going to know all it takes it to become a police dog trainer, the importance of becoming one, how to become one, the benefits, the disadvantages, etc.

Let’s move straight to business!

Who is a police dog trainer?

As much as this title is self-explanatory, I would still do justice to it.

A police dog trainer is a police officer who is an expert at handling police dogs.

A police dog is a well-trained dog that is used by police officials to carry out various kinds of security operations for a nation.

A police dog trainer is a person who is in charge of teaching a police dog all the physical and mental skills it needs to help the police make their job easier.

What is the job of a police dog trainer?

The job of a police dog trainer includes:

•  Training a dog to get familiar with useful commands.

•  Training a dog to track and catch animals.

•  Training a dog to Detect explosives and harmful substances.

•  Training a dog to bite dangerous people like thieves.

•  Training a dog to detect drugs.

•  Training it to protect owners and family members of owners.

•  Support the operations of the police guard on daily or night shift services.

•  Go on operational assignments.

•  Train dogs to find evidence to locate a place or a missing person.

•  Keep and take care of a dog after it retires from operations.

Generally, a police dog trainer is trained to train a dog to be beneficial to the police force. They have the sole role of handling the dogs belonging to the force.

How to train a police dog.

Police dogs are trained for various purposes. It is important to note the kind of job you are training a dog for before you begin training.

First, let us list out the kinds of dogs that can be trained as police dogs.

•  German Shepherds

•  Belgian Malinois

•  Airedale Terrier

•  Rottweiler

•  English Springer Spaniel

•  Golden Retriever

•  Bloodhound and a lot more.

These mentioned dogs are commonly used to carry out special police operations.

To train a police dog, you must do the following:

•  Get a strong and healthy dog.

•  The police has to pay for the dog.

•  Teach the dog basic commands.

•  Teach it how to bite bad people and let it know when to stop.

•  Make the dog get familiar with you and its immediate environment.

•  Ensure that the dog is placed on a good diet that keeps its bones and muscles strong and agile.

•  Teach your dogs basic tricks to escape tight situations.

•  Play with the dog very well.

•  Bring in Treats to reward it for good behaviour.

Now, their training comes in different ways depending on their use but the first type of training they must undergo is the;

1. Obedience training

All dogs can be subjected to this particular training because it is the easiest stage.

2. Bite work

All police dogs have to go through this stage also. It takes about 70 days to train. Here, the dog must learn how to bite bad people and learn the ‘out’ command and know when to stop.

3. Agility training

This is also a general training to test their strength and patience.

4. Explosive search

This training is given to dogs that are being trained to sniff out explosives either for the government or for military operations. They are also protective dogs.

5. Drug search

This training is given to dogs that are trained to sniff out hard drugs. It could be at country borders or criminal hideouts.

6. Man-Trailing

Man-trailing is a training given to dogs that serve as aides to help find a missing person.

Now let us see what it takes to become a police dog trainer.

Qualifications of a police dog trainer.

Becoming a police dog trainer requires some certain skills that have to be acquired by an individual before they can be able to undertake this job.

This includes:

1. Career Choice

The first step to becoming a police dog trainer is to first pick an interest in the police force or any other law enforcement agency that handles dogs for operations.

You must decide within yourself to become a police officer, so you can train as a police officer in the K9 unit. This skill is an independent personal skill. It is gotten within you not acquired.

2. Education

After deciding to become a police dog trainer, you must have some form of education to be able to fit in. You can decide at any point of your life to join the police force in training and handling dogs, so you might have had a degree or some certification that gives you an edge to being selected.

Still, you must be trained according to the law of your land for the number of years it takes. It ranges from a full year, two years to more depending on specification.

3. Experience

Experience in handling dogs is very valuable. You must have a vast level of experience before you can undertake this task. It is either gathered before or during your training.

Training a dog is a hands-on job, so you must have enough experience handling dogs to avoid being attacked by the dogs you are training or to avoid them attacking the wrong person.

4. Application/ Interview

You have to apply for the job to be picked and you have to undergo tests/interviews to be considered. If you don’t apply, you can’t get calls for an interview. So, your application qualifies you to get through that stage.

5. Physical Fitness and Medical Examination.

This is an important aspect of being a police dog trainer. After you have been chosen, you just undergo physical, mental and medical fitness tests to ensure that you are fit to train an animal.

It is also important to be sure your body can withstand any injuries that might be sustained during the course of training.

6. Criminal Records Examination.

Most times, before a person can work with any security agency, military parameter or law enforcement agency, you must be void of any criminal records.

You would undergo a criminal records investigation to be sure you have not at any point involved yourself in any crime neither are you a criminal at the moment. Criminal records are completely frowned at.

Qualities a good police dog trainer should possess.

There are many qualities a police dog trainer should possess. Some include:

•  A willing dog trainer must have the zeal to train dogs.

•  You must be a dog lover.

•  Try to acquire new skills with your dog to make their obedience to you easier.

•  Be a good caretaker of the dog in your care.

•  Must be at alert all the time.

•  Must be physically fit to run along and take frequent walks with the dog.

•  Must be willing to protect your immediate surroundings and take up security responsibilities even during off-duty times.

•  Must have experience in handling dogs.

•  Must have no prior criminal records nor be currently involved in any such activities.

•  Must be able to uphold the image of his country wherever he finds himself.

Benefits of a Police Dog Trainer.

There are lots of advantages associated with being a police dog trainer and we would be exploring some down here.

•  As a police dog trainer, you are entitled to a monthly salary. Depending on your level, you would be well rewarded at the end of each month.

•  You get to keep the dog or dogs you have trained in your own care. Also, when they retire after eight years if service, they become yours permanently.

•  You can train the dog to obey certain personal commands that give you a bond with it.

•  You get to bond tightly with the animal. It knows you anytime and anywhere irrespective of the face that it is for public operations.

•  Also, training a dog is also equal to exercising yourself. You also get to run around and go for long walks with the animal which keeps you fit all the time.

•  Lastly, the job is a good way to protect the good interest of your nation as well as increase its security standards.

Demerits of being a Police Dog Trainer.

There are also some disadvantages to this job. It isn’t as rosy as it seems.

Handling a dog can be a very tactful job and it needs a lot of patience and dedication. If you are not patient or dedicated, you can’t do this job. Some of the disadvantages include:

There might be injuries along the way. Of course, when you get a new dog, it takes a while before it gets familiar with you or your family. So, it might bite or scratch you during the course of early training. Be ready to accept bites or even scratches on your furniture and other properties.

You can’t train one dog for all purposes.

Be prepared to part ways with a dog you are training anytime. Sometimes, a dog might not be able to go through all the training processes before it loses its life. So, be ready to accept this difficult challenge of its passing and your movement to another pup.

A dog must always retire. Service year for a strong and healthy dog is 8years. So, bear it in mind that you won’t take your loyal friend around for a very long time.

So you see, there are many emotional and physical attachments involved in training a dog. As a trainer, you must be fully ready to face it all.

Conclusion

Taking on the job of a police dog trainer really involves full-time dedication. So if you are considering choosing this pathway, you must ensure that you are totally ready.

It might be for fun, it might be out of passion and it might just be out of a commitment towards a good cause. Just make sure you possess the qualities to go through with it because dogs are the most loyal animals there are and they can only do you more good than harm.

So, now that you have discovered the secrets of becoming a police dog trainer, why don’t you share your ideas with me in the comment section.

Is it a considerable career choice for you?

Or like me, would you love to have your dog work with you all day?

I’m itching to hear!

Don’t forget to share this with every dog lover you know. Someone might just want to switch up his German Shepherd’s purpose a little!