How to Become a Police Dog Trainer

So you want to learn what it takes to become a dog trainer for the police? If you’ve done your research you’ll know that this is a serious gig!

You’ll have to teach the K9s how to protect their owner as well as how to act in life threatening situations. This can be anywhere from a drug bust to bomb detection. With this level of seriousness, there are a few requirements that you must follow.
police dog trainer

All requirements vary from state to state.

Education: Responsibilities: Job Growth: Median Salary:
Proven experience with specialized training Care for and train dogs Animal trainers is up 11% $27,690

What all does a police dog trainer do?

You will most likely end up working for a training school, a private company, or a police department. Learning how to use a dog training collar wont be the only high level of training you might receive . Each agency  will expect you to be able to teach the dogs the basics (sit, down, etc) as well as the following advanced skills:

  • Search
  • drug detection
  • Handler Protection
  • Bomb Detection
  • Tracking and Apprehension

What Are The Job Requirements?

Most branches require you to show proven experience as a dog trainer ranging from 3-6 years. You usually must also have recorded no less than 200 hours of training. (This is up to the branches discretion) So start documenting everything in preparation for your application.

The training must come from a legit association or specialized school with approval from the state. You can find some of these courses at certain colleges or you can contact your local police agency and see which schools they recommend.

Some agencies require an even steeper background. You may have to get certified or become a member of a K-9 association. Again, its good to call around and ask directly so you know for sure what direction to take.

How To Use A Dog Training Collar

collar for dog training
Using an electrical dog training collar to train your dog can be a little uncomfortable at first. There’s a lot of misconceptions about this training method and some people try to point the “morality” finger towards you. I bet you those people know nothing about how to use a dog training collar the right way so its easy to talk mess.

Now of course, any tool, if used improperly can be harmful to yourself and others. Since your’e doing things the right way and doing your homework first, we can avoid any negative ripple effects!

Electronic Dog Training Collar Basics

Electronic remote training collars are devices that allow the owner to establish a more reliable sense of control while their dog is off or on the leash. Many people purchase these electron collars because they often run into situations where its difficult to get their dog’s attention.

Sometimes your little friend is in full auto mode and isn’t registering your commands because he’s  completely distracted.

Make sure your dog already knows the commands before you use the collar. More dog training tips can be found at houstondogtrainerguru.com.

How To Use An Electronic Dog Collar The Right Way

Remote control Training collars allow you to send through a mild stimulus to your pet to correct any misconduct and associates that unwanted action with the unwanted stimulus. Its better to never use this method in anger but only with the sole intention to teach and strengthen the relationship with your dog . Check out the steps below!

        • 1. Carefully go over the instructions that came with your dog collar

      instructions for dog collar
      There are a lot of dog collar brands out there and its important for you to get an understanding of specific collar that you’ve bought. Know each and every button or dial on your remote to remove chances for accidents.

        • 2. Now its time to power up the transmitter and the collar

      transmitter for dog training
      Now that you know how to operate your training tool, put in your batteries and make sure that the device is turned off.

      Important: Turn device shock power to the lowest settings. This is how you limit those shock accidents we talked about earlier.

        • 3. Time to put the collar on your dog

      electronic collar on dog
      If the collar you bought has prongs you’ll want to make sure they are touching your dog’s neck. Run your finger around the collar to make sure that the dog has enough slack and it wont cause any future discomfort.

        • 4. Wait one week

      wait a week to turn collar on
      Waiting allows your dog to get use to the feel of the collar without associating it with negativity. You don’t want him to think that just because he has it on , it means hes about to get shocked.

        • 5. Now, lets turn it on.

      controller button
      You’ll need to figure out the lowest shock level that’s enough to get your dogs attention. Start low and make small incremental shifts in power until your dog ears perk or makes some type of movement that looks like he doesn’t like his new collar. The ” What The Heck ” look.

        • 6. Using Commands

      trainer using dog commands
      Start practicing with your dog by using commands that it already knows (Sit, Stay etc.) When your dog does not respond correctly to your command then press the button and then repeat the command.

      Again, you’ll want to make sure you have the shock level at a the lowest level that causes a reaction from your dog. You don’t want to hurt them. You just want to bring back the attention to your command.

      Important: Once your dog does the correct response you want to acknowledge his good behavior by saying things like “good dog” or giving him/her some dog treats! For separate reading here’s an article that discusses training your dog with positive reinforcement.

        • 7. Other unwanted behaviors for this device

      backyard dog digging
      The device isn’t only to get your dogs attention but more so for your dog to associate the shock feeling with a negative behavior. So if your dog is outside digging holes or scratching on the door then you’ll want to press the button.

      Make sure you never hold down longer than 3 seconds and don’t just press it over and over again.

      And make sure you dog doesn’t see you pressing the button. Its important that the shock is paired with a negative action rather than it being paired to you and the controller.

Building for the future

Using this shock collar method works but you want to make sure you are patient. Always keep the end goal end mind and realize that you are both building a better relationship together for the long run. The dog will better recognize your wants and needs as an owner while you use positive reinforcements to strengthen his desire to listen. Keep this in mind while using your electronic dog training collar.