8 Hours
Every department that has a police K9 program should be providing training for the decoys that help train their police service dogs. This course goes a long way towards providing that training.
Before a police K9 handler can take his dog out for training, he has to convince another officer to assist in his dogs training. More often than not, that officer has no training in bite work (decoy work). They simply put a bite suit or sleeve on and become a bite pillow for the police dog.
This is not only dangerous for the decoy, but it can also result in injury to the dog. While being a decoy is inherently dangerous and no course will ever prevent every accident, this course will reduce these risks.
A quality decoy can make or break a K9 program. Although we cannot give experience to decoys in this format we can start them on the right path to helping them grow a K-9 program through understanding the basic goals of training and maintaining a police service dog in their apprehension capabilities.
_______________________________
Module 1 |
-------------- |
Introduction & Goals of the Course |
|
Segment 1 |
Introduction to Kevin Sheldahl & Course |
|
|
|
Module 2 |
--------------- |
Drives & Character |
|
Segment 1 |
Prey & Combat Drives (fight instinct) |
|
Segment 2 |
Survival Drive (Self-Defense) |
|
Segment 3 |
Nerve Strength & Sharpness |
|
Segment 4 |
Rank |
|
|
|
Module 3 |
--------------- |
Equipment |
|
Segment 1 |
Suit |
|
Segment 2 |
Police Muzzle |
|
Segment 3 |
External Bite Sleeve |
|
Segment 4 |
Hidden or Concealed Sleeve |
|
Segment 5 |
Leashes, Long Lines, Collars, and Remote Collars |
|
Segment 6 |
Sticks & Whips |
|
|
|
Module 4 |
---------------- |
Decoy Techniques |
Segment 1 | Safety & Accidental Bites | |
Segment 2 | Suit Work | |
Segment 3 | Sleeve Work | |
Segment 4 | Muzzle Fighting | |
Segment 5 | Concealed Sleeve | |
Segment 6 | Special Equipment Uses: Whips and Sticks | |
Module 5 | --------------- | Developing the Street Competent Dog / Scenarios |
Segment 1 | Performance Standards for Police Dog Control | |
Segment 2 | Decoy Work for Vehicle Extractions | |
Segment 3 | Building & Stairway Searches | |
Segment 4 | Stairwell Searches & Apprehensions | |
Segment 5 | Decoy Behaviors & Environmental Pressures - Adding Less Than Lethal Options | |
Segment 6 | Confrontations / Resistance Arrests | |
Segment 7 | Certificate of Completion | |
Segment 8 | Multiple Choice Test | |
TARGET AUDIENCE
This course is designed to facilitate one of the most important and often neglected aspects of a police service dog program. The training decoy is an integral part of a strong, effective, and safe police patrol dog program. It is important for administrators to provide training for a SAFE and EFFECTIVE K9 program. This training course is one step in that process. Accomplishing this is done by being sure the handler and the training decoys are educated to work together, understand the drives and character traits associated with training dogs to locate and capture potentially dangerous suspects. Without proper training a decoy becomes simply someone willing to get bit. This relationship can adversely effect a police service dogs abilities and impact the agency employing such a dog through increased liability and/or ineffective behaviors, not to mention its ill effects on officer safety. Handlers, decoys, and departmental instructors are encouraged to attend this course.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
None
MODULE 1: Introduction To Kevin and Goals of the Course Free Preview
This course addresses the novice police dog decoy who is supporting K9 operations in their department. It addresses the basics of K9 behavior, decoy behavior, and safety.
SEGMENT 1: Goals of this Course
In this segment Kevin will introduce himself, his qualifications and the goals of our online course
SEGMENT 2: Safety and Program Longevity
A brief case study of a program that failed due to neglegence in training.
MODULE 2: Drives and Character
We introduce drives and character traits in the craft of dog training. The need for a basic understanding of the goals of using the police dog to search for and at times control a potentially violent suspect.
SEGMENT 1: Prey & Combat (Fighting Instinct) Drives
Prey drive is the chase, capture, vanquish portion of a dogs drives. In the work we do it is paramount in training dogs to do protection type work. In the work we also need combat drive (also historically called fighting instinct). In this the dog is behaving much like a MMA fighter looking for an opponent to measure himself against.
SEGMENT 2: Survival Drive (Self-Defense)
Survival Drive is a component of all dogs’ character. It is important that the dogs selected for the work show little of this drive. It is also imperative that should the dog slip into survival behaviors the decoy understand what is happening and respond accordingly.
SEGMENT 3: Nerve Strength and Sharpness
Nerve strength is a term referring to the ability of a dog to handle and recover from environmental stressors. The term sharpness is the threshold to a referenced behavior and the trigger pull to that behavior.
SEGMENT 4: Rank
Rank refers to a dog who has difficulty, or inability to take a position within the pack structure.
MODULE 3: Equipment
SEGMENT 1: Suit
No summary available
SEGMENT 2: Muzzle
The agitation muzzle is a highly important peice of equipment used on the dog so the decoy can display no equipment. Proper selection of the muzzle is important for decoy safety.
SEGMENT 3: External Bite Sleeves - Arm and Leg
There are many types of external bite sleeves. In this segment we will explain the differences among sleeves.
SEGMENT 4: Hidden or Concealed Sleeve
This segment begins with a discussion about the hidden sleeve and continues into the need for equipment and its purpose.
SEGMENT 5: Leashes, Long Lines, Collars, & Remote Collars
This is an explanation of the equipment the viewers will observe when they watch the decoy work in module 4 of this course.
SEGMENT 6: Sticks / Whips
These ancillary pieces of equipment can be useful to the decoy.
MODULE 4: Technique
In the following segments we will address the application of the equipment and techniques for decoy work for the police service dogs.
SEGMENT 1: Safety & Accidental Bites
We are dealing with dogs that bite, a physical activity where you are exposed to this possibility. As well, the dog is an athlete and we should take care they are not injured.
SEGMENT 2: Suit Work
We present a variety of approaches to bite work utilizing the body bite suit.
SEGMENT 3: Sleeve Work
The use of the bite sleeve is generally done to develop grip and confidence. It is integral for the development of young and immature dogs. It can also be helpful in problem solving.
SEGMENT 4: Muzzle Fighting
No summary available
SEGMENT 5: Concealed Sleeve
Kevin discusses the pros and cons of the hidden sleeve as well as its limitations
SEGMENT 6: Special Equipment Uses: Whips & Sticks
Although novice decoys are often given sticks or whips to make noise and attract dogs they can and have been used to create and manipulate behaviors in police dogs.
MODULE 5: Developing the Street Competent Dog / Street Scenarios
Here is where we approach teaching the dog what is expected for street performance.
SEGMENT 1: Performance Standards for Police Dog Control
The decoy should be roughy familiar that a police service dog should possess.
SEGMENT 2: Decoy Work for Vehicle Extraction
America is a mobile society and training in and around vehicles is imperative for the street police dogs.
SEGMENT 3: Building / Area Searches
One of the core skills for a police service dog is searching buildings and areas.
SEGMENT 4: Stairwell Searches and Apprehensions
Stairwells provide an extraordinary safety problems during searches. Training police service dogs to search and clear stairwells is a common application that dogs must become familiar with.
SEGMENT 5: Decoy Behaviors and Environmental Pressures: Adding Less than Lethal Options
In this segment we coach decoys in modulating opposition, accepting the the counters while training, adding environmental pressure and using long line pressure in grip development.
SEGMENT 6: Confrontations / Resistance Arrests
Under some policies police service dogs can be used to increase the time and distance factors in making contact with a violent suspect. In this segment we discuss training for those circumstances.
SEGMENT 7: Certificate of Completion
We can issue a certificate of completion for our course. This should not be confused with a police decoy certification. This will be based on participation.
There are no featured testimonials for this course yet.
Who is Kevin Sheldahl?
Kevin Sheldahl is a Police Dog Teaching Judge.
He is a Police Service Dog Teaching Judge (PSP/DPO/WPO Patrol, narcotics, explosives, human remains, Police S&R, Game Detection Dog, Tracking/Trailing, and SWAT).
Kevin has trained police service dogs since the mid-1980's, he was a full time police K9 handler for the Bermalillo County Sheriff's Department in NM from 1992 until his retirement in 2014.
Kevin has been the head instructor for over 58 six-week police K9 handler classes since 1992. Prior to this he was an assistant instructor for a large police dog vendor.
K-9 SERVICES is owned and operated by Kevin Sheldahl. Kevin has more than 30 years of experience in training law enforcement officers, corrections officers and military handlers and their service dogs. There is no substitute for experience. Kevin and the other instructors at K-9 Services embody that approach to K-9 operations. Field, tactical, and investigative experience is a prerequisite for all instructors.
He has been involved in the training of working dogs as both a hobby and professionally for 35 years. He has taught numerous handlers from agencies throughout the United States, Judged Certifications and Competitive events, and been a guest speaker and instructor for various organizations. Kevin is a Master Instructor (NMDPS) for the above specialties.
How long will this course take to complete?
The course is your typical self-study course that can be taken at your own pace. There is no time limit on the course.
Does this course expire?
You will have lifetime access to this course, even after completion.
How much content is in this course?
There are 132 videos and 8 hours of content in this online course.