Dog Evaluation Certification

Basic K9 Certification (Drugs)

• There will be no less than 20 training aids for drug detectors.
• There will be no less than 4 training aids of each odor.
• Amounts will vary with no less than 3 grams during certification.
• Placement of the aids shall vary.
• No less than 10 percent or more than 15 percent of the aids shall be placed between 5 and 8 feet above the ground or floor level, or no more than 1 foot below ground or floor level. High aids should be placed so the odor is free flowing.
• No less than 20 percent or more 50 percent of the aids will be with a depth of 1 to 2 feet, such as inside desk drawers, vehicle interiors, etc.
• Depth problems shall be no less than 5 grams of target odor in desk and drawers, or less than 25 grams inside vehicles.
• All other training aids will be placed randomly by evaluator or assistant.
• All training aids shall be placed no less than 45 minutes prior to the start of the first dog.
• Search times shall vary.
• The team will be subjected to at least one search of 20 minutes without the presence of target odor for buildings, vehicles, and luggage or package searching.

Where Certification Testing shall be Conducted

• Building searches shall have at least one search between 35-45 minutes.
• Buildings can be schools, warehouses, offices, or other available buildings.

• Vehicles shall include any type available.
• Searches will be conducted on interior and exterior.
• Test searches shall vary from 1 vehicle to 20.
Interior searches shall not exceed 10 vehicles per testing problem.

ANNUAL EVALUATION/RECERTIFICATION OF DOG HANDLERS AND DOGS:

• Normally done on location.
• Dogs and handlers are evaluated performing their jobs (whatever it is - drug detection, bomb detection, or other type of detection).
• Management is provided an up-to-date status of their dog teams and are made aware of any problem areas to include how to solve them.

K9 EVALUATION AND RECERTIFICATION SERVICE: We do offer evaluation/recertification services: If the dog and handler come to our location, the cost ranges from 200 to 600.00. If we go to your location, the cost is 50.00 per hour, plus all expenses.

PROBLEM SOLVING/REMEDIAL TRAINING (DOGS AND HANDLERS):

• Normally done on location.
• Specifically designed to solve problems or to provide retraining to bring the dog teams (handler and dog) back up to standard trained.

RE-CERTIFICTION (Drugs)

Your re-certification will include the requirements included in the basic certification. Re-certification will also include validation testing. During re-rectification odors commonly associated with drug dog training and use will be placed in the testing area. The placement of associated odors will be concealed and in areas that allow the dog access to the odor. The following items are an example of associated odors that may be placed in the testing area:

• Plastic bags and wraps
• Dryer sheets
• Hot (fresh) human scent
• Tapes
• Cutting agents
• There shall be no less than 10 associated odors of two or more types.

You will be required to submit to the evaluating instructor copies of your training and utilization records. A review of the records will be made prior to any testing. Your evaluator will identify possible weak or problem areas, and assist you in developing a training program to improve or correct problem areas.

Basic K9 Certification (Explosives)

• No less than 3 aids per odor the dog is trained on will be used.
• Amounts differ for each odor. The minimum available and the maximum available per odor will be used to determine the range of amounts used for each odor.
• Floor level training aids will be placed, at least one per odor.
• Training aids at over 4 feet high will be placed , at least one per odor.
• Training aids with at least 2 feet of depth will be placed, at least one per odor.
• Vehicle search test will utilize at least 60 vehicles.
• The remainder of the aids are to be placed randomly.
• At least 20 minutes of blank searching will be required.
• At least five distracters/associated odors articles will be used to test accurate odor discrimination will be placed.
• At least one search in a randomly selected area of testing will be at least 45 minutes.

Where Certification Testing Shall be Conducted

• Buildings
• Vehicles
• Open Area
• Luggage/Parcels
• Warehouse
• Buses

CERTIFICATION CRITERIA

• Written test score of at least 85%
• Performance Evaluation of at least 85%
• Dog team's accuracy must be at least 90% for explosive detector dogs and 85% for drug dogs No more than 15% of team's total responses can be false.

These standards are considered high. Not everyone can meet them.
If you apply yourself and apply what you have learned here in the past weeks you will see that these high standards can be met. In future, we expect those who leave here with our blessing to continue to strive for even higher standards. You will have all the information required to do so. Now it's up to you!

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Dog Evaluation Certification