Police dogs have important jobs. They sniff out drugs, bombs, escaped criminals, missing people, and dead bodies. Police dogs assist in search and rescue, finding survivors in natural disasters and accidents. Police dogs are taught to carry out these duties by expert trainers. Though many animal behaviorists and certified trainers are capable of carrying out this training, only police officers are eligible for training police dogs.
Instructions
Instructions
Become a police officer. Only existing police officers are eligible to become police dog trainers, according to Michele Hollow, author of "The Everything Guide to Working with Animals." Hollow recommends that experienced police officers interested in working with dogs volunteer with their local K9 unit before applying to become part of the team.
Gain seniority. After you become a police officer, it may take years before your application for a K9 unit officer can be considered. According to Sharon Sakson, author of "Paws to Protect: Dogs Saving Lives and Restoring Hope," police dog training is a highly prized occupation. Those police officers with nine or more years on the force are the prime candidates for a police dog training job. Even military dog trainers with years of experience in training bomb detection and search and rescue dogs are not able to jump the seniority barrier.
Get in shape. Being part of a K9 unit can require running, climbing, jumping, and other demanding physical activity during criminal pursuit and search and rescue. Police dog trainers must be as fit as their K9 partners.
Practice public speaking. A common duty for police dog units is working with schools and community groups to promote safety and public awareness. A K9 officer is often required to speak in front of large groups of people, explaining how the dog is used in police work, and demonstrating the dog's abilities to find people or objects.
Make sure your lifestyle is suited to being a K9 officer. A police dog trainer does not generally train a dog and hand it over to a police dog handler. The same officer that trains the dog is usually its handler and works and lives with the dog. This can be a strain on the family of the officer if a family member is afraid of or has allergies to dogs. However, for many K9 officers, having the dog at work and at home provides an extra layer of security, according to "Paws to Protect" author Sharon Sakson.