Police K9 Training

Training elite police K9 teams to hunt, serve and protect.

Police K9 training is very different from traditional dog obedience training. K9 trained dogs along with their handler, take on a role with great importance and responsibility such as narcotic detection or explosive detection.

Our training course is scenario-based and has been developed and modeled after real-world K-9 deployments. The course is unique to Cedar Creek Kennels LLC and is not seen anywhere else in the United States

LEARN MORE ABOUT US

Cedar Creek Kennels, LLC, is owned and operated by Matt Greenlief, who received his first handler’s certification in 2007, working with the Warren County Sheriff’s Office. Gaining expertise, knowledge, certifications and accreditations through the years, Greenlief opened Cedar Creek Kennels, LLC in 2019. Cedar Creek Kennels was born from a love and passion for training elite Police and Military K9 teams. With over 60 years of Law Enforcement and Military experience, the team at Cedar Creek Kennels have developed a unique and comprehensive training course not seen anywhere else in the United States.

Through specialized training techniques that are proven on the street, our K9 teams deliver results – We guarantee to produce strong, confident and successful K9 teams.

We Are Proud To Have Provided Dogs To The Following Agencies

WHO WE ARE

We are Cedar Creek Kennels, LLC, trainers of elite police K9 teams to hunt, serve and protect. With over 60 years of military and law enforcement experience, our trainers have developed a unique comprehensive process which produces success. We provide quality pedigree dogs specific to your K9 training or family needs. We offer boarding, as well as board and training options.

THE CEDAR CREEK DIFFERENCE

Length of Course:

The Cedar Creek Kennels Dual Purpose Course is 10 weeks in length and unlike most other courses in the United States, the handlers are taught to train their own dogs whilst they are on their course and are not given pre trained dogs. It is recognized that some small agencies are short staffed, and it is extremely hard to lose an officer for such a long time, however the 10 weeks is essential to teach handlers the fundamentals of dog handling. If an agency or police department is going to spend good money to purchase a K-9, they should also commit adequate time to training the K-9.

“We train the handlers and the dogs together. We train the new novice handlers to train their own dog. This way the new handler has a greater understanding of K-9 behaviours and traits, how their dog works on operational deployments, their indications, how to read, interpret and react according to these indications and how to problem solve any issues they identify in their K-9. We have heard so many horror stories of handlers being given a pre-trained dog and told to search a room for drugs without any proper instructions about line handling, search patterns or dog behaviours once they are in odour. 2 weeks later they are sent back to their departments without any ongoing training or support. When they start to have issues and problems with their dog, they haven’t got any tools, resources or skills to fix the issue because they don’t know how their dog was trained.”

Matt Greenlief

At Cedar Creek Kennels, the trainers even teach the handlers how to imprint their dog on the drug odour.

Advanced Tracking Capabilities

The ability to track is a specialized, complex skill and one that is a strong passion held by Matt and Dave. A large emphasis on tracking is found within the Dual Purpose Course where handlers are taught specialized training techniques which are proven on the street. Dave had over 400 tracking apprehensions whilst working his numerous police dogs back in Australia which prove these techniques work and are effective.

A large amount of time is dedicated to teaching the handlers how to track correctly and effectively. The handlers start off in fields/paddocks where they are taught the fundamentals of tracking to build a solid foundation. The handlers are taught line control, correct line pressure, reading and interpreting their dogs tracking indications, casting patterns, hard surface tracking, cross tracks and scent discrimination. After the fundamentals are learnt and mastered on grassed fields, training is then moved to an operational environment where tracking takes place in urban, residential, industrial, rural and forest settings. In these environments, the handlers are taught advanced line handling, line control and casting techniques through the many diverse and complex tracks they are exposed to.

Operational Based Scenarios

A great emphasis is placed on operational based training and preparing the handlers for when they return to their departments. The handlers are set many different and complex scenario’s they are likely to encounter on a daily basis as a Police dog handler. Training scenarios are set up to replicate jobs such as stolen vehicle’s being abandoned after police pursuits, suspects running away from the scene of an armed robbery or burglary, suspects being lost after a foot pursuit, search for missing or vulnerable persons, large building searches for persons believed to still be on premise, wooded area searches for suspects and article searches for weapons believed to be disposed of by suspects just to name a few.

Education for support resources

Handlers are taught the importance of educating and working closely with their fellow patrol officers and 911 dispatchers. Topics such as the preservation of the scene, obtaining the correct information from witnesses/victims and the establishment of perimeters are all discussed. The handlers are taught that setting a perimeter is paramount for the success of any deployment and they are taught how to instruct their fellow patrol officers and 911 operators how to implement and establish these perimeters. Without a perimeter, the suspect has no reason to stop and go to ground. Without the suspect going to ground, the K9 team will never be able to apprehend anyone.

Selection of Dog

Matt and Dave are firm believers in placing the right dog with the right person. Before a potential handler is shown any green dogs, Matt and Dave get to know the handler. They ask about their personality, their level of co-ordination, their voice modulation and they gauge their infinity with animals and their level of confidence around dogs. The potential handlers are then given time to interact with the available dogs without any stress or pressure before they are given the opportunity to work these dogs. The handers are then encouraged to track with each dog and are taken to a training building where they can do some detection work with their prospective partners. There is no pressure placed on any person to select a certain dog or a certain type of dog, rather this process allows for the dog and handler to choose themselves. No dog will ever be selected for a handler without that handler being present throughout the entire dog selection process. There are too many incidents where a difficult, strong, tough and extremely high drive dog is placed with an inexperienced handler that lacks the coordination and confidence to control and work that type of dog. The swapping or replacing a handler’s dog during course may even occur if problems arise and to ensure that the right dog is with the right handler.

K9 Handler Selection Process

If a department has numerous applicants for their K9 position, Cedar Creek Kennels can assist in the selection process for the K9 Handler. They can provide independent evaluations on the suitability of any potential candidate based on their level of co-ordination, their ability to function under pressure and their ability to think and react quickly whilst doing complex fine motor skill exercises. All of these traits are required in potential handlers if they are going to be successful handlers moving forward. Not all applicants are suitable to become Police K-9 Handlers or have the skill level required to work a Police K9.

Through these philosophies, the team at Cedar Creek Kennels are committed to producing strong, confident and successful K9 teams which, in turn will create a safer community for everyone to live and enjoy.

OUR COURSES

BASIC HANDLER COURSE DUAL PURPOSE - 10 WEEKS

SINGLE PURPOSE HANDLER COURSE - 5 WEEKS
SINGLE PURPOSE HANDLER COURSE WITH TRACKING -7 WEEKS

Our basic dual purpose handlers course is a demanding course conducted over 10 weeks. Our comprehensive course has been developed to cover all aspects of working a police K-9 to the highest level. The courses includes:

Narcotics searching in residential, commercial and vehicle scenarios.
Advanced tracking in all operational environments including hard surface tracking.
Searching for suspects in all operational environments including advanced building searching techniques.
Property and evidence searching
Obedience and control
Handler Protection and criminal apprehension
Agility

BASIC TRACKING COURSE
5 DAY

Our basic tracking course covers the fundamental skills such as line handling and line control. Learn to track 100-yard tracks with success.

ADVANCED TRACKING COURSE
5 DAY

This advanced tracking course concentrates on tracking in an urban and residential environment. This course will enhance your line handling and line control skills as well as developing your skills in casting techniques, hard surface tracking and general skills while out tracking in an urban environment.

PATROL OFFICERS AND
911 OPERATORS COURSE
1 DAY

In this course, we will come to your department and train your patrol officers and 911 operators in how they can assist your K-9 teams while they are out on their deployments. Their role is extremely important to the success of any K-9 deployment. We teach your officers how a police K-9 works as well as how they can assist by establishing perimeters and preserving the scene.