# Any security/drug detection dog handlers on here?



## 9Red (May 30, 2008)

My other half has finally decided that he is going to train as a security dog handler. I'm very proud of him as he's been struggling to find a niche since leaving Uni with a diploma in veterinary health studies. He is doing his SIA training in january, and plans to do the dog handler course in a year or so when he's a had a bit of experience in security work.

Just wondering if there's any handlers on here and have they got any tips for him?


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## basky (Dec 11, 2006)

im currently looking into it. theres a company that will train you up but it seems to good to be true. NASDU said they can't comment on the company so im doing some research before handing over my money. there website is www.canine-security.co.uk if you want to look. they'll train you straight away as a dog handler whereas NASDU say you have to train as a security officer first then be a dog handler. i called trading standards to see what they thought of the website and they seem to think its all legit :bash: i just don't no what to think, usually when something seems to good to be true it usually is.


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## ichis-mom (May 25, 2008)

i looked into this myself about a year back but it costs a lot for the training and then you need to buy the dog or dogs and for drug dogs there is 2 different trained types and if your self imployed you have to have a special insurance but thats only what i found out


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## fuzzielady (May 19, 2008)

basky said:


> im currently looking into it. theres a company that will train you up but it seems to good to be true. NASDU said they can't comment on the company so im doing some research before handing over my money. there website is www.canine-security.co.uk if you want to look. they'll train you straight away as a dog handler whereas NASDU say you have to train as a security officer first then be a dog handler. i called trading standards to see what they thought of the website and they seem to think its all legit :bash: i just don't no what to think, usually when something seems to good to be true it usually is.


If this is who I think it is. I enquired about this and it consisted of me giving them £250, I think, for this I was to do a 3 day course. The course would consist of them telling you about the dangerous dog act etc regarding security dogs. On the last day you were to show them, with one of their dogs, that you could get dog to sit/down etc on command. All you walk away with is information on how to set yourself up but you have to give them loads of money for them to pass work onto you. 

If you are interested in security dog handling then make sure you are doing a legitimate course with a recognised security qualification at the end of it. There are loads of companies out their that will take money off you to give you general information that you could get for free.


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## 9Red (May 30, 2008)

fuzzielady said:


> If this is who I think it is. I enquired about this and it consisted of me giving them £250, I think, for this I was to do a 3 day course. The course would consist of them telling you about the dangerous dog act etc regarding security dogs. On the last day you were to show them, with one of their dogs, that you could get dog to sit/down etc on command. All you walk away with is information on how to set yourself up but you have to give them loads of money for them to pass work onto you.
> 
> If you are interested in security dog handling then make sure you are doing a legitimate course with a recognised security qualification at the end of it. There are loads of companies out their that will take money off you to give you general information that you could get for free.


Hiya, 

Yeah I have noticed there seems to be quite a few places that offer security dog handling training but when we've poked about and asked outright what qualification you get at the end of it, very few of them can offer little more than a self produced certificate not actually recognised by any of the official bodies.

When my OH does his dog handling training we are going to make sure it is with an NASDU approved center and results in a worthwhile qualification. I think there is a place in Newbury but we are waiting to hear back from them.


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## Pliskens_Chains (Jun 8, 2008)

9Red said:


> My other half has finally decided that he is going to train as a security dog handler. I'm very proud of him as he's been struggling to find a niche since leaving Uni with a diploma in veterinary health studies. He is doing his SIA training in january, and plans to do the dog handler course in a year or so when he's a had a bit of experience in security work.
> 
> Just wondering if there's any handlers on here and have they got any tips for him?


i got a guard dog a few years back, theres a guard dog kennels in mansfield. in order for you to take a guard dog on you have to train to be able to handle it.
i got the dog originally as i was working at a club and needed a dog to check the place at locking up and cashing up time.
needless to say i retired that dog after 4 months and retrained her.
your OH really needs to be careful where he gets his training from, some places have the dogs trained already and you take them on and have to learn to hndle them and other places give you a partially trained dog and you and the dog complete training together, the second option is better.
the dog i got, i found had actually been "pain trained", although i didnt know it at the time. your OH wont know what kind of training the dog has had unless hes part of the finishing training.
"pain training" is all but obsolete now, but it does still happen. It can make the dog overly aggressive and unpredictable (as was with my old dog). my dog i had to retrain from basic and it took a LONG time.


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## rakpeterson (Oct 10, 2007)

basky said:


> im currently looking into it. theres a company that will train you up but it seems to good to be true. NASDU said they can't comment on the company so im doing some research before handing over my money. there website is www.canine-security.co.uk if you want to look. they'll train you straight away as a dog handler whereas NASDU say you have to train as a security officer first then be a dog handler. i called trading standards to see what they thought of the website and they seem to think its all legit :bash: i just don't no what to think, usually when something seems to good to be true it usually is.


Personally I wouldnt bother with Canine Security aka Kaye9 Security. The course is practicaly pointless and is losely based around the NASDU course but nowhere near in quality and all you get from it is a crappy printed certificate that clearly came from an Office type template!! I guess they could/do have they're advantages like the £700 upfront loan to fund equipment etc, but that still has to be repayed. They are very unproffesional in the way they run these courses and the follow up help you get when setting up (as your operating within a franchise as a ltd. company or sole trader) They usually neglect to tell you that there is additional cost involved after the initial 200quid and they only pay £8p/h wich is less than most other firms.

For the OP, once your OH has his SIA license (he'll need a frontline door supervisor one) which will cost £245 for license and between £100-£250
for the level 2 door supervision course, which is needed to apply for the SIA, once that is obtained, he will most probably be able to find a dog handler role within the private sector without any recognised qualification. By law the only thing a dog handler has to have is an SIA license (this is due to change) and of april 2009, a qualification in first aid. There are many companies taking on 'trainee's' right now due to the olympics which has caused a bit of a boom in the security industry even now, as all the construction sites have to be manned. Once in one of these companies, depending on how they operate, further training may be available to be able to advance from static and patrol in to maybe crowd control, and there is even a small amount of demand for close protection officers with a dog. There is also the possibiltiy of working abroad in iraq and other simillar areas.

If your OH wants to get the training done first to better the chances of getting a good position in a good company then I would recommend doing the NASDU training. With that and an SIA, a dog and a van, your guaranteed work.


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