Work Dogs International's Explosive Detection Dog Handlers Course boosts 600 hours training and certification. Dogs are trained on real explosives from gun powder, commercial explosives, military explosives including Semtex. Certification is two (2) days of testing, includes searches of luggage, large outdoor areas, buildings, vehicles, and aircraft. The teams must also complete on leash obedience pattern, group walk and tactical obedience. Handlers that are armed at their duty stations will complete a "Live running gunfire" exercise.

Handlers will be instructed in classroom and scenarios by Work Dogs International staff and explosive technicians from Los Angeles County and Orange County Sheriff's Bomb Squads in the identifications of explosives, booby traps, IED's and the difference between a simple unattended item and a "suspicious" item.

We do not train the handlers to cut the blue or red wire, however, we do teach them what a device could look like. It is our opinion the majority of Bomb Dog Handlers lack the much needed expertise in this area. With the influx in bomb dogs teams after the attack on New York, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania, many training facilities boost and only supply the pseudo crèmes and savs. We believe if you want a dog to find TNT you use TNT not one component.

Motivational Techniques Proper advancement of force Dignitary protection and special operations Hand searches Training and K-9 action records Proper terminology with dealing with explosives

Work Dogs International offers your teams a custom fitted handler's course. Remaining a small but highly professional kennel, allows us to produce low volume and high quality work. Whether your teams will be working at a stateside recreational resort, a warehouse in Afghanistan, or a road check point in Iraq the training will be geared to each individual mission. Although basic work is conducted on training the field, movement into street work and emphasis on realistic training scenarios are the crux of the course.

The handlers and dogs will be taxed in various realistic situations, in hope that mistakes are made in training and not on the street. The handlers are constantly encouraged to critique themselves and the dogs, to create a habit that will follow them back to their work stations.