News Search

ArticleS

Keesler hosts AETC's K-9 training conference

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Heather Heiney
  • 81st Training Wing Public Affairs
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  Last week, military working dog handlers and their K-9 companions from across the world and various branches of service gathered at Keesler to enhance their skills and build camaraderie during the 2011 Air Education and Training Command military working dog training seminar.

More than 35 military handlers and trainers along with local law enforcement handlers and more than 20 dogs attended this conference. Among the K-9s were also puppy program dogs a little over six months old who would have the opportunity to learn correct behaviors over the course of the seminar.

The seminar included three days of behavioral and advanced decoy and patrol work and three days of advanced detections skills and tactics. It covered topics such as dog behavior and psychology, drive manipulation, channeling the dog's drive into a response, advanced decoy tactics and techniques and advanced detection skills and tactics.

Presenters included Chris Jakubin, Air Force Academy military working dog kennel master/trainer; Orlando Nunez, specialized search dog instructor supervisor for the 341st Training Squadron, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, Master Sgt. Antonio Rodriguez, AETC military working dog program manager; and Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Kristopher Knight, interservice advanced skills K-9 course chief.

Block 1 included canine psychology and advanced understanding of drive/drive development, identifying desirable characteristics in a working dog, decoy work, suit utilization, problem solving  and behavioral manipulation.

Block 2 included benefits of an off leash detection capability, incorporating off leash detection capabilities into a unit's detection program, imprinting focus, independent search development and directional training.

Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Collins, 81st Security Forces Squadron MWD trainer, said that advanced detection skills and tactics involves, "building independence in MWDs and laying a foundation for offlead searches for contingency operations that our MWD teams will face in Afghanistan and Iraq.

"This is the first seminar of its kind for AETC and an extremely high-profile event, especially having some if not the most knowledgeable MWD trainers in DOD," Collins said.

"This enables a more efficient detector dog, and a more proficient trainer, handler and decoy while trouble-shooting unwanted behavioral issues," Collins said. "All of these skills transfer into regular home-station missions and make a better police service dog."

Knight has 16 years experience and is a subject matter expert in the employment of working dogs in a combat environment. He said that the seminar relieves handlers of misinformation while building confidence in both the handler and dog. He also said that it's important to train in a joint environment because service members from different branches serve together overseas.

"I would go to this every opportunity I have," Knight said. "I still learn something every day."