HITS Conference 2026

By Leerburg  |  Last modified: September 8, 2026

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HITS K9 2026

From August 24–27, 2026, HITS K9 brought hundreds of handlers, supervisors, prosecutors, scientists, instructors, and vendors together at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort in Phoenix, Arizona, for its 20th annual national conference.

What HITS K9 Is Built Around

HITS K9 is a national K9 training and education platform built around one mission: helping law-enforcement K9 teams make stronger deployment decisions, operate with legal confidence, and improve long-term performance. That mission extends across the flagship conference, year-round training events, national education, consulting, and professional resources designed for real operational use.

Each year, HITS brings its attendees together for multi-track education focused on real deployment judgment and courtroom defensibility — the two things that determine whether a K9 team's work holds up in the field and in the courtroom.

Featured Speaker: Ted Daus

Ted Daus, Owner of HITS T&C, is counsel of record in U.S. Supreme Court K-9 cases and a longtime Broward County prosecutor. He is a national lecturer on canine law and search-and-seizure with decades of courtroom experience.

The Vendor Expo

HITS K9's vendor expo gives attendees hands-on access to the equipment, tools, and systems used in active K9 operations — a chance to directly evaluate gear rather than just see it in a catalog.

Why HITS Stands Apart

HITS enforces anti-infomercial standards and selects instructors for real-world teaching impact rather than promotion. Exposure to multiple training philosophies helps confirm what's working and identify where performance can improve — clarity that directly supports better deployment decisions and courtroom defensibility.

Unlike smaller, local training events, HITS provides national-scale perspective and unbiased instruction — designed to strengthen deployment decisions, courtroom defensibility, and long-term performance for K9 teams.

What Attendees Take Home

Attendees leave HITS with broader knowledge, stronger professional networks, and education that continues to improve performance long after the conference ends.

From the Leerburg Booth

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth at HITS 2026 in Phoenix! It was great connecting with so many dedicated handlers, trainers, and agencies this year.

Congratulations to our gift card winner, Jonathan F.!

To mark HITS's 20th anniversary, we also released a Limited Edition Phoenix T-shirt — a screen-printed, 100% cotton tee designed just for this year's conference. It's available now while supplies last.

We're already looking forward to seeing everyone in Orlando next year. Until then — train hard and stay safe out there.

HITS 2027 will be held August 23–26, 2027, at the Rosen Center in Orlando, Florida.

Sign Your Agency and Save 10% on Future Orders With Us

If your agency wasn't able to make it to HITS this year but you'd like to work with Leerburg, you can get in touch through our law enforcement K9 sign-up page.

For more information about HITS K9, visit:

• HITS K9

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About Author

Leerburg

Established in 1982, Leerburg is a family-owned business that first started as a video production company. It has since expanded and now curates quality dog training equipment, online streaming services, and online courses led by expert trainers like Michael Ellis. Leerburg caters to trainers from all walks of life, whether they are a beginner with a new puppy to an advanced dog trainer competing in protection sports. Learn more about Leerburg here.

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