I Have a New Police Service Dog. What Do I Need?

Foreword by Ed Frawley

I met Kevin Sheldahl in 1984 at a police K-9 school in Kansas. We have been good friends ever since. Kevin is a retired police K-9 handler. He became a K-9 Instructor and an International Police Dog Judge. Kevin's company K-9 Services runs 6-week police K-9 courses in which police officers learn how to become new K-9 handlers. To date, he has run 70 6-week courses and trained over 1,200 K-9 handlers. I don't know of another dog trainer that has Kevin's experience and knowledge of police service dogs training.


I wrote this article to help new police service dog owners wade through the sea of information on our web site and frankly, on the internet. I have listed the specific products I feel new police service owners should have.


Harnesses

Polyweb Tracking Harness

This light weight, heavy duty tracking harness will last for years.It can be adjusted in four places to get a perfect fit for almost any size medium or large dog. If you are a service dog handler this is the perfect lightweight solution to carry with you when you are deployed on a tracking or search and rescue call-out.The harness has heavy-duty hardware that will last for a lifetime. The 2 1/2" wide snap allows the harness to be taken on and off very quickly. Made in America.



Leashes

Leather Belt Leash

These leather belt leashes are perfect to take on walks. The leash works as a normal leash, and then when it is not in use, you can hook it around your waist. These leashes are handmade from Latigo leather with an imported snap and an o-ring in the loop handle. The leather belt leashes are 1/2 an inch wide.The snaps on our leather dog leashes and collars are made from the highest quality solid stainless steel. These snaps are sewn and then pop riveted to insure the highest security available. This is very important in Schutzhund and police protection training where a broken leash can cause disaster.


3/8 inch Leather Drag/Obedience Leash - No Handle

The 3/8" Leather Drag/Obedience Leash allows you to quickly grab your dog by the drag line while allowing them to roam around freely without getting tangled up. Whether you need it to secure your dog upon the arrival of an unexpected guest or to make sure your dog doesn't run into trouble, this durable drag line will be a useful piece to add to your collection of dog training tools.The best drag lines are made without a handle. It is not unheard of for a dog to get injured after being tangled up with an ordinary leash. With a shorter drag leash like this one, your dog is less likely to get tangled up with furniture, household objects, yard decor, gates, etc. Never allow your dog to drag a handled leash around. Use a drag line instead.


1/2 inch Flat Super Grip BioThane Long Line - No Handle

Our Flat Super Grip Long Lines are one of our many Amish made products. They are all sewn for maximum security and come equipped with stainless steel hardware. If you have a hard time gripping traditional BioThaneā„¢ leashes and lines, or just want that added sense of security, our Flat Super Grip Long Line will be exactly what you need. They are coated with a durable rubberized finish that makes handling them comfortable and secure for all of your training applications. If you are looking for something larger with even more 'gripping power' be sure to check out our Textured Super Grip Long Lines as well!



Collars

Stainless Steel Herm Sprenger Prong Collar

The Herm Sprenger Company has been a leader in the dog training market with their high quality training products for many years. Herm Sprenger uses only the best materials and prides itself on their high standards. Leerburg is proud to carry a wide variety of Herm Sprenger collars. Herm Sprenger Stainless Steel Prong Collars come in 3 sizes. The small and large collars have both a "D" ring and an "O" ring. The XLarge collar has two "O" rings. XLarge is recommended for Police Service Dogs.


Fur Saver Collar

These high quality stainless steel collars are going to last many, many years longer than a chrome plated collar. They will never rust. If you want the best for your dog you can purchase one of our handmade leashes and an imported Herm Sprenger stainless steel collar. With proper care you will have training equipment that will last over 20 years.These German fur saver collars are designed to replace normal everyday collars. Their purpose is to help eliminate the collar wearing and breaking down neck hair.



Muzzles

Leerburg's Heavy Duty Police Fighting Muzzle

This heavy-duty leather muzzle was made for Police K9 or Military Muzzle Fighting. It is made of genuine leather and has inside nose padding with adjustable straps. This muzzle is made in the USA. We also have a course Muzzle Fighting for Police Service Dogs. I highly recommend you enroll in this course if you are a police K9 officer.



Rewards

Roni Ball with Leather Strap Handle

The Roni Ball with Leather Handle is great for using as a toy reward or for playing fetch. The genuine leather handle is removable so you can use it with other ball toys.


2-Handled Synthetic Mini Tug

The 2-Handled Synthetic Mini Tug is made with the same material used for bite suits. This synthetic fabric is as durable as it can get without wearing down your dog's teeth. It's a great training tool for both puppies and adult dogs and will last throughout a dog's life.This tug is 10" long with an 8" circumference. Two is recommended for training your K9 police dog.



Bowls & Pails

Heavy Stainless Steel Bowl

These bowls are made of the finest quality heavy-duty stainless steel. They are 0.70 mm thick. Stainless Steel Bowls are perfect for use for food or water dish. They are also dishwasher safe.The 3 Quart is perfect for use with the raw diet where the dog may eat two chicken leg quarters and some hamburger. The supplements, salmon oil, eggs, chicken, etc. fit perfectly in these extra large dog bowls. The base of the bowl is wide and flat, which is much more convenient then a rounded food dish with a far less chance of spilling. Holds about 10 1/2 cups (a little less than 3 quarts).


Stainless Steel Pail

These pails are flat-sided and made from high quality stainless steel with a thickness of 0.60mm. The come in a variety of sizes and with the option of hooks on the flat side. The hooked pails are great for hanging inside wire crate and on chain-link fencing. The pails without hooks can also be hung by using a carabiner or double end bolt snap.



Grooming Tools

White Undercoat Rake

The beauty of this tool is that the tines go directly to the skin and stimulate the natural oils in our dogs skin. Once you have used one of these rakes, nothing else can compare.This rake is good for longer haired dogs. It is a good tool to remove the loose undercoat hair. The pins are nickel-plated. The rake is good for the following breeds: Huskies, Collies, Irish Setters, German Shepherds, Chows, and similar breeds.


Millers Forge Nail Clippers

Millers Forge created this pet nail clipper with safety bar over 40 years ago.The safety lock protects the cutting edges when not in use, and flips open easily when needed. The large pair is a heavy duty large nail clipper that will last a lifetime. This is the preferred size for trimming nails of most adult, medium to large breeds.



E-Collars

These are the top remote collars that I recommend for K9 police dog training.

Educator K9-800TS Ecollar

The K-9 Handler model K9-800 is a 1 mile range trainer designed for working dogs in tactical environments. Tough and reliable, with the added bonus of the Bungee Collar system which provides comfort and contact reliability unmatched in the electric collar industry.


Pro Educator 900 Advanced Training System

The Pro Educator is the most advanced remote dog trainer ever devised. It boasts brand new, never-before-seen features that offer the most humane experience for dog and owner alike. This is the first completely customizable e-collar ever to be developed. The collar has 4 main function buttons that can be set to any of the 9 different stimulation modes. You can further customize each of these modes by setting a max level, changing the boost level, adjusting the volume of tone, as well as the type and amount of vibration.





About Author
Kevin Sheldahl
Kevin Sheldahl is a retired Deputy Sheriff who began training with police service dogs in 1982. In his career, he trained K-9 Teams for his department as well as neighboring departments as a Deputy Sheriff. He has experience deploying patrol, detection, SWAT and tracking canines spanning the duration of his career. He is credentialed as a Master Instructor, Certifying Official, and Police Dog Judge. Kevin has participated in numerous dog sports such as Schutzhund/IPO, ring sports, and police sports. Currently, Kevin instructs courses in Basic Patrol & Detection in the Albuquerque Metro Area and teaches advanced course at Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, Wisconsin. View his website here.

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