The dual purpose handlers course at Vohne Liche Kennels is 5 weeks long. The dogs are trained in detection and most of their patrol work before the student gets there. You will train for at least 8 hours a day then you will have "homework" that you will have to do before and after your training day. "Homework consists of obedience, confidence course, tracking, leash control and some study time as there is a written test at the end of the course.
The trainers course is an 8 week course during which you are supervised in imprint training at least 4 green dogs of different breeds, including a Mal, a GSD and a Lab and at least one female. Depending on your motivation, you can work with more dogs if you wish. The imprinting phase is approx 3 weeks long. The next five week are spent training a class of handlers (you will be supervised by VLK trainers)as they learn to work the dogs in detection and patrol work. The trainers course was approx $5,000 when I took the course at the end of 2003. I don't think they'll even let you take the trainers course unless you are an experienced handler, so you couldn't take the handlers course and go directly into the trainer's course (I could be wrong though).
If you get the chance to go to either of these courses, do it!! You won't regret it.

One of the agency's I train with got one of their dogs from VLK. GSD trained for Patrol/Tracking/Explosives. This was a green handler and the team has turned out fine. Granted, we have an extensive in-service training program (one day per week), but there have been no problems with this team in over 3 years on the street.

Well Roger first of all I am not critical I am just throwing a curved ball here so to speak, I think the poor handler will be thrown in to the deep end here and no matter how macho oke he is he wont cope in my opinion. Duel purpose dog are intended for handlers with experience as far as I am concerned and they will be working there buts off training all aspects and being utilized in a small sheriffs department where every one still needs to do there share of accidents and law enforcement no time out because you have become a dog cop now, just my experience to say the least.

If they have that many purposes or uses for one single dog team, I don’t like any duel purpose dog, I think it is pure madness. In this day and age where there are so many laws to know and regulations to abide by, and civil action taken against police and then you have a duel purpose dog that you don’t know. How will you explain how a dog -trained and under full control bit a kid in the face etc. “but you honor we were looking for drugs” ye right and how much credibility will just five weeks of training give you in the bench……..

A dog that you have to send in to a pre-school that is taught to bite as well – now there is a bomb waiting to go off– new dog – new handler – new job - to much “new” for my likening. I think they should start the dog handler team on one aspect first and then if they need to train it to do some thing els then train that as well but to train it up that heavy from the word go - some thing is sure to bottom out.

We have done away with working dog and scent dog combinations just to much to worry about. We had plenty in the past that worked very well, it just became to much of a risk factor than a plus factor for us.