Organized by:
International K9 Institute in collaboration with BriskMind Conservation Detection Dogs
In Estonia, Tallinn
The course language: English
The active course is taking place over 9 weeks
Two live meetings (in the training hall in Männiku,Tallinn):
1) 7-8 June, 2025
2) 9-10 August, 2025
In between meetings, the feedback is on an online platform.
The special price of the course is 750 €
NB! This is NOT Nosework pet dogs’ sports directed course.
Instructors helping you achieve your goals:
Tanja Karpela, IK9i, Finland
Tanja is conservation detection dog and civil explosive detection dog handler, and instructor. You can read more here: https://ik9i.com/fi/en/tanja-karpela/
Lea Tummeleht, BriskMind, Estonia in collaboration with IK9i
Lea is conservation detection dog handler. You can read more here:
https://ik9i.com/fi/en/lea-tummeleht/
General information about the Detection Dog Handler Education
The Detection Dog Handler course is divided into two sections; the basic part and the specialization part. During the Basics course, we use a training aid (model scent) to build up a strong motivation for the dog while taking care of the accuracy and tactics in versatile scent work.
The Specialisation course focuses on the training of the target odour chosen by the handler and the associated potential varieties, terrain work, reporting, license, and legislation. To participate in the Specialisation course, you need to have the Basics course completed. (When finishing the Basics Course, there will be a Specialisation Course later that year when sufficient number of interested Basic Course graduates who have been able to take the exam.)
Basics Course
The current Basics course includes, for example, managing training techniques, construction of motivation, scent theory, basics of search skills, and data collection. During the Basic course, the dog is taught a strong indication behaviour for training aid and basic search techniques.
After completing the basic part, the dog team is able to find the training aid in a simple indoors setting with dog indicating on the hide.