Heartland K-9 Services
3105 Townline 79
Greenwich, Ohio 44837
440-223-8212

smith07@hughes.net

[Download your class registration form here]

Course Descriptions

Click photos to enlarge.

Tracking/Trailing School

This 20-hour course will consist of classroom work such as scent theory, using place last seen, scent article collection, record keeping, and preserving the crime scene.   Field work will entail working fresh trails, cold trails, and trails with cross traffic; to encourage the decision making of the dog.  K-9 teams will also be working a variety of surfaces to simulate real life situations.  Instruction will also include a section on scent discrimination.

Students will have opportunities to run various trails; and, tracks will progress in difficulty according to their experience and ability.  More experienced K-9 teams will run longer and more complicated tracks. All participants will receive certificates of completion at the class.

For more registration and information, contact instructor, Jeanette Smith at smith07@hughes.net or call (440) 223-8212.  Tuition for K-9/handler teams is $150; handler alone is $100; additional K-9s $50 each.

Cadaver School

The focus of the school is to familiarize rescue and K-9 teams with the recognition of cadaver scent and teach the K-9s proper search and alert techniques.  There will be work for beginning, intermediate and advanced K-9 teams.

The course will include classroom work regarding the use of cadaver dogs, scent theory, working crime scenes, disaster scenes and drownings.  Students will also be tutored in  shallow burials, hangings, partial scent sources (traffic/train accidents), as well as crime scene preservation. Search scenarios will include building search, burials, above ground searches, and water work. 

Above is Jan doing water search.

Time permitting, part of the school will be focused identifying the area where a body has lodged or sunk, how to recognize and alert on those scents, and how to make the search/recovery area smaller for dive teams.

For more information on the class, contact instructor Jeanette Smith at (440) 223-8212 or  email at smith07@hughes.net.   Tuition is $150 for K-9 and handler, $100 for student without K-9, $50 for extra K-9. Each student and K-9 will receive a certificate of completion for the class.  Please note that this does not certify the dog as a cadaver dog.

                                                                                                                     Susan and K-9 Kay

Area/Building Search

Jen & Brian Black "Observing an exercise".

Alert Training

The focus of this 20-hour school is strictly on alert training for K-9 teams.  Depending on the type of search work the K-9 does (rubble search, cadaver work, narcotics, felony), the K-9 needs a readable alert.  That means others besides the handler need to be able to discern that the dog is communicating a find.

Though many of the K-9 teams are strong already when they attend Heartland K-9 Services schools, the one element that may be weak or lacking is commonly the alert. Teams require different alerts for their K-9s.  The narcotics dog is often encouraged to have a strong dig alert, sometimes accompanied by a bark.  The rubble/disaster dog needs a long bark alert, with or without the dig action.  K-9s doing a building search are taught to find the subject and stay with them and bark until the handler releases the dog.

Cadaver teams are taught not to disturb a crime scene, and the K-9s are taught a passive alert; such as a sit, down, or point.  Area search dogs develop a "re-find" during the alert process, that enables them to travel back to the handler, make an indication to that handler, and bring the handler to the subject.

The Alert Training course focuses on developing or enhancing the K-9's alert, with an emphasis on timing, reward and readability.  For more information on the class, contact instructor Jeanette Smith at smith07@hughes.net.  Tuition will be $150 per K-9 team; $100 for student without dog; and $50 for an extra K-9.  There will be a certificate of completion at the end of the 20 hour course.

Duke and his passive
alert

[Download your class registration form here]

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