How To Host A Seminar
Highland Canine Training, LLC offers informative seminars for police dog handlers both across the United States and globally, led by our team of working dog experts. Find out how you can host a Police K9 seminar at your location.
For over two decades, Highland Canine Training has been at the forefront of working dog education. We offer a wide variety of Police K9 seminars covering topics from detection to trailing, patrol to cadaver, and more. We also offer bespoke, custom seminars for departments with specific requirements.
Many of our seminars are offered at our dog training center in North Carolina, but departments also have the opportunity to host a seminar themselves. This is proving to be an increasingly popular way for departments to get excellent, up-to-date information on proven working dog techniques and methods, without the need for extensive travel time away from their home location.
There are two main formats for seminars – “closed” and “open”. We also offer custom seminars for departments with specific needs. Click below to learn more.
Closed Seminars
A closed seminar is hosted by a single agency exclusively for its own personnel.
The cost of the seminar is paid for by the hosting agency, which includes training fees and travel fees for the instructors from our team.
This format allows the training to be tailored specifically to the needs of one department, aligning with specific training goals or previously identified learning gaps. The nature of the closed seminar means the seminar content can be tailored exactly for the needs of the department.
Closed seminars also provide confidentiality, which is beneficial for agencies looking to address internal issues or advance their skills without other departments present.
Open Seminars
An open seminar is hosted by an agency, but is open to attendees from other local departments.
The hosting agency provides the venue; a classroom with a projector; and other necessary resources like buildings or land for training exercises. These training areas must not have been recently used for similar training to avoid contamination.
Other attendees register and pay individually, with costs calculated to cover instructors’ travel, hotel, and meals. The hosting agency must help market the seminar to other local agencies to ensure minimum attendance is met. In exchange, the hosting agency receives up to two free spots for their personnel.
There is no out-of-pocket cost for the hosting agency.
The cost per person for open seminars is currently under $400.
Custom Seminars
Custom seminars are available and are common for international clients (government and non-government). These are tailored to an agency’s specific needs, often starting with an assessment of the dog teams to create a custom training plan.
There is no set lesson plan for these specialized programs. Details will be discussed and agreed when the logistics for the seminar are arranged.
Seminar Logistics
This section covers many of the common questions that hosting agencies ask when planning a seminar with us. If you have questions that are not answered here, please reach out to us at policek9@highlandcanine.com, by calling us, or by filling out the form at the bottom of this page.
- Training aids: Detection aids, bite suits and other equipment can be provided by either the hosting agency or the instructor. Instructors will often bring specialized equipment depending on the seminar content.
- Class size: Classroom-only course (ex: Supervisor, Case Law) can accommodate a large number of people (maximum 150 attendees). Hands-on courses are limited to 10-14 participants to minimize downtime. A second instructor may be added for larger groups.
- Lead time: Seminars should be scheduled approximately 3-4 months in advance to allow for sufficient marketing and promotion.
- Cancellation policy: A minimum number of attendees must be signed up two weeks prior to the start of the seminar, or it will be canceled. The specific minimum number depends on the type of seminar and its location.
- Certificates: Attendees receive a certificate of completion detailing the number of training hours for their continuing education records.
Talk to us about hosting a seminar.
Our team of experts would love to discuss your department’s needs. Whether you’re looking for a conventional open/closed seminar, or something more customized, we’re here to help. Reach out to us by calling, emailing, or filling out our contact form.
Call 800-406-3243
Frequently Asked Questions About Hosting a Police K9 Seminar.
Any organization interested in bringing our training to its area can inquire about hosting. We’ll work with your local coordinator to determine the facilities, enrollment, and arrangements needed for the seminar you select.
There is no out-of-pocket hosting expense for your agency. Highland covers its instructors’ travel and lodging, and the host provides the facilities and local resources needed for the course.
Each seminar has a minimum enrollment requirement, which we confirm during planning.
Yes. Your agency receives two free seats. For seminars involving hands-on K9 training, these are working spots, allowing your handlers to participate with their dogs.
Yes. Minimum enrollment varies with the type of seminar. We’ll establish that requirement with you before registration opens.
If enrollment is insufficient, the seminar will be canceled or rescheduled.
For hands-on seminars, the host provides a local coordinator, an appropriate classroom, audiovisual equipment, and access to the training locations and vehicles needed for practical exercises.
For classroom-only seminars, such as our K9 supervisor courses, the host provides the classroom, audiovisual equipment, and local coordinator. Practical training venues and vehicles are not required.
We’ll discuss the specific requirements with you during planning.
We provide the instructor or instructors, course materials when needed, training equipment, registration, and payment processing. We also help promote the event.
Your local coordinator works with our staff to organize the facilities and resources needed to deliver the training.
All of our seminar offerings are available for hosting, subject to scheduling and the resources needed for the course. Topics include detection, patrol, tracking and trailing, K9 supervision, and other specialized training.
Contact us to discuss the best option for your participants.
Yes. We can customize the subject matter and course length to address your agency’s goals, operational needs, or specific training challenges.
Tell us what you want participants to gain from the course so we can develop an appropriate program.
We prefer to finalize seminar details at least three to four months before the event. This allows time to coordinate instructors, confirm locations, promote the course, and meet enrollment requirements.
Contact us early to discuss your preferred dates.
Yes. A seminar may be limited to your agency or invited participants, or registration may be opened more broadly. We’ll discuss the attendance arrangements and enrollment requirements during planning.
Highland handles registration and payment processing. Promotion is a shared effort: both Highland and the host help publicize the seminar to reach the intended participants.
Most of our practical seminars offer working spots so handlers can train with their dogs. Classroom-only seminars focus on instruction without hands-on dog work.
Contact us about the participation arrangements for the course you wish to host.
Yes. Participants receive completion certificates or training documentation for their records. Discuss any specific agency documentation requirements with us when arranging the seminar.
If minimum enrollment is not reached or scheduling changes prevent the event from proceeding, we will cancel or reschedule the seminar. Our staff will coordinate the next steps with the host.
Submit the contact form on this page, email policek9@highlandcanine.com, or call 704.500.6810.
Share your location, preferred topic, potential dates, and anticipated number of participants. We’ll help you determine the next steps for bringing Highland’s training to your area.