Police K9 Supervisor Training & Management Courses
Lead with confidence. Strengthen performance. Reduce preventable risk.
Your K9 teams make decisions that affect public safety, officer safety, and your agency’s reputation. Effective supervision requires the knowledge to evaluate their capabilities, recognize problems, and intervene before weaknesses become operational failures.
Highland Canine Training’s Police K9 Supervisor Courses give supervisors, managers, and administrators a structured approach to overseeing their units. Taught by Jason Purgason and built around Blueprints, Building High-Performance Pollice K9 Teams, the program connects training principles with the practical responsibilities of K9 leadership.
Whether you oversee one team or an entire unit, learn how to make informed decisions, establish accountability, and get more from your agency’s investment.
Can You Recognize a Problem Before It Becomes a Liability?
A current certification, an experienced handler, or a successful deployment can provide useful information. Effective supervision requires a broader understanding of how a team performs, where its limitations lie, and whether its training supports its assigned responsibilities.
Without specialized knowledge, supervisors may overlook:
- Training deficiencies that carry over into deployments.
- Handler or dog selection decisions that undermine performance.
- Assignments that exceed a team’s demonstrated capabilities.
- Incomplete records that make decisions difficult to explain or defend.
- Policy, supervision, and compensation practices that create avoidable exposure.
These gaps can contribute to failed searches, preventable injuries, legal challenges, and wasted resources. Our courses help you recognize the warning signs and understand where corrective action is needed.
A Blueprint for Better K9 Leadership
Understand how high performance is created—and how to oversee it.
Blueprints: Building High-Performance Police K9 Programs is the core text for the program, and a copy is included with your course enrollment.
The Blueprints approach connects principles, processes, and performance. It gives supervisors a framework for understanding how teams develop, evaluating their progress, and identifying what needs to change when results fall short.
You will learn to ask more useful questions:
- What does this team’s performance actually demonstrate?
- Does its training prepare it for its operational responsibilities?
- Which weaknesses require attention?
- What evidence supports a decision about readiness?
- How should progress and accountability be evaluated?
The book provides a reference you can return to as you apply these principles within your own unit.
About the Instructor
Jason Purgason, Author - Blueprints: Building High-Performance Police K9 Programs
Jason Purgason is the President of Highland Canine Training, LLC and brings more than three decades of experience and over two decades of instruction to the three-day Police K9 Supervisor Course. He has taught hundreds of supervisors and agency heads, drawing on his background as a handler of two K9s, a supervisor, and a SWAT operator.
Having trained thousands of dog teams, Jason connects field experience with the practical demands of K9 unit leadership. His consulting work helps agencies evaluate and strengthen their K9 programs, while his experience as an expert witness on K9 operations provides an additional perspective on accountability and operational risk. Together, these roles inform a practical approach to instruction that helps supervisors make informed decisions, support their handlers, and effectively manage their K9 units.
What the Training Helps You Do
Make better selection and assignment decisions.
Understand handler and dog selection, suitability for different roles, and the consequences of poor appointment, retention, and assignment decisions.
Evaluate training and team readiness.
Examine patrol, tracking/trailing, and detection functions. Develop a clearer understanding of training quality, team limitations, certification, and validation.
Provide meaningful supervisory oversight.
Connect policy, deployment decisions, unit allocation, supervision, and employee discipline to clear expectations and demonstrated capabilities.
Recognize liability and employment pitfalls.
Explore supervisory liability, K9 case law, failures in training and oversight, and FLSA considerations affecting K9 programs.
Strengthen records and accountability.
Understand how training records, report writing, and supervisory review support informed decisions and help explain agency practices under scrutiny.
Improve the return on your K9 investment.
Identify common program pitfalls and make more informed decisions about personnel, training priorities, and operational resources.
Choose the Right Course for Your Agency
K9 Supervision Course
3-5 days
An in-depth course for supervisors, managers, and administrators responsible for police K9, patrol, and detection dog units. Instruction covers dog and handler selection, training methodologies, policy development, deployment oversight, documentation, liability, certification and validation, and effective program management.
Ideal for leaders who need a comprehensive understanding of their responsibilities and a structured approach to improving unit performance.
K9 Supervision Seminar
1 day
A focused introduction to essential K9 supervisory responsibilities, common program weaknesses, and key areas of risk for agencies. This program is ideal for supervisors or handlers looking to move into supervision.
This program is a great introduction to understanding the structuring and managing police K9 programs. Ideal for agency leaders seeking an overview of effective K9 oversight or an introduction before pursuing more extensive training.
Online K9 Supervision Class
Online at your pace
For those who are unable to attend an in-person program, our online supervisor class is structured so that you can learn at your own pace, from anywhere, anytime.
Our online program covers all of the same material as our 3-day K9 Supervisor Course to ensure you have the knowledge that you need. Completion of the online program comes with a certification of completion that can typically be used to satisfy annual training requirements.
Customized Agency Supervisor Training
Training can be tailored to your agency’s unit structure, operational needs, and supervisory priorities. Contact us to discuss the appropriate scope and course length.
Standard course formats are taught by Jason Purgason and include Blueprints, Creating High Performance Teams.
Invest in the Leadership Behind Your Teams
Your agency invests in dogs, handlers, equipment, and training. Effective supervision helps turn that investment into reliable operational performance.
Give your supervisors the knowledge to recognize deficiencies, establish accountability, and lead with a clear process.
Bring the Training to Your Agency
Give your teams access to practical K9 training without the travel expenses. Hosting a seminar offers your agency:
Two free course spots for your personnel.
No hosting fee charged to your department.
Zero travel costs by bringing instruction to your location.
Getting started is simple. Contact us to discuss your training goals, available dates, and hosting requirements.
Ready to host? Let’s plan a seminar for your agency.
Call Us: 704-500-6810
Contact Us For More Details
Tell us about your agency and the training you need. We’ll help you identify the appropriate course format.
What Our Attendees Have to Say...
Frequently asked questions
This course is designed for law enforcement and military supervisors, administrators, agency leaders, handlers, and personnel preparing for K9 leadership responsibilities. It is appropriate for agencies establishing a new K9 program or managing an existing unit. Civilian attendance is not permitted.
No. Previous K9 handling or supervisory experience is not required. The course helps newcomers build a foundation while giving experienced personnel opportunities to strengthen their knowledge and discuss challenges within their agencies.
Yes. Effective supervision is important whether your agency has one dog team or a large K9 unit. Course discussions address management responsibilities and help participants apply the material to their agency’s size, resources, and operational needs.
Topics include handler and dog selection, deployment, training oversight, policy, record keeping, report writing, certification, unit allocation, and supervisory responsibilities. The course also addresses K9 liability, relevant case law, courtroom preparation, and Fair Labor Standards Act issues.
We offer three-day and five-day in-person seminars, a brief one-day course, and an online version. Contact us to discuss which format best fits your experience, responsibilities, and training goals.
The three-day seminar provides 24 hours of classroom instruction supported by extensive video examples and discussion. The five-day seminar provides 40 hours of instruction, with practical examples and demonstrations conducted on days four and five.
Do not bring a dog to the three-day seminar, which is entirely classroom-based. Dogs are permitted on days four and five of the five-day seminar for practical examples and demonstrations. Contact us before bringing a dog to confirm arrangements for your event.
Both seminars include the BLUEPRINTS book and a certificate documenting instructional hours. Participants receive a certificate for 24 hours of instruction for the three-day seminar or 40 hours for the five-day seminar.
Jason Purgason brings more than three decades of experience and over two decades of instruction. He has taught hundreds of supervisors and agency heads and trained thousands of dog teams. His background includes handling two K9s, serving as a supervisor and SWAT operator, consulting with agencies, and working as an expert witness on K9 operations.
Yes. Participants are encouraged to bring questions about their agency’s policies, supervision, training, deployment, and operational challenges. These discussions help connect course concepts to the decisions and responsibilities participants face within their own units.
Yes. We can discuss your agency’s objectives and training needs to identify an appropriate format and customize instruction. Contact us to explain your unit’s experience, priorities, and areas you would like addressed.
Pricing varies by location. We work to keep attendance affordable, with registration typically costing $300 or less per attendee. Check the individual event listing or contact us for the exact price of your selected seminar.
No. Group discounts are not offered. Agencies hosting a qualifying seminar receive two complimentary course spots.
Yes. Agency invoicing is available, and purchase orders are accepted. Contact us to arrange registration and payment documentation for your department.
Yes. Hosting brings training directly to your location, helping reduce travel expenses for your personnel. There is no out of pocket costs when hosting