ABC Police K9 Training







This web page was created and maintained by Sgt. Alan Carlson (Ret.) for the Springfield K9 Academy business to promote effective uses and training of Police Service Dogs. The web site included Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) approved course outlines for Police K9 Management, Tracking, Obedience, Tactical Deployment, and Protection & Control training for dogs and handlers, with other links and web pages that incorporated training guides and references. The links and web pages were lost in cyberspace because there is no longer a dot com address. The business was discontinued because I just couldn't compromise my professional standards of testing and selecting, training or maintaining, Police Service Dogs.

Test it before you Accept it!!!

Article by Dave Reaver on the Use of E-collars

The primary purpose of a Police K9 should be the use of their olfactory senses. Proper selection and training of police dogs and handlers coupled with administrative and community support is essential for a successful K9 program. Teaching basic skills utilizing motivational methods establishes a foundation for learning. Once the fundamentals have been learned training can begin. Training requires a knowledgeable and skillful handler that can apply correctly timed compulsion for reliable service. Teaching and training can enhance instincts but never create them. Dog behaviors are the result of stimulations to the nervous system that demonstrate learned responses and genetic traits. Conflict and defensive behaviors are the result of fear and stress which reduces the ability of dogs to learn or perform in a confident and reliable manner.

Training time used to maintain basic police dog behaviors that requires constant correcting has little time for advancing tracking instincts or evidence searching skills. Adult dog behaviors are shaped by youthful experiences, are resistant to change, and will revert to the earliest problem solving experiences under stress. There are only two ways out of conflict for a dog; aggressive hyper-activity or avoidance behavior. But defense aggression, conflict, and stress are reactive behaviors, the result of fear, and once the stimulus stops the behavior disappears.

Proper training and performance reduce the risks of Civil and Vicarious Liability.


Dog Training Accomplishments

  • 1981 Implemented the Springfield,Oregon Police Department K9 program
  • 1981 Mandelyn Kennels Master Trainer/Instructor Course
  • 1981 Mandelyn Kennels Police Dog Course
  • 1983 AKC Tracking Dog Title - Arras
  • 1983 Schutzhund I Title - Liberty
    96V Tracking
  • l983 Sold Narcotics & Patrol Dog - Liberty - Springfield P.D.
  • 1985 Schutzhund I Title - Boris
    98V Track 96V Obedience 90SG Protection
  • 1985 Police K9 Trial - Eureka, Ca.
  • 1986 AKC Tracking Dog Title - Boris
  • 1986 Schutzhund II Title - Boris
    90SG Track 97V Obedience 96V Protection
  • 1986 Schutzhund III Title - Boris
    95SG Track Total 274SG
  • 1987 United States Police K9 Team - Munich, Germany
    Boris - 98V Track 99V Obedience
  • 1988 WPO Title - Boris
  • 1989 Pacific Northwest Regional Sch III Champion - Boris
    98V Track
  • 1990 USA Police Dog Championship - Sacramento, Ca.
  • 1991 Schutzhund I Title - Dolli
    90SG Obedience 91SG Protection
  • 1992 Schutzhund FH Tracking 91SG Title - Boris
  • 1995 Schutzhund BH Title - Creigor
  • 1996 Schutzhund I Title - Delfi
  • 1997 Oregon Police Dog Champion - Andy
  • 1997 First Oregon Handler/Trainer to pass
    OPCA Advanced Patrol Dog Standards - Andy
  • 1998 Schutzhund BH Title - Fanci
  • 1998 Schutzhund I Title - Andy
    98V Track High in Trial 272
  • 1999 Schutzhund II Title - Andy
    100V Track High in Trial 272
  • 2000 Schutzhund III Title - Andy
    94SG Track High in Trial 273
  • 2000 Schutzhund BH Title - Perry
  • 2000 Schutzhund I & II Title - Perry
  • 2001 Schutzhund III Title - Perry
  • 2001 Schutzhund BH Title - Nikki
  • 2001 Sold Patrol Dog & Narcotics - Perry - Springfield P.D.
  • 2001 Dutch Malinois puppy - Rudi
  • 2002 Schutzhund BH Title - Rudi
  • 2003 Schutzhund U.S.A. H.O.T. Trial
    Obedience 1 Title 1st Place- Rudi
  • 2003 Schutzhund Tracking 1 Title 93SG - Rudi
  • 2003 Schutzhund 1 Title 1st Place- Rudi
  • 2004 German Shepherd puppy - Amy
  • 2004 Schutzhund OB2 Title - Rudi
  • 2005 German Shepherd puppy - Bravo
  • 2005 Sold Patrol Dog - Rudi - Medford P.D.
  • 2005 Schutzhund BH Title - Amy
  • 2006 Pacific Northwest Team Tournament
    McKenzie River Schutzhund 2nd Place - Amy
  • 2006 Schutzhund BH Title - Bravo
  • 2007 Schutzhund U.S.A. H.O.T. trial
    National Obedience Champion - Amy
  • 2007 Schutzhund 1 Title - Bravo
    98V Track - High in Trial 276 pts.
  • 2007 Schutzhund OB2 Title - Amy
  • 2007 Schutzhund 1 Title - Amy
    92SG Tracking 96V Obedience
  • 2009 Schutzhund 2 Title - Amy
    95SG Protection
  • 2009 Schutzhund 2 Title - Amy
    90 Tracking...........................
    95 Obedience - High in Trial
    88 Protection - High in Trial
    Total score 273 - High in Trial

    Education & Experience

    Graduated Taft High School - Chicago, Illinois
    Retail Grocery Clerk - Kroger - Safeway - Westward Ho - Mayfair
    United States Marine Corp. 1958 - 1961
    Valley College, VanNuys, Ca.
    Springfield Police Department 1966 - 1998
    P.F.C./ Cpl./ Police Sergeant - 1971
    Police K9 Supervisor,Trainer,Handler - 1981
    Oregon Police Canine Association President 1982-1986
    DPSST Accredited Police Dog Training Course 1983-2003
    Master Trainer - Oregon Police Canine Association
    Training Director - Emerald Valley Schutzhund Club
    Distinguished Service Award for K9 Training - Eugene Police 1987
    Medal of Valor for K9 deployment - Springfield Police
    Lane Community College Associate of Applied Science - 1993
    Retired Springfield Police Department - 1998
    Lane Community College - Website Design
    Springfield K9 Academy 1998 - 2003
    Oregon Police Canine Association Webmaster & Newsletter Editor 2000 - 2004
    Northwest Christian College - Finance & Investments


    Service Dog Statistics

    - 5000+ Hours DPSST Accredited K9 Training

    - $46.000+ Recovered Stolen Property

    - 1100+ K9 Deployments

    - 130 K9 Captures

    - 19 Bites

    - 1 Fed 1983 Law Suit


    Raised, Titled, or Trained for Police Service

    Arras - Springfield PD
    Liberty - Springfield PD
    Boris - Springfield PD
    Draxen - St. Helens PD
    Dana - Portland PB
    Duke - Portland PB
    Andy - Springfield PD
    Perry - Springfield PD
    Rudi - Medford PD


    See Biographies & Photos of My Dog's
    ARRAS LIBERTY BORIS ANDY PERRY RUDI AMY



    Springfield Police K-9's


    Spfd-Eug K9 Officers 1991



    McKenzie River Schutzhund