Covid Detector Dogs

Covid Detector Dogs

In cooperation with the Eastern Virginia Healthcare Coalition, Bon Secours, and Sentara Healthcare, AK9I™ conducted an extensive research and development trial program spanning six months to determine the viability and efficacy of utilizing specially trained canines to aid in screening of individuals infected with Covid-19. Our Covid Detector Dog teams are above a 95% accuracy rate in identifying positive samples, and our program is one of the few Covid Detector Dog programs to have been through a double blind, peer review board. The board consisted of the Chief Veterinary Officer for American Humane, Dr. Tom Edling, as well as medical professionals from each of the three healthcare systems, and two K-9 officers from two different law enforcement agencies. The canines were able to score an impressive 100% during the review with no misses or false indications.

 Our Covid Detector Dog teams allow for large crowds to be screened for Covid 19 at an extremely low cost yet much faster compared to traditional PCR or Rapid Antigen testing. It gives an alternative method of helping to mitigate the spread of Covid 19 by screening large groups and helping to keep infected individuals from potentially coming in to contact with healthy individuals.

The Covid Detector Dog program demonstrates how versatile and valuable our canine companions are in helping screen people for SARS-CoV-2. The peer-reviewed trial conducted on August 19th at Mary Immaculate Hospital conclusively demonstrated that the dogs in this program are capable of successfully discriminating between cheek swabs from positive COVID patients and negative COVID patients. Dogs can be an accurate and invaluable tool to help screen people for SARS-CoV-2 as we move forward in the fight to end this harmful pandemic. – Dr. Tom Edling Chief Veterinary Officer for American Humane, the country’s first national humane organization.


To find out more about our Covid Detection teams contact us!

BASIC OBEDIENCE (25 HOURS):

Application of Principles of Conditioning (reward schedules, fixed and variable ratios and intervals) for the commands of “sit, stay, down, heel and come” walking in heel position and obstacle agility course. Utilizing Operant Conditioning methods, students are taught to condition the dogs to respond to basic verbal and hand commands and navigate the obstacle course using positive reinforcement methods.

PATROL DOG TRAINING AND CONDITIONING (95 HOURS):

Bite work, grip development, decoy mechanics and development, single and multi-person pursuit and apprehension, apprehension from a vehicle, apprehension with gunfire, vehicle extractions, handler protection, prisoner escorts, recalls and outs, tracking and trailing. Utilizing Operant Conditioning methods, students will condition their dogs to pursue, bite, hold and guard a decoy with and without gunfire under a multitude of conditions, locations and stimuli.

BASIC OBEDIENCE (25 HOURS)

Application of Principles of Conditioning (reward schedules, fixed and variable ratios and intervals) for the commands of “sit, stay, down, heel and come” walking in heel position and obstacle agility course. Utilizing Operant Conditioning methods, students are taught to condition the dogs to respond to basic verbal and hand commands and navigate the obstacle course using positive reinforcement methods.

DETECTOR DOG SEARCH PROCEDURES (110 HOURS):

Canine odor recognition protocol (4-hole variable, odor wall), practical application of detector dog handling search pattern and search procedures in buildings, vehicles, warehouses, stadiums offices, open areas parcels, luggage and bomb threat response protocols. Using operant conditioning methods, students are taught to condition a “green” dog to detect and passively respond to target odors in different environments.

DETECTOR DOG CERTIFICATION (25 HOURS)

Final certification of detector dog team in real world environments using North American Police Working Dog Association (NAPWDA) certification standards. Students will certify with their dog by demonstrating their dog’s ability to detect and respond with a passive response to the target odors. Students will also be able to identify their dog’s behavioral change when the dog is in the scent cone and working to source.

ACADEMICS (40 HOURS)

Orientation, canine safety, canine health care and grooming, canine kenneling and transportation, Principles of Conditioning, explosives and narcotics safety, storage and transportation. This segment of the course is designed to teach students safety practices in and around the kennels and safe handling and transportation of explosives and narcotics. Students are introduced to Operant Conditioning (reward schedules) and Classical conditioning (pairing of unconditioned and conditioned stimuli) escape training, the canine sensory spectrum and titration levels.

BASIC OBEDIENCE (25 HOURS)

Application of Principles of Conditioning (reward schedules, fixed and variable ratios and intervals) for the commands of “sit, stay, down, heel and come” walking in the heel position and obstacle agility course. Utilizing Operant Conditioning methods, student are taught to condition the dogs to respond to basic verbal and hand commands and navigate the obstacle course using positive reinforcement methods.

DETECTOR DOG SEARCH PROCEDURES (110 HOURS)

canine odor recognition protocol (4-hole variable, odor wall), Practical application of detector dog handling search pattern and search procedures in buildings, vehicles, warehouses, stadiums offices, open areas, parcels, luggage and bomb threat response protocols. Using operant conditioning methods, students are taught to condition a “green” dog to detect and passively respond to target odors in different environments.

DETECTOR DOG CERTIFICATION (25 HOURS)

Final certification of detector dog team in real world environments using North American Police Working Dog Association (NAPWDA) certification standards. Students will certify with their dog by demonstrating their dog’s ability to detect and respond with a passive response to the target odors. Students will also be able to identify their dog’s behavioral change when the dog is in the scent cone and working to source.

PATROL DOG CERTIFICATION (25 HOURS)

Final certification of detector dog team in real world environments using North American Police Working Dog Association (NAPWDA) certification standards. Students will demonstrate their dog’s ability to pursue, bite, hold and guard a decoy with and without gunfire under a multitude of conditions, locations and stimuli.

DETECTOR DOG SEARCH PROCEDURES (65 HOURS):

Canine odor recognition protocol (4-hole variable, odor wall), Practical application of detector dog handling search pattern and search procedures in buildings, vehicles, warehouses, stadiums offices, open areas, parcels, luggage and bomb threat response protocols. Using operant conditioning methods, students are taught to condition a “green” dog to detect and passively respond to target odors in different environments.

ACADEMICS (40 HOURS):

Orientation, canine safety, canine health care and grooming, canine kenneling and transportation, Advanced Principles of Conditioning, explosives and narcotics safety, storage and transportation. This segment of the course is designed to teach students safety practices in and around the kennels and safe handling and transportation of explosives and narcotics. Students are introduced to Advanced methods of Operant (reward schedules) and Classical conditioning (pairing of unconditioned and conditioned stimuli) escape training, the canine sensory spectrum and titration levels.

BASIC AND ADVANCED OBEDIENCE (65 HOURS):

Application of Advanced Principles of Conditioning (reward schedules, fixed and variable ratios and intervals) for the commands of “sit, stay, down, heel and come” (all commands are given off-leash) and obstacle agility course (on-leash and off-leash), long downs, vertical/horizontal carries, ladder climbs, window entries and tactical movements, off-leash send-outs, wagon wheels and T-Patterns. Utilizing Operant Conditioning methods, student are taught to condition the dogs to respond to advanced verbal and hand commands and navigate the obstacle course using positive reinforcement methods.

DETECTOR DOG SEARCH PROCEDURES (235 HOURS):

Canine odor recognition protocol (4 hole variable, odor wall), Vapor Pressure (the scent cone), factors affecting the scent cone, e.g., wind, humidity ambient temperature, convection and terrain, advanced application of detector dog handling search patterns and search procedures in buildings, vehicles, warehouses, stadiums offices, open areas, theaters, parcels, luggage and bomb threat response protocols. Off-leash distance casting and control, shooting a line and orbiting. Using advanced operant conditioning methods, students are taught to condition a “green” dog to detect and passively respond to target odors in different environments. Students are also taught how to overcome cognitive dissonance utilizing advanced techniques for behavior shaping and modification as well as receiving Instructor Development, Electronic collar and K9 Selection training.

DETECTOR DOG CERTIFICATION (25 HOURS):

Final certification of detector dog team in real world environments using North American Police Working Dog Association (NAPWDA) certification standards. Students will certify with their dog by demonstrating their dog’s ability to detect and respond with a passive response to the target odors. Students will also be able to identify their dog’s behavioral change when the dog is in the scent cone and working to source.

PATROL DOG TRAINING AND CONDITIONING (130 HOURS):

Overview of bite work, grip development, pursuit and apprehension and gunfire stimuli. canine team selection (how to evaluate both the dog and handler), breeding programs, puppy rearing and evaluation, initial bite work and grip development for puppies, advanced animal behavior (physiological and psychological factors),kenneling, kennel operations and kennel management, training operations and situational problem-solving, advanced tracking and trailing with drop articles, multiple turns and cross-tracks. Door breeching with and without flash bangs. Utilizing Operant Conditioning methods, students will condition their dogs to pursue, bite, hold and guard a decoy with and without gunfire under a multitude of conditions, locations and stimuli.

PATROL DOG CERTIFICATION (25 HOURS):

Final certification of detector dog team in real world environments using North American Police Working Dog Association (NAPWDA) certification standards. Students will demonstrate their dog’s ability to pursue, bite, hold and guard a decoy with and without gunfire under a multitude of conditions, locations and stimuli.

PATROL DOG TRAINING AND CONDITIONING (60 HOURS):

The primary purpose of this course of instruction is to prepare canine teams for integration into the tactical operations of law enforcement as a nonlethal option. Bite work, grip development, decoy mechanics and development, single and multi-person pursuit and apprehension, apprehension from a vehicle (bailouts), apprehension with gunfire, vehicle extractions, handler protection, prisoner escorts, recalls and outs, tracking and trailing and building search/working “in the stack.” Utilizing Operant Conditioning methods, students will condition their dogs to pursue, bite, hold and guard a decoy with and without gunfire under a multitude of conditions, locations and stimuli.

ACADEMICS (40 HOURS)

Orientation, canine safety, canine health care and grooming, canine kenneling and transportation, Principles of Conditioning, explosives and narcotics safety, storage and transportation. This segment of the course is designed to teach students safety practices in and around the kennels and safe handling and transportation of explosives and narcotics.Students are introduced to Operant conditioning (reward schedules) and Classical conditioning (pairing of unconditioned and conditioned stimuli) escape training, the canine sensory spectrum and titration levels.