K9 Police
dog training
We offer fully licensed and accredited K9 unit training for law enforcement, adhering to all local, state, and federal guidelines. Our 16- to 20-week training courses focus on the following areas:
- Narcotics
- Apprehension
- Explosive detection
- Tracking
We offer dual or single-purpose courses. Schedule your class today and see why dozens of other law enforcement agencies in Oklahoma and beyond trust K9 Unlimited for effective canine training!
Our Police K9 Training
At K9 Unlimited, you can rest assured you’re getting the highest quality dog training in Oklahoma. Our founder Scott Tarpley is a former St. Louis County police officer and is a graduate of the esteemed Tom Rose School for dog training just outside of St. Louis. Scott trained his fellow Army veteran and dog training partner Andrew Northup in these skills. Together, Scott and Andrew have effectively trained K9 units for dozens of law enforcement departments across the state and region.
K9 Unlimited offers both single- and dual-purpose K9 training.
Single-purpose K9
A single-purpose dog is built around one mission, most often detection (narcotics, explosives, firearms, cadaver, electronics) or, for some agencies, tracking. Because apprehension (or “bite”) work isn’t part of the job, policies are simpler, liability is lower, and deployments are straightforward: think vehicle lines, school or courthouse sweeps, parcels, or scene searches.
Training blocks for single-purpose canines are shorter and upkeep is lighter, which helps smaller departments or teams keep skills sharp without stretching resources. The result is a specialist dog that excels at clear, targeted tasks in low-risk public environments.
Dual-purpose K9
A dual-purpose dog pairs patrol capabilities with one detection discipline, creating a partner that can move from tracking a fleeing suspect to clearing a building and then running a detection scan, all on the same shift.
Patrol work includes obedience under distraction, tracking, area and building searches, controlled aggression for suspect apprehension, and handler protection. This versatile skills set requires more initial training time, tighter supervision, and consistent maintenance to keep the dog precise and judicious in its applications. Agencies gain a force-multiplier on calls for service, with the understanding that policy, documentation, and ongoing training must be equally robust.
Which K9 Training is Right for Your Agency?
It’s not just a matter of training depth or cost; whether your agency should enroll in single- or dual-purpose canine training depends on your team and your purpose.
If your primary need is targeted detection, high public contact, and/or cost-conscious training schedules, a single-purpose K9 is often the smartest fit. If patrol regularly gets into foot pursuits, building clears, and situations where detection and control may both be required, a dual-purpose K9 provides the flexibility you’ll use every week. Consider your call mix, supervisor bandwidth, training calendar, and appetite for policy complexity. Then, choose the option that gives your handlers the highest confidence on the calls they run most.
Still not sure which course is right for you? Contact us today and let our training staff help!
