09/06/2026
One of the biggest hurdles for any trailing or detection teams is finding helpers who are willing to go out, lay tracks, sit outside for hours at a time, or setting up detection problems.
Some agencies are fortunate enough to have other team members who aren’t K9 handlers but are still willing to go out and help facilitate training. I believe there is a lot of value in investing in those people, too.
If they’re interested, let them get involved in the training. Give them some lead time behind a dog and let them experience what it’s like to actually run a K9. It gives them a completely different perspective on what a handler may face when that dog is deployed operationally or in training. And honestly, it’s a chance for them to try something pretty fun.
But the biggest takeaway for me is this: invest in your helpers.
Educate them. Explain why they may need to sit out for hours, why a track needs to be laid a certain way, or why a detection problem is being set up in a specific manner.
When people understand the why behind what they’re doing, they become much more invested in the process.
Your helpers are an important part of building a successful trailing or detection team. Treat them like part of the team, give them opportunities to learn, and they’ll become much more than just someone who goes out and lays track.
