The Police K9 Training Podcast with Jeff Meyer

Host Jeff Meyer returns to discuss common training mistakes he sees in police canine programs and how those mistakes lead to avoidable bites and liability.
 
To contact Jeff Meyer, email him at: JeffMeyer1@outlook.com
To see more about Jeff and the classes that are offered go to: www.Policek9Training.net  
 
Thanks to this shows sponsors:
 
 
AceK9.com
______________________________________________________________________________
KATS K9 Record Keeping  www.katsplatinum.com
______________________________________________________________________________
 
Ray Allen K9      https://www.rayallen.com/ 
____________________________________________________________________________
The Next Level K9    https://www.thenextlevelk9.com/ 
 
 
_____________________________________________________________________________
For information about the Colorado K9 Conference https://coloradok9conference.com/ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Host Jeff Meyer sits down with legal expert Mike Kmiecik of Sheepdog Guardian for a focused legal update for patrol K9 handlers. Over the course of the episode they unpack recent case law, discuss practical training and deployment habits, and share operational tips meant to reduce risk to officers, bystanders, and suspects while improving search effectiveness.
The conversation centers on the long-standing duty to give a clear K9 warning and a meaningful opportunity to peacefully surrender, tracing the doctrine from Kua v. City of Minnetonka through more recent Eighth Circuit decisions (including Adams v. City of Cedar Rapids and the February Cameron decision). Mike and Jeff explain how courts treat the warning requirement, when exceptions may be justified, and why courts increasingly expect officers to articulate on the record why a warning would have increased risk if they choose to forego it.
Practical takeaways for handlers include: use amplified PA announcements when feasible; re-announce when changing floors or crossing barriers; allow time for surrender; avoid turning warnings into a rote signal to immediately release the dog; let the dog acclimate so you get a better search; and consider community alerts to protect civilians. They also stress documenting confirmation of announcements—bodycams, perimeter officers on the radio, and supervisor notes—to shut down later disputes about whether warnings were heard.
Mike and Jeff dig into report-writing and supervision: write reports for skeptical reviewers (not just fellow officers), have supervisors trained in canine standards review reports, and consider delaying final high‑level use‑of‑force reports until memory consolidation (several sleep cycles) to improve accuracy. They also discuss how poor articulation of decisions in reports has led to avoidable litigation and how a few extra minutes of clear explanation can prevent long legal fights.
 
To contact Jeff Meyer, email him at: JeffMeyer1@outlook.com
To see more about Jeff and the classes that are offered go to: www.Policek9Training.net  
 
Thanks to this shows sponsors:
 
 
AceK9.com
______________________________________________________________________________
KATS K9 Record Keeping  www.katsplatinum.com
______________________________________________________________________________
 
Ray Allen K9      https://www.rayallen.com/ 
____________________________________________________________________________
The Next Level K9    https://www.thenextlevelk9.com/ 
 
 
_____________________________________________________________________________
For information about the Colorado K9 Conference https://coloradok9conference.com/ 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Host Jeff Meyer returns solo on this episode of the Police Canine Training Podcast to discuss a critical but often overlooked topic: training scars. With no guests on the show, Jeff defines what a training scar is, why it develops in both dogs and handlers, and how these unintended habits reduce operational effectiveness by making teams respond to training patterns instead of real-life variables.
The episode covers concrete examples of common dog training scars — such as dogs pacing alongside fleeing suspects, leaving prone passive subjects, and expecting artificial cues (making noise or visual signals) during patrol work — and handler training scars like immediately approaching a contacted suspect instead of moving to cover or failing to rehearse crisis decision-making.
Jeff lays out practical fixes and training strategies: incorporate muzzle work and prone passive scenarios, change up repetitive drills, create decision-making and scenario-based training that forces handlers and dogs to adapt, practice crisis rehearsals and cover movement, and involve the whole training group in designing challenging evolutions. He also recommends reviewing videos of real incidents to analyze mistakes and then applying those lessons to your training plan.
 
To contact Jeff Meyer, email him at: JeffMeyer1@outlook.com
To see more about Jeff and the classes that are offered go to: www.Policek9Training.net  
 
Thanks to this shows sponsors:
 
 
AceK9.com
______________________________________________________________________________
KATS K9 Record Keeping  www.katsplatinum.com
______________________________________________________________________________
 
Ray Allen K9      https://www.rayallen.com/ 
____________________________________________________________________________
The Next Level K9    https://www.thenextlevelk9.com/ 
 
 
_____________________________________________________________________________
For information about the Colorado K9 Conference https://coloradok9conference.com/ 
 
 
 
 
 

On this episode of the Police K9 Training Podcast host Jeff Meyer speaks with Jake Skifsted, founder of the nonprofit Shield 616. Jake shares the origin of the organization after his experiences responding to active shooter events in Colorado Springs and explains how Shield 616 rapidly grew into a nationwide mission to provide life-saving equipment and community support to first responders.
 
Listeners hear specifics about the Colorado K9 Conference in mid-June, including Shield 616’s special event: a Topgolf tournament and dinner on June 16th provided through donations for conference attendees. J
 
To contact Jeff Meyer, email him at: JeffMeyer1@outlook.com
To see more about Jeff and the classes that are offered go to: www.Policek9Training.net  
 
Thanks to this shows sponsors:
 
 
AceK9.com
______________________________________________________________________________
KATS K9 Record Keeping  www.katsplatinum.com
______________________________________________________________________________
 
Ray Allen K9      https://www.rayallen.com/ 
____________________________________________________________________________
The Next Level K9    https://www.thenextlevelk9.com/ 
 
 
_____________________________________________________________________________
For information about the Colorado K9 Conference https://coloradok9conference.com/ 
 
 
 
 
 

Host Jeff Meyer sits down with Steve Colburn to explore two practical, field‑proven approaches for improving police K9 teams: a structured treadmill conditioning program and regular double‑blind training days. Expect an in‑depth look at why conditioning matters, how to implement treadmill work safely and effectively, and how double‑blind exercises both test and teach handlers and dogs.
 
To contact Jeff Meyer, email him at: JeffMeyer1@outlook.com
To see more about Jeff and the classes that are offered go to: www.Policek9Training.net  
To Contact Steve, email him at steve.colburn@cityofloveland.org 
 
Thanks to this shows sponsors:
 
 
AceK9.com
______________________________________________________________________________
KATS K9 Record Keeping  www.katsplatinum.com
______________________________________________________________________________
 
        Online Class Click Here      k-9services.com
_____________________________________________________________________________
 
Ray Allen K9      https://www.rayallen.com/ 
____________________________________________________________________________
The Next Level K9    https://www.thenextlevelk9.com/ 
 
 
_____________________________________________________________________________
For information about the Colorado K9 Conference https://coloradok9conference.com/ 
 
 
 

In this episode host Jeff Meyer welcomes veteran trainer Howard Young back to preview his "Effective Engagement" station at the Colorado K9 Conference and share practical, street-tested canine training advice. Howard describes how he transitions dogs from controlled training into real-world police work using exercises that expose dogs to unusual stimuli without over-relying on bite suits.
 
To contact Jeff Meyer email him at: JeffMeyer1@outlook.com
To see more about Jeff and the classes that are offered go to: www.Policek9Training.net  
 
Thanks to this shows sponsors:
 
 
AceK9.com
______________________________________________________________________________
KATS K9 Record Keeping  www.katsplatinum.com
______________________________________________________________________________
 
        Online Class Click Here      k-9services.com
_____________________________________________________________________________
 
Ray Allen K9      https://www.rayallen.com/ 
____________________________________________________________________________
The Next Level K9    https://www.thenextlevelk9.com/ 
 
 
_____________________________________________________________________________
For information about the Colorado K9 Conference https://coloradok9conference.com/ 
 
 
 

Join host Jeff Meyer and guest Eric Stanbro as they preview the Colorado K9 Conference in Colorado Springs (June) and dive into practical, street‑tested K9 training. 
Eric explains his updated "e‑collar without conflict" approach: using the tone as a negative marker, long‑tone recalls versus short‑tone leaves, and the new "tone precursor" (tone → move → release) and "tone sandwich" (tone, stim, tone) techniques to reduce handler redirects and keep dogs focused. He also reviews the "power of twos" (correct the first response, pay the second) to eliminate lingering and cheap shots during bite work.
 
To contact Jeff Meyer email him at: JeffMeyer1@outlook.com
To see more about Jeff and the classes that are offered go to: www.Policek9Training.net  
 
Thanks to this shows sponsors:
 
 
AceK9.com
______________________________________________________________________________
KATS K9 Record Keeping  www.katsplatinum.com
______________________________________________________________________________
 
        Online Class Click Here      k-9services.com
_____________________________________________________________________________
 
Ray Allen K9      https://www.rayallen.com/ 
____________________________________________________________________________
The Next Level K9    https://www.thenextlevelk9.com/ 
 
 
_____________________________________________________________________________
For information about the Colorado K9 Conference https://coloradok9conference.com/ 
 
 
 

In this episode Jeff Meyer welcomes Mike Nesbeth to preview his keynote at the upcoming Colorado K9 Conference. He discusses his long-time passion project breeding and raising Malinois (one to two litters a year), the advantages of raising dogs locally (complete life-history, tailored police-dog preparation), and why North American production differs from large European kennels.
Key training philosophies covered: prioritize horsepower before brakes, avoid making puppies "sticky" to handlers, and build innate curiosity and hunt value early. Mike outlines progressive training stages and ages: early loose food-luring and weight gain, marker/clicker work and shaping targeted behaviors around 8–12 weeks, building duration for hunting and tracking through many reps, and introducing leash/e‑collar pressure later (commonly around one year) applied to pre-shaped, away-from-handler behaviors. He explains why detection and patrol skill development overlap (hide-and-seek and building-search games early) and stresses that detection success often hinges on commitment and hunt duration rather than just early obedience.
 
 
To contact Jeff Meyer email him at: JeffMeyer1@outlook.com
To see more about Jeff and the classes that are offered go to: www.Policek9Training.net  
 
Thanks to this shows sponsors:
 
 
AceK9.com
______________________________________________________________________________
KATS K9 Record Keeping  www.katsplatinum.com
______________________________________________________________________________
 
        Online Class Click Here      k-9services.com
_____________________________________________________________________________
 
Ray Allen K9      https://www.rayallen.com/ 
____________________________________________________________________________
The Next Level K9    https://www.thenextlevelk9.com/ 
 
 
_____________________________________________________________________________
For information about the Colorado K9 Conference https://coloradok9conference.com/