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Dog Handler

Do you want to become a Dog Handler? Here is some information to help point you in the right direction:

Job Description - Print Page

Dog handlers have a range of work:

• the police - crime prevention, detecting drugs, explosives and firearms
• the armed services - airfield defence, finding landmines and casualties
• Customs & Excise - detecting drugs and other banned substances
• private security organisations - protecting property
• the fire service - searching burning and collapsed buildings for signs of life
• search and rescue organisations - mountain and cave rescue.

The hours can be long and variable, including weekends and nights. Police dog handlers work shifts. Most of the work is outdoors in all kinds of weather and terrain.

In the services, starting salaries would be around £15,500; people in senior positions can earn up to £30,000.

For this job, people need:

• some experience with dogs
• patience and self-confidence
• to be able to work with minimum supervision.

Candidates first join the organisation where they intend to work, such as the police or Customs & Excise. Applicants need the minimum qualifications for that organisation - there are usually literacy, numeracy and psychometric tests, and they must be physically fit with good vision and colour vision.

There is a lot of competition for this work. There are not many positions, and there are usually long waiting lists.

Their employer sends them on a training course where they are matched with a young dog. They are trained with the dog, so that they become an efficient partnership.

Promotion is like any other job in the police, army, or RAF - dog handlers can take exams to become a sergeant in the police, or a warrant officer in the army and RAF.

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