Meagan Karnes

Meagan has been training dogs professionally since 2002, most recently working with private security, military and law enforcement to provide security and detection K9s for high level applications. She owns both The Collared Scholar, an online dog training academy, and 690 Security Services, a company that trains and deploys Executive Security and Protection K9s to private customers. She recently partnered with both Average Frog and SM Leaders, who repurpose the proven performance principles of the Navy SEALs for individuals and organizations. Follow her on Facebook and Flickr.

About Meagan Karnes

Meagan Karnes Meagan has been training dogs professionally since 2002, most recently working with private security, military and law enforcement to provide security and detection K9s for high level applications. She owns both The Collared Scholar, an online dog training academy, and 690 Security Services, a company that trains and deploys Executive Security and Protection K9s to private customers. She recently partnered with both Average Frog and SM Leaders, who repurpose the proven performance principles of the Navy SEALs for individuals and organizations. Follow her on Facebook and Flickr.

K9 Conditioning: Preventing Injury in K9 Athletes

I watched as the K9 emerged from the trailer, instantly struck by the Texas heat. For those of us who lived there, it was a mild day compared to most. But to visitors, the 95 degree heat was unbearable.

Complying with her handler’s commands, the dog trotted onto the field. In a split second, she noticed the adversary 30 yards out, and her excitement overtook her. The handler commanded her into a down. The dog complied, quite literally chomping at the bit, and it took all of her resolve to focus her attention on the handler at her side, knowing this was the only way she’d be released for the attack.

As the dog made eye contact, the handler gave the word, sending the dog into a sprint down the grassy field where she slammed into the decoy, nearly lifting him off of his feet.

The decoy absorbed the hit, careful to keep the dog safe, and then proceeded to work the bite for what seemed like an eternity (15 or 20 seconds).

Satisfied with the dog’s performance, the handler recalled the dog, who instantly outed the bite and quickly returned, finishing at her side.

The dog panted hard. Her tongue was long and saliva was pouring from her mouth. She had peeled her lips up and away from her gums, and her breath was fast and heavy.

Again, her handler sent her in for a bite. Like a bullet, the dog bolted down the field a second time, attacking her adversary with force, outing when called, and returning, hoping for another round.

After the second bite, the handler leashed the dog and returned her to the confines of the air conditioned trailer. The dog was quite obviously exhausted and the heat was overtaking her.

As the handler returned, the look of panic on her face was instantly apparent. After her short time on the field, the dog was suffering from heat exhaustion, a potentially life threatening condition that needed to be addressed immediately.

The onlookers, trainers, and kennel staff jumped into motion, wetting rags and wrapping the dog’s heat stricken body. They changed towels every few minutes as they absorbed the massive quantities of heat pouring off the dog, while strategically positioning fans to expedite the cooling process.

Monitoring the dog’s temperature and respiration, everyone watched tentatively for any response to the rigorous attempt at treatment. Finally, the dog began to calm, her temperature slowly declining from deadly levels, until it reached high normal.

We were out of the woods… But it was a close call.

Working dogs are the equivalent of the modern day athlete. Whether they are dogs used for hunting, tracking, search and rescue, detection, or protection work or sport, any dog with a job, like an athlete, must be properly conditioned.

The dog in the story above hadn’t been properly conditioned for heavy exercise and demanding work, and, having just arrived from Coastal California, where the temperature rarely fluctuates out of the 70’s, the dog succumbed to a possibly life threatening injury.

Preventing Work Related Injury in the K9 Athlete

Condition to the elements – A dog that is inside of your air conditioned home, lounging on the couch, or worse yet, inside of a crate in the cool 72 degree controlled temperature, is going to have a very difficult time adapting to changes in ambient temperature and humidity. If your dog is going to be working, and you want to condition a K9 athlete, it’s critical your pup gets used to being outside and adjusting to weather patterns. Be sure to give your dog shelter from the elements and constant access to fresh water, and don’t be afraid to bring your pup in if the elements get too severe. If you are traveling, make sure your pup has time to acclimate to to any significant changes in the elements before asking for demanding work regimes and pay close attention for any signs of distress.
Build endurance – One of the biggest mistakes K9 handlers make is keeping their K9 confined and then pulling the dog out only for work. I’ve seen countless owners and handlers keep their dogs confined to crates or small runs, taking the dog out for a 15 or 20 minute work session, after which they return the dog to confinement. In fact, one of my original mentors encouraged me to pursue this training route as it would lead to a more “amped” pup with more motivation to work. In all actuality, short bursts of exercise would be the equivalent of me sitting on the couch 23 hours a day and then trying to take an advanced level CrossFit class with no stretching first. I’d likely injure myself in places I didn’t even know I had. Instead, steady consistent exercise will build muscle and endurance in your K9 partner. Opting for large runs, as opposed to crates for daily confinement will help dogs maintain appropriate muscle mass. Consistent daily exercise will help build endurance and strength and will help prevent any work or training related injuries in the future. Building endurance through daily training and exercise is far healthier than periodic bursts of hard work for an otherwise sedentary pup.
A warm up does wonders – Whether you are headed to training, or out for a day of solid work, just like their human counterparts, warming up and stretching the muscles can do wonders for our K9 partners. Simply taking your pup for a good five minute walk, allowing them to relieve themselves, and stretch their legs, especially if they are confined to a crate for transport, will help tremendously in preventing injury. A quick game of tug post walk for protection/sport dogs, or a few retrieve rehearsals for hunting dogs can help further the warm up, and allow the dog to blow out any frustration built up from being confined. Don’t tire your dog in your warm up – simply get their muscles moving and their minds ready for work.
Don’t get stuck in a rut – Physically cross training your K9 can do wonders for building muscle tone and endurance, as well as for preventing work related injuries. As a supplement to your training regime, taking your dog for a run, hiking with your pup, taking your dog swimming (or teaching him how), jogging on the beach, teaching your dog to use conditioning tools such as a treadmill, or, at times, simply throwing the ball will engage and build different muscles that may be called upon during rigorous training or work. Many K9 trainers and handlers get stuck in a rut, simply practicing the same routine, or series of exercises focused around their dog’s specific job. But what human athlete conditions and trains by simply exercising a handful of muscles? Who goes to the gym and only works their arms, day in and day out? To achieve peak levels of performance, and to prevent working injury, exercising all of the body’s muscles is key.
Don’t forget the cool down – After a vigorous exercise session, professional trainers advise human athletes to spend a significant amount of time “cooling down”. This allows the heart rate to slowly decrease to resting state, and many argue it reduces muscle cramps and soreness, reduces stress on vital organs, and even reduces the occurrence of exercise related injury. Our K9s are no different. Performance experts advocate that working K9s go through 5-10 minutes of cool down after strenuous training or work before being confined for transport or before being allowed to rest. To cool your K9 down, simply slowly and calmly walk your freshly worked pup for 5-10 minutes to keep the muscles moving, but to allow the heart rate to slowly return to its resting state. If your dog is heated, dousing them with room temperature water before walking will help them release excess heat and will expedite the cooling process. The jury is still out as to whether cold water or use of ice/ice packs is safe to expedite the cooling process. Critics warning against the potential for shock to the system, so we advocate using room temperature water to aid in cooling until more research becomes available.

As a Working Dog Trainer, I expect my dogs to perform regardless of the elements, and regardless of a change in environment. However, its up to me to equip them with the tools and training necessary for them to perform their job in a safe and effective manner, regardless of where we are or what we are doing. Whether we are taking a stroll in sunny San Diego, or we are knee deep in snow, fighting freezing temperatures with heavy wind, or we are on the training field on a 100 degree Texas Summer Day, it is my job to physically prepare my K9 for the work that lies ahead.

While conditioning and acclimation are no replacement for proper education, familiarizing yourself with the signs and symptoms of distress, and knowing what to do in response, by preparing yourself and your K9, you can absolutely help build tolerance and prevent injury.

On that hot summer day in Texas, the good intentioned handler made a number of mistakes that could have proven deadly. With no warm up, no time for the K9 to acclimate to the heat, and with a pup that rarely left the confines of her cushy air conditioned kennel except for short bursts of vigorous work, the handler unknowingly set her dog up for injury.

There is no doubt that this particular handler loved her K9, and only wanted what was best for her. Thankfully, she, as well as our staff, knew the signs of heat exhaustion and heat related injury, as well as techniques for treating, and were able to save the dog from potential tragedy. We were prepared. However, the event could have been prevented, thus rendering our preparations unnecessary…an ideal situation and a stark learning experience for this relatively green handler.

By taking a few key precautions, and knowing the signs and emergency treatment of work related injuries such as heat exhaustion, we can be prepared for and, more often than not, prevent potential disasters from occurring in our K9 partners.

Understanding Heat Injury in the K9 Athlete

Whether you are a fan or not, summer is here and the warm weather is upon us.

In raising and training working dogs, with summer, also comes a number of hidden threats – threats that plague not only working dog trainers and handlers, but that affect sport dog and pet dog owners as well. Heat exhaustion, heat stroke and heat related injury can easily take out the strongest of K9 athletes in a matter of sheer minutes.

Dogs, especially working or sport dogs, can quite easily be overcome by excessive temperatures, especially if their bodies aren’t properly conditioned to acclimate. Heat related injuries can be life threatening, so it becomes imperative as a handler or dog owner, that you understand the symptoms of these potentially deadly afflictions, and that you are prepared to react if your dog falls victim.

Recognizing an overheating dog

It’s no secret that dogs pant to expel heat. So telling you panting is a sign of distress would be absurd. Dogs pant often, without being in distress. So how do you know when it’s an emergency?

Dogs that are being affected by heat will extend their tongues as far out of their mouths as possible, expanding the surface area in order to maximize efficiency of heat expulsion. Oftentimes, dogs that are starting to become affected by heat will outstretch their tongues, with the tip of the tongue expanding at the edges, making the end of the tongue appear wider than the base. As body temperature increases, the edges at the tip of the tongue will curl upwards and many dogs will lift their lips to expose their gums to further facilitate the cooling process. The tongue will begin to turn a deep red or even purple color as the dog succumbs to high temperature.

In addition to watching your K9’s tongue as an indicator of internal temperature, keeping an eye on their behavior can indicate a potential life threatening need to take action. Signs of heat exhaustion and stroke can include vomiting, difficulty breathing, elevated heart rate and temperature, staggering, tremors, lack of responsiveness to verbal cues, general stupor or even collapse.

In the working K9, monitoring heart rate and internal temperature can quite easily give you a good and unnecessary scare, even if your dog isn’t in distress, simply because the dog’s natural temperature and heart rate will increase significantly during work. With working dogs, the visual cues tend to be better indicators of a potential problem.

Preventing Heat Related Injury

The best way to manage heat related injury in the Working K9 is to simply prevent it from occurring.

These days, many animal lovers go overboard in the protection of dogs left in cars on summer days. Although I take my K9 everywhere and would, quite honestly, like to see someone try to break my car window out of concern for my dog, it is imperative that you never leave your K9 in your car on a hot day without taking the proper precautions. Plainly stated, if you are going to leave your pup in the car, ensure they are kept cool and out of danger. Keep your pup safe by parking in the shade, providing a cooling unit, and leaving your pup with plenty of fresh cold water. In addition, if you travel often with your K9 like I do, I’d highly recommend purchasing a pet safety system to monitor the internal temperature of your car and to alert you if it becomes dangerous. Try the FreezeAlarm or the Halo Pet Safety System.

If you are out working your dog, simply keep an eye on physical cues and cool your dog when they begin to show signs of an elevated internal temperature. Before their tongue gets deep red, and just as it starts to curl at the edges, apply cooling techniques until the dog slows its breathing. Far too many handlers ignore their dog’s physical cues and continue to push them in training until their body simply can’t handle it anymore. Given the working dog’s drive for their job and eagerness to please, oftentimes the signs will be subtle. But you know your dog better than everyone so pay close attention. It could mean life or death.

Treating heat related injury in dogs

As your dog begins to show signs of distress, it is critical that you lower their internal body temperature quickly. Inaction will be the quickest route to tragedy so be sure to act fast. In the event you suspect heat related injury, you can perform the following cooling techniques to lower your dog’s temperature:

Soak large towels in room temperature or cool water and apply around the dog’s body, focusing on the “armpit” areas and belly. Remove the towels as they absorb the dog’s heat and exchange regularly for fresh cool towels.
Move your dog to the shade or a cool area, and if available, position fans to blow directly on them to expedite the cooling process.
Monitor your dog’s internal temperature via a rectal thermometer and ensure it is declining. Be prepared to warm your dog if his temperature cools too quickly and falls below 100 degrees.
Administer subcutaneous fluids if you have them available and are trained to do so. If you own a working dog, and especially if you are working dogs in the field, you should be trained by your veterinarian to administer subcutaneous fluids and you should have them on hand at all times.
Following any heat related incident, it is advised that you promptly seek medical attention. It is critical you get your dog’s temperature under control immediately to prevent further injury to vital organs so be sure to perform the cooling techniques listed above before or en route to the vet.

While the goal is to cool your dog as quickly and as efficiently as possible to buy you time until you can get to the vet, be cautious not to overcool your dog or cool too quickly. The jury is still out as to whether use of ice packs and ice cold water is safe, but considering critics advocate that it could potentially cause shock, I would attempt to cool with room temperature or cool water first. Then, only if I couldn’t get the temperature under control would I resort to more, potentially riskier methods.

With summer here, the chance for heat injury is greatly increasing. While prevention is key, by being aware of the symptoms and knowing what to do in the event of an emergency, you can be prepared to recognize and prevent life threatening injuries and, in the event your K9 becomes afflicted, you’ll know how to turn a tragedy into simply a lesson learned.

“Cujo” or K9?

Gnashing teeth, saliva flying through the air and eyes blood red and bulging as the dog tears into its adversary, leaving nothing behind except a pile of bloodied bones. This image of a veritable “Cujo” is evoked in many as they hear the term “Protection Dog”.

Many people carry with them a preconceived notion that these dogs are vicious killers, aiming for the face or throat to seriously mutilate or kill any man, woman, or child that gets in their way. A sad truth that attracts many an unscrupulous individual to the industry, while driving those who could benefit immensely from the service of a trained K9 away in fear.

What is an Executive Protection Dog?

Executive Protection Dogs are expertly trained K9s that are conditioned to keep you and your family safe. They are trained to perform tasks such as search and clear a property, find intruders and alert their handlers and, if a threat presents itself, these dogs can be trained to bite and subdue. They are taught to target their bite, most often targeting the weapon arm, in order to subdue their attacker.

These high performing K9s can travel with their owners, are safe in public, and live as part of the family. They should not, in any case, aim for the face or throat, but instead should be taught to bite and hold their attacker – not kill, mutilate or maim their adversary.

Why Executive K9s are Badass

They are capable of decision making – A properly trained K9, in the face of adversity, is capable of making split second decisions. When the proper K9 is selected, and the fundamentals are painstakingly put into place over the course of years, the dog is able to determine threat vs. non-threat and react accordingly. While fine tuning this process doesn’t happen overnight, it does add a level of security to your home protection, greatly decreasing the chance for mistakes.
They remove you from the home protection process – I know many of my clients comment that, in the event they are presented with a threat, their dog simply buys them time so they can get their gun. I don’t disagree. However, these highly efficient sentries are able to manage the threat so you don’t have to. Instead of stalking through your dark house at night, trying to track down an intruder, you can move yourself and your family to safety while your dog runs your search.
You don’t have to aim – While many of my followers are likely a great shot, I can admit candidly that I have terrible aim due to a complete lack of training. Compound that with the fact that most crimes don’t happen in broad daylight when I’m bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, but instead would be more likely to startle me out of a deep sleep, and I wouldn’t trust myself with a firearm much at all. But my K9 doesn’t need me to aim. She does it for me.
Their senses are better than yours – Dogs possess a sense of smell that us as humans can’t possibly imagine. They can detect disease, are able to sniff out minute changes in our body chemistry, and, with a couple hundred million scent glands as opposed to our measly five million, they can smell an intruder before they even step foot on your property. Coupled with the fact that they can hear roughly four times the distance we can, and you can be confident their threat detection is far superior to yours. Check your ego at the door and call a spade a spade.
They are your partner – Your K9 is not only your protector – it is your companion, your partner and your friend. Well trained K9s live as a member of the family. They can snuggle up with your children, play ball in the yard and provide years of companionship you won’t get from a firearm….well, some of you.

K9s Aren’t For Everyone

It’s no secret I have an affinity for the working K9. However, I can tell you without a doubt, a security K9 isn’t for everyone. As a method for home protection, they are incredibly effective. But don’t think that simply because you saw a movie, watched a youtube video, or read a few books, you are able to raise and train one of these high performing K9s.

If you lack experience handling and training dogs with intense power and drive, you should look to a well respected trainer with an extensive background raising and training high level working dogs. But keep in mind, even with a fully trained security K9 comes a very intense responsibility.

They need regular exercise and training – We select very specific breeds of dogs for executive security work with very specific personality traits. Simply stated, we want K9 athletes that have exceptional work ethics and a high drive to work. This means that they need consistent exercise and follow up training to keep them maintained and happy. Regardless of how well trained they are, if you confine them for the bulk of their days, I promise, they will get frustrated and will likely take it out on your house.
Insurance companies don’t like them – Many homeowner’s policies won’t cover protection dogs. Far too many unscrupulous trainers have sold protection dogs with little to no training and accidents have happened. As is typically the case, the irresponsible have ruined it for the responsible. You’ll need to check with your carrier before bringing a protection dog into your family.
They are expensive – A well trained dog will set you back a pretty penny. Fundamental training is critical to ensure a safe protection K9 that will perform exactly to specification. These fundamentals can take years to implement correctly. Because of the time commitment to each individual K9, the price point for purchase is high. Not to mention, you will incur ongoing expenses such as food, supplies, training and veterinary care – items that many people neglect to take into consideration before bringing a dog home.
They are a liability – Because these dogs are trained to bite, they come with higher liability than your average pet dog. With a protection dog, you are held to different accountability standards if your dog does bite or an accident occurs. For this reason it is critical for you to select a K9 from a reputable trainer and ensure the training is to your specifications. Don’t skimp on costs or work with trainers that cut corners. There is far too much at stake.

While protection dogs aren’t for everyone, they can provide an unparalleled level of security to responsible owners who are ready for the commitment. If you think you are interested in adding a K9 to your home protection arsenal, be sure to do your research and select a reputable trainer. Don’t go for a high volume kennel or the lowest price point. Instead select a trainer that spends time with each individual dog, offers explicit guarantees, customizes the training to your specifications, and will be around for support for the life of the dog. Choose a trainer who spends time getting to know you so they can pair the perfect K9 with your lifestyle, and be sure the follow their direction implicitly. Find an expert and trust them, you’ll be glad you did.

Rainbows, Unicorns and Dogs that Bite

When I made the decision to begin my career professionally training dogs, I sought the help of a number of experts. After reviewing the curriculum of many well respected online and in person universities, I repeatedly found that the lessons tended to be lacking, one sided, or geared towards very specific goals. I was in search of a well rounded education, and it didn’t take long for me to realize that, in order to make that happen, I would need to find a wide array of trainers and mentors to lend their expertise.

I had worked with a number of professional trainers, competitors and behaviorists for just under a year before fate stepped in and gave me a hefty shove. I contacted a potential mentor, asking if I could volunteer in exchange for an apprenticeship. I remember his response like the call happened yesterday. First, he laughed. It was a cocky chuckle, and I could tell he had immediately written me off. Then, he told me that the only education I needed, I could get from a Belgian Malinois. He advised me to buy and raise a puppy for civil or sport protection work. He continued to instruct me to research working malinois breeders, and ask them for the “hardest”, strongest, most dominant male pup in their litter. Only after I had raised the pup for a year, would he consider allowing me to participate in his program.

Being new to the world of dog training, I was wildly naive. I approached this endeavor wide-eyed and still believed that “there are no bad dogs – only bad owners”, and “aggressive dogs were obviously that way because of past trauma or abuse”, and “love is all you need”. My world was about rainbows, butterflies and unicorns at that point. Given my gullibility, I took my “advisor” at his word, and began my search.

I researched 37 Working Belgian Malinois breeders across the country, and explained to each exactly what my advisor had instructed me that I needed. Many laughed at me. Some failed to respond. Others hit me with a sales pitch that made me feel like I was buying a used car. Some tried to steer me in a different direction, but most took me at my word and picked a puppy for me, the newbie, that was exactly what I thought I wanted.

When I finally settled on my breeder, Debbie and Ron Skinner of Les Ombres Valeureux Working Malinois, my gears shifted. Debbie didn’t let me buy what I thought I wanted. Instead, through numerous emails, she forced my focus to what I needed. While I approached the search looking for a hard, dominant male, I ended up buying a driven, biddable female with a good work ethic. Hallelujah!

I remember the day I picked up Cyrrah, my new Malinois puppy. One of the trainers there told me that these dogs weren’t like a typical pet.

“You don’t ‘own’ a Malinois,” she warned.

“A Malinois isn’t your dog…..” she continued, “a Malinois is your partner”.

As I raised my little hellion, I pushed those words to the back of my mind. All I had witnessed was a mouthy, bitey, angry little puppy with attitude, who abused me on a regular basis and who continually challenged my knowledge, patience, and tolerance. I shed blood, sweat, tears, and even more blood and tears. Oftentimes, I thought about giving up. I thought about placing her with someone who knew what they were doing. I felt hopeless.

This was no partnership. This was abuse, and I was the victim.

Can you imagine how I would have dealt with a strong, hard, dominant male? I’d likely be dead.

It took two years for me to fully understand the weight of the words “A Malinois is your partner”, and when I did, a wave of guilt and humility nearly ended my career.

In all of my training, I was constantly trying to control my unruly puppy. I was acting like she was simply a thing I owned, that I could bend and conform to my life and specifications. But she wasn’t playdough. In fact, she had a backbone, and she wasn’t about to tolerate my feeble attempts at control.

I was never “mean” to Cyrrah, but I never tried to work WITH her – I simply tried to force her to fit into a cookie cutter vision I had in my head of what a well trained Malinois should look like. In fact, I didn’t “own” her and she consistently attempted to put me in my place. Sadly, it took me two years to check my ego at the door and realize this.

Belgian Malinois are some of the world’s most elite K9 performers. As one of the more prevalent breeds utilized for law enforcement and military applications, these dogs possess the drive and trainability to take out bad guys, detect explosives, clear buildings, detect and respond to threats, search out drugs, and perform countless other tasks to help keep our country safe. Their bravery, independence, and strong will allow them to confidently enter a battle zone, and their heightened senses make them critical tools for detection, so their handlers can stay safe. However those attributes that make them excel at their work, also make them challenge a novice handler that is inadvertently unfair or unclear.

In my struggles with my young pup, I always pointed the finger at her.

“Maybe a Malinois is your partner….” I thought to myself often, “but this one completely hates me”.

In all actuality, Cyrrah not only wanted a partner, she needed one. I however, had too big of an ego for teamwork.

Cyrrah was one of the biggest learning experiences of my career. I now raise hard, pushy, dominant dogs and regularly select for those traits. Given my experience with Cyrrah, I can honestly say that a strong male in the “rainbows and unicorns” phase of my life would have ended me.

While my “advisor” attempted to lead me astray, he did offer some critical words of wisdom that proved to be the catalyst for substantial change and growth. The only education I needed, I could get from a Belgian Malinois. My ass and my ego were handed to me at a crucial point in my career, and only through that experience was I able to learn valuable lessons about teamwork, partnership, and dog training.

Thanks and stay tuned for more Malinois stories, training, and tips.