Working Around Security Dogs Course: Lessons 2026

Lesson 1: What security dogs do

A K9 team is a trained dog and its handler. The two work as a unit. The handler is always in charge of the dog, and the dog takes commands only from the handler.

Common jobs for dogs

Patrol: the dog walks with the handler on a guard patrol or property watch. Its senses help find people who are hiding, and it protects the handler.
Detection: the dog finds people or things by smell.
Tracking: the dog follows a scent trail, for example to find a missing person.

Government agencies use dogs too. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) uses detector dogs to find drugs, guns, money, and food, plant and animal products. The CBSA uses many breeds, such as Labrador Retrievers and Beagles. Its teams train at the CBSA College in Rigaud, Quebec. CBSA dogs are trained to give the handler a subtle signal when they find something. This replaced older methods such as scratching, digging, biting and barking.

Dogs that are not K9 teams

Alberta's security policy manual describes yard or watch dogs as dogs turned loose, without a handler, in a fully enclosed area. The manual says the law does not license this group. A service dog that helps a person with a disability is not a security dog at all. Treat a service dog team like any other member of the public, and do not distract the dog.

Lesson 2: The rules on security dogs

Private security is regulated by each province and territory, so the rules on dogs are different across Canada. Here are three examples.

Province	Who may use a dog	Key rules
British Columbia (Security Services Regulation, s. 13)	A business and a worker who each hold an authorization from the registrar	Dogs may detect people or things and protect the worker on patrol. No use to control people or crowds, or to pursue anyone. No dogs trained to kill or seriously injure. The dog must be with, and under the control of, an authorized worker. ID tag with the business licensee's name.
Ontario (Use of Animals regulation)	Guards whose dogs are properly trained	Dogs may be used for guarding and patrolling, tracking and detection. Always on a leash. Fluorescent collar and ID tag with the employer's name. Written care and handling rules. No crowd control, and no pursuing or restraining a person.
Alberta (Security Services and Investigators Act)	A person with a security service worker licence, which covers patrol dog handlers	Patrol dog businesses must have a policy on the care, handling and training of their dogs. Dog bites must be reported to the Registrar.

Notice the common thread. The dog is a detection and protection tool for the handler. It is not a tool for pushing back crowds or chasing people.

Real training is required. To handle a security dog you need what your province demands. In BC that is a registrar's authorization. In Alberta it is a security service worker licence. In Ontario the dog must be properly trained. This course is background knowledge only. It does not qualify you to handle a dog.

Lesson 3: Working alongside a K9 team

Most guards will never handle a dog, but many will share a site with a K9 team. Your job is to help the team work safely and to keep the public safe.

Do

Ask the handler before you go near the dog, and follow their instructions.
Give the team space in doorways, hallways and stairs.
Keep members of the public back, politely and calmly.
Tell the handler about anything that might upset the dog, such as other animals or loud work nearby.
Use your radio to warn the handler before you enter an area they are searching.

Do not

Pet, feed or call a working dog.
Run, shout or make sudden moves near the dog.
Step between the handler and the dog.
Ask the handler to use the dog on a crowd or to chase someone.

When a visitor wants to pet a working dog, say something like: "Please stay back. The dog is working, and the handler decides." Most people understand right away.

Lesson 4: Dog body language and bite safety

On patrol you may also meet dogs that are not security dogs: pets, strays and guard dogs on other properties. A dog will almost always warn before it bites. Learn the signs.

Stress and warning signs

Yawning, panting, or licking its lips or nose
Whale eye: the whites of the eyes are showing
Raised hackles: the hair on the back stands up
Ears held back or flat, head low, or tail tucked
A curled lip or bared teeth, a stiff body or a hard stare

Staying safe

Never approach a dog that is tied up, in a vehicle, or without its owner.
If a dog comes at you, stand still, stay calm and be assertive. Do not turn your back and do not run.
Put a barrier between you and the dog, such as a bike, table or tree.
If it attacks, give it something to bite, such as a bag or jacket.
If you are knocked down, lie face down and protect your head and ears.

If you are bitten

Get to a safe place away from the dog.
Wash the wound with soap and warm water for at least 15 minutes.
Get medical care from a health care provider or public health unit right away.
Report the bite to your supervisor and write your notes.

Lesson 5: Reports, records and the law

Dog incidents must be written up. Provinces set rules for this, too.

Alberta: each licensee must report to the Registrar any incident where a patrol dog used for security work attacked or bit a person, including the handler. Patrol dog businesses must also keep incident reports about their dogs, including bites and times when a member of the public aggravated the dog.
British Columbia: businesses must keep use-of-force reports, including incidents when a dog used for security work attacked a person. They must also keep records of each dog's identifying marks, each dog's training and certification, and each handler's training and certification.

For a dog bite on patrol, note the date, time and place, the injuries, a description of the dog and its owner, any witnesses, and the order of events. Cities such as Edmonton ask for these details when a bite is reported to animal control.

The Criminal Code

Section 445 makes it an offence to wilfully and without lawful excuse kill, maim, wound, poison or injure dogs, birds or animals kept for a lawful purpose. Section 445.01 adds a separate offence for harming a law enforcement animal, a military animal or a service animal. It defines a law enforcement animal as a dog or horse trained to aid a law enforcement officer.