Trained. Proven. Professional.
Working Dog Magazine presents the 2026 Law Enforcement K9 Summit — classroom training built specifically for law enforcement and military K9 handlers, trainers, and supervisors.
This is an information-based, classroom training event. Attendees are not required to bring their dogs, but they are welcome to attend with them.
What: 2026 Law Enforcement K9 Summit
When: October 20, 21, 22 – 2026
Where: Holiday Inn Paducah Riverfront | Paducah, Kentucky
Cost: $315.00 per person (includes certificate for 12 hours, welcome bag, and WDM T-shirt)
Host Hotel: Holiday Inn Paducah Riverfront
Group Rate: $110.00 per night (spacious rooms + free parking)
Train with intention.
See the schedule.
Attendee Cost: $315
October 20, 21, 22 – 2026
Questions? (636) 795-0530
Learn from the best.
Meet your instructors.
2026 LAW ENFORCEMENT K9 SUMMIT SCHEDULE
Tuesday, October 20 | 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
- ATTENDEE REGISTRATION (RIVER ROOM LOBBY)
Open from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
» Start your experience early: Pick up your name badge, shirt, welcome bag, and schedule. - HOTEL-HOSTED COMPLIMENTARY COCKTAIL HOUR
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
» For registered hotel guests
» Unwind, connect, and start the summit on a relaxed note
Wednesday, October 21 | 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- ATTENDEE REGISTRATION
Opens at 7:00 a.m. - TRAINING CLASSES & DEMOS
Classes & Demonstrations | 8:00 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.
» Tracking / Trailing: 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
» Canine Behavior and Handler Development: 10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
» Lunch Break: 12:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. (Complimentary lunch provided by Valor Hub USA.)
» Narcotics Detection: 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
» Demo: 3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. - HOTEL-HOSTED COMPLIMENTARY COCKTAIL HOUR
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
» For registered hotel guests
» A chance to decompress and continue conversations from the day
Thursday, October 22 | 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
- TRAINING CLASSES & DEMOS
Classes & Demonstrations | 8:00 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.
» Legal Updates: 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
» Operational Obedience: Foundation to Deployment: 10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. - RAFFLE TICKETS GO ON SALE AT NOON: Enter for a chance to win great prizes.
» Lunch Break: 12:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. (Complimentary lunch provided by Valor Hub USA.)
» K9 Deployment Tactics and Decision-Making: 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
» Demo: 3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. - CLOSING PROGRAM & RAFFLE
Recognition, Raffle & Certificates | 4:45 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
» Instructor Recognition: 4:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
» Raffle: 5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
» Attendee Certificate Pickup (Registration Desk): 5:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Host Hotel:
Holiday Inn Paducah Riverfront
600 North 4th Street, Paducah, KY 42001
• Group Rate: $110.00 per night
• Complimentary parking
• Complimentary cocktail hour on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings
Paducah, Kentucky
A relaxed riverfront city with a walkable downtown, local dining, and easy access from major routes. The host hotel is centrally located along the river, close to restaurants and evening options.
Paducah is also remarkably easy to reach. Located along I-24, it is about two hours from Nashville, two and a half hours from St. Louis, and three hours from Memphis and Louisville. Barkley Regional Airport offers daily nonstop service to Chicago O’Hare and Houston Intercontinental, with convenient connections to destinations throughout the United States and abroad.
INSTRUCTORS
Our instructors bring extensive law enforcement K9 experience to each class, offering practical insight shaped by training, deployments, and years of work in the field. Their backgrounds represent a range of disciplines and agency environments, giving handlers relevant instruction they can apply to their own teams. (Instructors are listed as they are confirmed.)
Tracking / Trailing
Scent conditions, terrain changes, track loss, handler influence, and the decisions that shape a successful deployment.
Canine Behavior and Handler Development
Recognizing stress, conflict, arousal, hesitation, handler influence, and the behavior changes that affect performance.
Narcotics Detection
Reward systems, odor movement, indication maintenance, handler influence, and training that holds up during street searches.
Legal Updates
Current case law affecting K9 searches, apprehensions, use of force, handler cueing, canine reliability, and deployment decisions.
Operational Obedience: Foundation to Deployment
Building clear, dependable control that holds under distraction, pressure, and heightened arousal.
K9 Deployment Tactics and Decision-Making
Timing, communication, containment, handler positioning, team coordination, and sound decisions during K9 deployments.
CLASSES
View and print full class descriptions (PDF)
Train with intention.
See the schedule.
Attendee Cost: $315
October 20, 21, 22 – 2026
Questions? (636) 795-0530
Learn from the best.
Meet your instructors.
QUESTIONS?
Contact us at (636) 795-0530
or
events@workingdogmagazine.com