SCDNR hosts American Canine Association spring training conference in Myrtle Beach

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW)– The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division hosted the American Canine Association’s spring training conference in Horry County this week.

Around 30 canine law enforcement teams from across the Carolina’s and the United States are participating in the weeklong certification and training sessions.

Billy Downey, a master trainer with APCA, expressed the associations gratitude to SCDNR for hosting and organizing the event.

“They’ve done a great job of organizing venues,” Downey said. “Because that’s one of the hardest things we run into is finding venues, buildings, we can train in areas we can go out and run searches and those type of things.”

These types of specialized training sessions aren’t just about teaching tricks, they are about honing the skills of highly trained canine units to ensure they are ready for any challenge that comes their way.

At one venue, officers trained with a simulation dog that mimics injuries with realistic wounds and bleeding.

The goal is to prepare teams for medical emergencies with lifelike scenarios, as often times these animals are the first to enter a critical situation.

In another session, officers participated in a tactical exercise to clear buildings and rooms safely.

Brian Welch, with SCDNR’s K-9, unit said it’s always good to see how other agencies work their dogs.

“You pick up on little tips, pass on little tips that we’ve learned along the way, and we found that no matter where you go, we might do things differ, and our training, but a lot of times, we always end up in the same result,” said Welch.

Each police canine unit serves a specific purpose in law enforcement and requires different training.

“We have some dogs are patrol dogs, they can do aggression, building searches, rumor building, clearing, narcotics tracking, those type of things,” Downey said. “And we have dogs that are detector dogs that do mainly narcotics detection, wildlife detection, arson investigations.”

Downey adds these type of training scenarios and conferences are important to the bond between the handler and the dog. “It’s why these dogs want to work, “Downey said. “Because they’re wanting to work for their handlers.”

“We probably spend more time with these dogs than our family,” Welch said. “He is my family and after eight years, I can definitely tell you that he reads me, and I read him and we kinda know what each other are saying.”

Welch’s K-9 partner Max is trained in a number of disciplines from tracking, trailing evidence, area search for humans, obedience, and wildlife detection.

“We’re here this week to do is not only to basically reinforce what our dogs can do, but to certify and kind of get that checks and balance on the dog,” Welch said.

The APCA Spring Training Conference began May 5 and concludes May 9.

* * *

Savannah Denton joined News 13 in July 2023 as a reporter and producer. Savannah is from Atlanta, Georgia, and is a graduate of the University of Alabama. Follow Savannah on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of her work here .

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.