Fred Helfers started training and handling detection canines in 1982 while working in law enforcement. Fred trained and worked two drug detection canines during his 28 years in law enforcement. Over the past 30 years Fred has expanded his knowledge of detection canines by training canines and handlers in the fields of drug detection, insect detection, natural gas detection and accelerant detection.
Further, for over 20 years Fred operated a professional detection dog training kennel and training facility for police officers, training drug detection and accelerant detection canines and their handlers. Fred’s passion and recognized expertise in training detection canine teams has led him to conduct training seminars and classes throughout United States, Canada, Australia, Sweden and Brazil.
Fred is the past president of the Washington State Police Canine Association and the founding President - President Emeritus of the Pacific Northwest Police Detection Dog Association (pnwk9.org). Fred’s recognized expertise in the training of detection canines and handlers led to Fred being appointed as a member of the Scientific Working Group on Dog and Orthogonal Factors (SWGDOG.org) and as a member of Organization of Scientific Area Committee ( OSAC - Dogs and Sensors Group). Fred has judged numerous detection canine competitions from the World Police and Fire games (Detection Canines) in Vancouver, Canada to the National Invitational K9Nosework® Trials in Santa Rosa, Ca. Over the past 32 years, Fred Helfers has trained literally hundreds of professional canines and their handlers. Along with being recognized as a master trainer in detection canines Fred is recognized as a judge and certified Nose Work Instructor for NACSW in the USA and also ACSW in Australia.
Fred has also authored “The Nose Work Handler Journal”, Olfaction and Odour Manual and most recently “The Nose Work Handler” (print version to be released October 2017).
All these books are available at www.fredhelfers.com