Breed dogs for event and venue security dogs? Advertise here
Buyers and trainers use this page to find breeders whose lines do this work. List your kennel free, tick the industries your dogs work in, and advertise litters and stud dogs from proven working lines.
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About event and venue security dogs
Event security dogs are now a familiar sight at festivals, concerts and football grounds. Festival sniffer dogs screen queues for drugs, venue search dogs sweep stages, arenas and car parks for explosives before the gates open, and a stadium security dog team may patrol the perimeter overnight. In the private sector this work is done by commercial companies supplying licensed handler-and-dog teams, while police forces also deploy their own dogs at some events.
What this work involves
There are two broad roles. Detection teams search people, bags, vehicles and buildings for drugs, explosives, firearms or other prohibited items; some dogs are trained to screen people passively, others to search property proactively. General-purpose security dogs provide patrol, deterrence and perimeter protection, often at night during build-up and take-down.
The conditions are tough: loud music, crowds, food smells, heat, generators and long shifts. An event dog needs a stable temperament, strong search drive and the ability to settle between deployments.
Who trains and supplies these dogs in the UK
The supply model is commercial operators. Organisers and venue owners contract security companies, which employ the handlers and own, train and deploy their dogs. Breeders do not supply finished event dogs: companies buy dogs of suitable working breeds and train them, in-house or with approved trainers.
Three bodies shape the sector:
- NASDU, the National Association of Security Dog Users, was established in 1996 to promote standards for trainers, handlers and dogs in the private security industry. It is an approved centre with the awarding organisation HABC for accredited handler training, and asks associated companies to commit in writing to BS 8517-1 (general-purpose security dogs) and BS 8517-2 (detection dogs). NASDU does not inspect companies itself: its “inspected” company members are those assessed to ISO 9001 and BS 8517 by an approved inspectorate body.
- The Security Industry Authority (SIA) licenses individuals who carry out licensable security activity under a contract for services, under the Private Security Industry Act 2001, and runs the voluntary Approved Contractor Scheme for companies. There is no separate SIA dog licence: a contracted handler guarding a site needs the relevant front-line licence, such as security guard or door supervisor, and NASDU expects a relevant SIA licence or equivalent security training before its handler courses. The SIA says it does not formally recognise canine associations.
- NCTAS-P, the Home Office’s National Canine Training and Accreditation Scheme for the private security industry, is a voluntary scheme, developed with Counter Terrorism Policing and the National Protective Security Authority, that sets standards for accrediting private explosives detection dog teams.
SIA guidance for approved contractors that sub-contract dog handling lists BS 8517-1 and BS 8517-2 as the relevant standards, and expects the sub-contractor to follow the NASDU Standard or equivalent, keep training records and make sure dogs are healthy, properly housed and receive veterinary care. Buyers can use the same checks. Specialist detection companies also work for public bodies: Wagtail UK, a Flintshire company that says it was established in 2003, provides detection dogs and related services for agencies including UK Border Force, HM Revenue and Customs, the police, Trading Standards and the armed forces.
Breeds and lines
NASDU’s published breed lists show what the industry uses. For general-purpose security work it certifies German Shepherds, Belgian Shepherds, Rottweilers, Dobermanns, Dutch Herders and very near crosses; for detection it certifies Labradors, English Springer Spaniels, Cocker Spaniels, Pointers and Border Collies. Springers and Labradors are well suited to festival and venue search because they are sociable around people, tireless and highly motivated by toys and food. Working lines matter far more than show lines, because companies select for drive, nerve and sound health.
What to ask a breeder
- Have dogs from this line gone into detection or security work, and with what kind of organisation?
- How do the parents cope with crowds, loud noise, strange floors and long journeys?
- How strong is the hunt and retrieve drive, and does it hold up when the dog is tired or distracted?
- What health tests have the parents had, including hips, elbows and the breed’s recommended DNA tests?
- Do you ever run on promising youngsters so working buyers can assess them as adults?
- Will you help rehome a dog that does not suit a working buyer?
Legal and welfare notes
Handlers carrying out licensable security activity under a contract for services need an SIA licence under the Private Security Industry Act 2001. BS 8517 is a code of practice rather than law, but clients, insurers and the SIA’s approved contractor guidance expect teams to meet it. Where a dog guards premises, the Guard Dogs Act 1975 requires a handler capable of controlling it to be present and in control unless the dog is secured so that it is not at liberty, and a warning notice at each entrance. An organisation that possesses real controlled drugs, including as training aids, needs a Home Office controlled drugs licence, and explosive training aids are separately regulated. The Animal Welfare Act 2006 duty of care covers every working dog, including rest, water and shade on long event days.
Frequently asked questions
Are festival sniffer dogs police dogs?
Sometimes. Police forces bring their own drug dogs to some festivals, and many organisers also hire private detection teams. Private teams have no police powers; what follows an indication depends on the event’s conditions of entry and on the police.
Can I hire a dog from a breeder for event security?
No. Event security is provided by companies employing licensed handlers with trained dogs. Breeders on this site sell puppies and, occasionally, young adults, not trained or certified security dogs.
Which breed makes the best venue search dog?
Most are working-bred springer spaniels or Labradors, but the individual dog’s drive, nerve and health matter more than the breed name.
If your springers, Labradors, German Shepherds or Malinois come from lines used for detection or security work, list your kennel on caninebreeder.co.uk so security companies and experienced working homes can find you.