Veterinary Center to Host Canine Athletic Program
Thursday, July 6, 2017
The number one killer of all law enforcement K9s throughout the United States in 2016 was not trauma. The dogs’ deaths were directly related to the lack of adequate conditioning and resistance to heat stress. Coordinated by Dr. Michael Davis, Oklahoma State University’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences will host an Advanced Canine Athletic Program on August 1–3, 2017, to provide the latest knowledge and training techniques for improving working dog fitness.
Instructors with extensive experience in preparing dogs for military and law enforcement activities will cover program design, nutrition, thermoregulation, supplements, conditioning equipment, canine exercise physiology and more. Attendees are welcome to bring their own canines with approval by the course instructors. Handlers may complete the handler questionnaire/pre-approval form and email it to michael.davis@okstate.edu.
“To allow canine athletes to reach their full genetic potential, a conditioning program should be implemented in any law enforcement or military working dog program,” says Davis. “From detection, to apprehension, to patrolling, the success of the canine warrior athlete rests on the dog’s conditioning, nutrition and training.”
Subject matter experts presenting at the Advanced Canine Athletic Program include:
- Alan Siering with 23 years of military service, 17 with the U.S. Special Operations Command and 10 years of that working with K9s. He handled canines on five combat deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan conducting more than 400 direct action missions against enemy combatants in hostile territory.
- Randel Roy with 25 years of combined law enforcement and military experience. With more than 15 years of K9 service, he spent eight years as a Senior K9 Trainer for the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. He has conducted numerous successful K9 detection operations with various agencies and organizations including the FBI, ATF, Iowa State Department of Corrections, local businesses, Fed-Ex, UPS and the US Postal Service.
- Sean McPeck, DVM, with 21 years of military service, 18 years with canines. He has served as a Sniper Team Leader and as a veterinarian with the U.S. Special Operations Command. He authored and implemented the first Comprehensive Canine Conditioning Program, which is still in use.
- Michael Davis, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, DACVSMR, has more than 25 years of experience as a licensed veterinarian. He is also a board certified specialist in veterinary internal medicine and veterinary sports medicine and rehabilitation. Davis is a research physiologist and clinical expert in exercise physiology at Oklahoma State University. He has receive more than $8 million in research funding to study the effects of exercise stress in animal models, particularly racing sled dogs and military working dogs.
The cost of the three-day program is $100 per attendee. There is no charge for the participant’s canine. The agenda includes lectures and exercises. All activities will be held at OSU’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences located on West Farm Road on the OSU Stillwater campus. For more information and to register visit Oklahoma State Advanced Canine Athletic Program.
Special thanks to the program’s sponsors Guardian Point, the Comparative Exercise Physiology Lab, and Oklahoma State University’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences.
Contact: Derinda Blakeney, APR | OSU Center for Veterinary Health Sciences | 405-744-6740 | derinda@okstate.edu