First-of-its-kind K9 training event held at Palm Springs International Airport
Roughly 30 support K9s from public safety agencies across the country trained at Palm Springs International Airport Tuesday morning. This was the first time the airport has hosted a training of this kind for support dogs.
The training event, coordinated by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Guide Dogs of the Desert, and Garden Grove Police Department, helped the dogs become familiarized with an airport environment.
Nearly 20 different government, law enforcement, and fire agencies took part in today's training. Garden Grove Police Department School Resource Officer Patrick Julienne helped coordinate the training.
“This [training] gives [the dogs] the right type of exposure to be able to handle all different elements. And we're very happy to be here. Palm Springs has been so inviting and so wonderful and we are just very happy to be here," Julienne explained.
The K9s learned to how to navigate tight security checkpoints, walking through the jetways, going up and down escalators, and more. Some of the participating support dogs, like Dinah, shown below, experienced the bustling airport environment for the first time today, too.
The TSA also helped the K9 handlers become familiar with airport security procedures when traveling with their K9 partners.
Lorie Dankers, spokesperson with the TSA, said of the dogs, “They like to hear the sounds. They like to see the sights. They like to see what it smells like in the checkpoint that helps the dogs. And these dogs are so smart. It just takes them a couple of times, and they're already a pro. We call them a seasoned traveler.”
Support K9s like the ones who trained at the airport today provide emotional support during high-intensity and high-stress situations. In 2022, three of the dogs who participated in the training were deployed to Uvalde, Texas, to provide support to the victims affected by the mass shooting there.
Dr. Coby Webb, the Support K9 Program Manager with Guide Dogs of the Desert, highlighted the role the dogs play: "They're carrying the burden of everybody petting them, touching them, pulling their hair because they just lost loved ones. It was so much. And to see the dogs absorb that and be like, 'As long as I'm helping you, I'll sacrifice me.' And that is just amazing characteristics that the dogs have.”
Overall, many of the handlers said the day's training was a success. The K9 support dogs themselves — thoroughly tired after a long day at work!
