K9 Pro Sports

K9 Professional/Protection Sports, more commonly known as K9 Pro Sports, is dog protection sports organization, founded in Mexico in 1992. The first personal-protection and patrol-dog certification trial was held that year in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, and was highlighted in Dog Sports Magazine. This type of trial was often referred to as a K9 Rodeo, and such events were soon also held across the Mexico-US border, starting in Texas. K9 Pro Sports was featured in a 1999 "Having It All" column in Dog and Kennel magazine, a national publication for dog owners and dog enthusiasts.
The first K9 Pro Sports National Championship (US) was held in 2000, in Fort Worth, Texas. K9 Pro Sports was held in Fort Worth in 2003 as well.
The first International Championship trial was held the following year. There are now K9-sanctioned trials on three continents: North America, Europe, and Australia.
Description
There are four divisions that competitors may enter:
#Puppy
#Training
#Personal protection
#Patrol
Puppy and training divisions are used strictly to assess the training progress of both the dog and handler. The protection exercises in the personal-protection division are used to demonstrate the ability of a dog and handler team to "intimidate, dominate, and control" a threat to the hander or family. A dog and handler team in the patrol division are scored on their ability to "detect, defend, and apprehend" a simulated criminal act or threat.
Judging
A two-judge system, is used in the evaluation of each performance. Written score sheets give all competitors a written evaluation of their performance as seen by the judges in real-time on the field.

Historically, judges have been recruited from among military, police and security-dog trainers, and must possess authoritative credentials in use of dogs for protection service.
Organization
K9 Pro competitive training is done through a collaboration of experienced dog owners and dog trainers. Training clubs, with a mixture of experienced and novice members, compete to compare their dog training techniques against the techniques of other clubs. Many clubs also combine Schutzhund or ring training with their K9 Pro training. K9 Pro does not directly offer any formal training centers or materials.

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