What is a PDI Certification?

The USPCA PDI certification is for a complete police service dog. The certification is a test of all the abilities a properly trained service dog should perform. For the safety of the officers and the public the certification tests multiple areas that all patrol dogs should be proficient in. Investigate some of the other organization requirements for certification. If they permit only part or specific areas of patrol work, they are not certifying a police service dog. Patrol work requires a multitude of tasks both from the officer and also their canine. Just as officer safety demands a fully trained officer it also demands a completely trained police service dog. Just as no right thinking administrator would send out a half trained officer the USPCA will not certify only part of a patrol dog as being serviceable.

The patrol PDI certification tests areas of:

• Obedience
• Agility
• Suspect Search- scent discrimination
• Article search
• Apprehension of Call Off, Apprehension and False Start Control -Command only
• Apprehension with gunfire and ability to protect the handler

Anything less is not a Police Service Dog.