Jason Purgason, President | Highland Canine Training

Jason Purgason

President

Jason Purgason is the President of Highland Canine Training, LLC, and has worked with dogs professionally for more than 30 years. As a former police officer and police K9 handler, Jason conducts handler and instructor courses for various law enforcement and military organizations. During his career, he has trained more than a thousand dog teams in the US and abroad.

Our comprehension of the ways that canines can impact the lives of humans is in its infancy.
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Due to his interest and expertise in dog behavior analysis and modification, Jason has helped pet dog owners, shelters, rescues, and other organizations resolve difficult behaviors in some of the most problematic dogs. Jason is the primary instructor at the School for Dog Trainers and enjoys teaching and mentoring dog trainers in a way that allows them to make a lasting impact in the industry.

Jason has trained dogs in the areas of Narcotics Detection, Explosives Detection, Human Detection, Termite Detection, Mold Detection, Human Remains Detection, Allergen Detection, Bat Guano Detection, Police Patrol, Urban Disaster, Wilderness Search and Rescue and Scent Discrimination Tracking / Trailing.

Jason has trained and certified police patrol and detection dogs through several national organizations, some of which include:

United States Police Canine Association
Eastern States Working Dog Association
International Police Working Dog Association
National Narcotics Detector Dog Association
National Police Dog Tactics Association
National Tactical Police Dog Association

Jason was formerly the evaluator for the Office of Homeland Security for the State of Mississippi for their working dog teams. Jason has instructed seminars and trained dogs and handlers for Police Canine Handlers at NASA, the Pentagon Police and for many other professional, government and law enforcement teams across the world.

Some of these seminars and training events include:

Tactical Building Search Theory & Applications Seminar, 2004
York Regional PD, New Freedom, PA.

Advanced Explosives Detection Seminar, 2005
NASA and Pentagon Police, Greenbelt, MD

Advanced Narcotics & Explosives Detection Seminar, 2006
NC State and local Law Enforcement, NC

Advanced Narcotics & Explosives Detection Seminar, 2007
Central Piedmont Community College, Huntersville, NC

Police K-9 & SWAT Applications Seminar, 2007
Charlotte-Mecklenburg PD, Charlotte, NC

Advanced Explosives Detection – Police K-9 & SWAT Applications, 2007
Eglin Air Force Base, Fort Walton Beach, FL

Advanced Explosives Detection – Police K-9 & SWAT Applications, 2007
Olive Security Training Center, Nesbit, MS

Basic Search and Rescue Techniques Seminar, 2007
National Police and Fire, Sao Paulo, SP Brazil

Advanced Search and Rescue Techniques Seminar, 2008
National Police and Fire, Sao Paulo, SP Brazil

Search and Rescue Fundamentals Seminar, 2008
Office of Homeland Security, Meridian, MS

Tactical Police K-9 Applications and Decoy Techniques, 2008
Policial Jundiai. Jundiai, SP Brazil

Advanced Explosives Detection – Police K-9 & SWAT Applications, 2008
Brazilian Marine Corps. Central Nuclear Technology Center, Ipero, SP Brazil

Police Canine Decoy Seminar, 2009
State and local Law Enforcement, NC

Police Canine Applications Seminar and Certification, 2009
American Police Dog Tactics Association, Robbinsville, NC

K9 Unit Management and Supervision Seminar, 2009
Marietta Police Department, Marietta, GA

Police K9 Handler School & Advanced Detection and Interdiction, 2009
Policial Seguridad Vial, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Trained narcotics detection dog and handler

Search and Rescue Pilot Program, 2009-2011
United States Army Fort Meyer, VA, United States
Re-purposed 6 Combat Tracking dogs for Urban Search and Rescue

Police K9 Handler School & Advanced Detection and Interdiction, 2011 Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police, Abuja, Nigeria
Trained 12 dogs and handlers for patrol, narcotics, cadaver and search and rescue

Military K9 Course, Spring, 2012
Course included instruction on Explosives, Narcotics, Cadaver, Search and Rescue, Trailing and Police Patrol Applications
Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police, Abuja, Nigeria
Trained 24 dogs and 26 handlers for explosives, patrol, narcotics detection

Military K9 Course, Summer, 2012
Course included instruction on Explosives, Narcotics, Cadaver, Search and Rescue, Trailing and Police Patrol Applications and Supervisory Training
Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police, Abuja, Nigeria
Trained 24 dogs and 26 handlers for patrol, explosives, narcotics detection, and Supervisory training

Police K9 Handler School & Advanced Detection and Interdiction, 2012
Infinity Security Group, Abuja, Nigeria
Trained 2 dogs and handlers for explosives detection

Advanced Explosives Detection and Interdiction, 2012
DeSoto County EMA, NWTF-1, Hernando, MS

Behavior Problems Solving & Advanced Explosives Detection, 2013
United States Army Fort Meyer, VA, United States

K9 Cop Police & Military Working Dog Conference, 2013
Instructor, Nashville, Tennessee

HITS K9 Police & Military Conference, 2013
Instructor, St. Louis, Missouri

K9 Cop Police & Military Working Dog Conference, 2014
Instructor, Nashville, Tennessee

HITS K9 Police & Military Conference, 2014
Instructor, Phoenix, Arizona

Alabama Police K9 Conference, August 2014
Instructor, Pelham, Alabama

Police K9 Decoy Skills and Techniques Seminar, 2014
Instructor, Huntsville Police Department, Alabama

Police K9 Supervisor Course, 2014
Instructor, Virginia State Police, Virginia

Police K9 Conference, March 2015
Instructor, Las Vegas, Nevada

Alabama Police K9 Conference, September 2015
Instructor, Pelham, Alabama

Advanced Detection Seminar, 2015
Instructor, Abu Dhabi Airport Police, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Police K9 Decoy Skills and Techniques Seminar, 2015
Instructor, Windcrest Police Department, Texas

Tactical Tracking Seminar, December 2015
Okaloosa Sheriff’s Office, Florida

Advanced Detection and Interdiction, December 2015
Instructor, Hurlburt Field Air Force Base, Florida

K9 Cop Police & Military Working Dog Conference, 2015
Instructor, Nashville, Tennessee

HITS K9 Police & Military Conference, 2015
Instructor, Jacksonville, Florida

Police K9 Conference, March 2016
Instructor, Las Vegas, Nevada

Police K9 Supervisor Course, April 2016
Instructor, North Carolina

Police K9 Supervisor Course, July 2016
Instructor, Auburn, Alabama

Oregon Police Canine Association Conference, May 2016
Instructor, Oregon

Tactical Tracking Seminar, May 2016
Instructor, Jasper, Alabama

Police K9 Supervisor Course, 2016
Instructor, Veterans Administration, Montrose, NY

Police K9 Supervisor Course, 2016
Instructor, Richmond, Texas

HITS K9 Police & Military Conference, 2016
Instructor, Dallas, Texas

Virginia Police Working Dog Association, 2016
Instructor, Isle of Wight, Virginia

Police K9 Supervisor Course, 2016
Instructor, Radford, Virginia

Police K9 Supervisor Course 2016
Instructor, Frisco, Texas

Police K9 Supervisor Course 2016
Instructor, DFW Airport, Texas

Police K9 Supervisor Course 2017
Instructor, St Charles Police, Missouri

Advanced Detection Seminar, 2017
Instructor, Mexican Marines, Mexico City, Mexico

Advanced Detection Seminar, 2017
Instructor, Mexican Army, Mexico City, Mexico

Explosives Detection Seminar, 2017
Instructor, PGR, Mexico City, Mexico

Police K9 Decoy Seminar 2017
Instructor, Rains County, Texas

Police K9 Supervisor Course 2017
Instructor, Harmony, North Carolina

Police K9 Supervisor Course 2017
Instructor, Homewood Police Department, Alabama

Police K9 Supervisor Course 2017
Instructor, St Joseph, Michigan

Police K9 Supervisor Course 2018
Instructor, Wichita Falls , Texas

HITS K9 Police & Military Conference, 2018
Instructor, Washington, DC

Police K9 Supervisor Course 2018
Instructor, Harmony, North Carolina

tor Course INL – Guatemala Police 2019
Instructor, North Carolina

Advanced Detection Seminar, 2019
Instructor, Istanbul, Turkey

Bravo 3 Conference, 2019
Instructor, Daytona, Florida

Police K9 Supervisor Course, 2019
Instructor, John’s Creek Police, Georgia

Police K9 Supervisor Course. 2020
Instructor, Monroe Police Department, Washington

Police K9 Decoy & Patrol Seminar, 2020
Instructor, John’s Creek Police, Georgia

Police K9 Supervisor Course. 2021
Instructor, DFW Airport Police, Dallas, Texas

HITS K9 Police & Military Conference, 2022
Instructor, Orlando, Florida

Professional Memberships & Accreditations

Jason is the President of the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP).

K9 Subject Matter Expert

Jason has been certified as an expert witness in various courts, testifying about patrol, detection and trailing functions of working dogs. Jason has also provided testimony and consulting in a variety of cases involving working dogs.

Additionally, Jason is recognized as a K9 Subject Matter Expert and has assisted with consulting and evaluation of programs on a Federal, State, and local level as well as offering consulting services to law enforcement, military and private K9 programs across the globe.

Media

Jason is the producer and host of two dog related podcasts. In 2018, he launched A Life of Dogs which focuses on human interest stories that revolve around how dogs play such a critical role in the lives of humans. More recently, he began to produce a informational and educational focused podcast with the launch of K9 Roll Call in 2023.

A Life of Dogs podcast closely examines the human / canine relationship and presents these encounters to you in a fascinating manner that will create a new perspective of our canine companions. From the plains of Africa to the frozen mountains of Alaska, these tales will keep you on the edge of your seat!

K9 Roll Call is an informative, educational and entertaining look at the world of Police K9 and working dog training. This podcast provides working dog handlers and trainers with useful tips and advice that will help to improve their operational capabilities.