Simon Mallin K9 Training & Consultancy

12/07/2025

I’ve booked most of August off — and instead of going off in the campervan, flying to Tenerife, or finally sorting the house and garden, I’d rather put the time to good use.

I’m looking to volunteer my time to a conservation or anti-poaching project somewhere in Africa or Southeast Asia — ideally one that’s using working dogs, or planning to start a programme using dogs for tracking, detection, or patrol work.

I’m not after a freebie. I’ve lived and worked out in the bush — extensively in Kenya and more recently Zimbabwe — so I know what that involves. Long days, remote settings, practical challenges — I’m fine with all of it. I’d be there to help, not get in the way.

I’ve spent over 30 years working with dogs and handlers across the UK, Afghanistan, Iraq, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Bakino Faso and other regions — both in operational roles and training capacities.

I’m not looking to be paid — just basic support while I’m there.

If you know of an organisation that could benefit from experienced input — for a couple of weeks — feel free to message me, tag them, or pass this on.

Why am I doing this?
Because I enjoy this work. And because it matters and I hate DIY and gardening 😁.

12/07/2025

Day 1 – NASDU Level 4 EDD Assessments
Saturday 12th July | Boiling hot start to the weekend

Today marked the first of two days of independent end-point assessments, and what a scorcher it’s been. We can’t control the weather, but we can manage it — so we started early. 6:00am meet, straight into the route searches, followed by vehicle searches (both on-leash checkpoint scenario and off-leash car park scenario), plus an area search.

Two teams working today:
🐾 Kay & Ada – now completing their 41-day course
🐾 Lauren & Moss – back for their third annual assessment
(Originally trained by me some two years ago, and have been busy ever since. Their first assessment was with Lee Weaver, second with another trainer down south, and now full circle back with Lee again.)

We completed two full 60+ minute route searches, including breaks, by around 9:00am. After moving venues to continue with vehicles, the temperature became brutal. By 12:30pm, I made the call to stop for the day — it just wasn’t safe or pleasant to continue.

We’re back in at 6:00am tomorrow to complete the vehicle work and area search, then we’re heading indoors elsewhere in Cardiff for building searches and Scent ID testing, where it’ll be shaded and cool.

That said — even with the heat, both teams worked exceptionally well today. Solid, professional handling from both Kay and Lauren, and the dogs performed brilliantly under pressure, let's face it no one enjoys being tested or assessed what ever you want to call it!!

A huge thank you to Lee Weaver for assessing again.
And I do appreciate you putting up with me — I know I can be a pain in the arse at times 😁.

12/07/2025

Day 1 of 2 of Kay and Ada’s NASDU EDD End Point assessments - we started off with routes at 0600 to try and avoid the heat of the day 🥵. This was a lengthy route of 40 plus minutes harness time plus breaks (1hr 10mins in total).

As you can hear Kay is also being tested on protocols and actions on a find.

So Far so good 👍

Changing venues now and moving onto vehicles 👊

11/07/2025

Day 39 (yesterday) – NASDU Level 4 EDD Course
Kay & Ada

With the heat ramping up, we were chasing the shade yesterday — and luckily had access to one of my favourite venues: a cool aircraft hangar with airflow right through when both ends are open. Perfect conditions for a full day of focused work.

In the morning, Kay and Ada completed a long internal building search, with hides placed at height and on completion. I stayed quiet and let the team crack on — everything was as it should be, I'm simply fine tuning. We're very much on track for this weekend's independent assessments.

So much so, in fact, that we’ve had the luxury of adding in extra continuation-style training, beyond the minimum NASDU requirements. Yesterday’s focus was baggage:

Working in tody lines and piles of bags

Simulated door entrance checks, with me acting as a customer

Not a typical setup, but reflective of real-world tasks.

This additional scope has been possible thanks to Ada’s pre-course foundation training, which has allowed us to progress further and faster than usual. Normally, my model is a novice handler with a green dog — in this case, Kay has trained with Ada as a supplied dog by myself and it’s worked brilliantly.

Today is Day 40, our final training day before the weekend’s end-point assessments. We’ll be starting early tomorrow — 6am — to avoid the worst of the heat during a full route search (40+ minutes, including breaks). Then onto the vehicle search elements.

We’re ready. Let’s go.

We'll also have one trained team joining us for their Annual Team Assessments.

Wish us luck 💯👌

10/07/2025

Day 38 – NASDU Level 4 EDD Course
Kay & Ada

Just a short clip from yesterday morning’s off-lead car park search — one of our final training sessions before this weekend’s independent end-point assessments.

We were working with around 50 vehicles across a secure carpark that kindly allows us to use staff cars (with permission, of course). It’s not always easy to find safe, controlled access to this number of cars for off-lead search training, so I’m always grateful for the venues that support us.

The search was split in two due to the rising heat — Ada had a good 20-minute break back in the van (20:20 guideline applied). In total, about 40–50 minutes of solid searching, and a lovely system demonstrated by Kay. Ada’s calm and methodical style makes her perfectly suited to this type of work — no jumping up on cars, no stress.

Following this clip we then went into actions on a find again in preparation for the weekend.

We’re exactly where we need to be.

Well done

09/07/2025

A few highlights from yesterday’s NASDU GP Level 2 Quarterly Assessment 🔥🐾

What a day! Seven solid hours, two handlers, one cracking venue, and plenty of action:

✔️ Inspection & Grooming
• Nose-to-tail check and proper grooming exercise.

✔️ Obedience
• Heelwork, sit, down, two-minute down-stay (off-lead) & the all-important emergency stop.

✔️ Internal Building Search
• Spent most of the day searching a superb, fully secure building:
◦ Hidden intruder
◦ Pick up and Indication, the challenge
◦ Handler protection

✔️ Vehicle Check
• Full walk-round to ensure BS 8517 compliance

✔️ Knowledge & Records
• Training logs up-to-date? ✔️
• Q&A on NASDU GP manual, British Standard 8517 & arrest ✔️

Long story short: a proper GP Level 2 day. Tired dogs, happy handlers, solid passes. Job done!

09/07/2025

Day 37 – NASDU Level 4 EDD Course
Kay & Ada

Sunday just gone was another milestone in Kay and Ada’s journey. With the independent end-point assessments coming up next weekend, we’re now focused on meeting the NASDU testing requirements in full.

One of the more demanding parts of the NASDU EDD Level 4 criteria is vehicle search capability. For assessment purposes, the team must be able to search:

10 HGVs (or buses) or

30 cars,
in both a checkpoint-style on-lead search and an off-lead car park or lorry park scenario.

We achieved both on Sunday.

That’s no small task on an initial course, and credit to Kay and Ada for putting in the work. A solid marker of progress — and a big step closer to assessment readiness.

09/07/2025

08/07/2025

Quarterly NASDU GP Security Dog Level 2 assessments today.
Only Two handlers, who got the full-day treatment:

I always start every session with a practical demonstration of inspection and grooming.

Fulfilling at least two of the five freedoms.

1️⃣ Inspection & grooming
• Hands on, nose to tail
• Explain what you’re checking and why
• Proper grooming demo
(NASDU says daily inspection/grooming; we tick that box the only honest way—is by doing it in front of me.)

I then follow with obedience

2️⃣ Obedience routine
Heelwork, down stay, sit stay, two mins off leash or long line, emergency stop, turnings at the halt (as a minimum).

3️⃣ Live-venue work
We don’t just meet at the same field every time. Every exercise is run in real, safe live venues—different sites, different surfaces, real distractions, stairs etc. simulating the real world.

That’s why my assessments aren’t “an hour and off you go.” They’re a full day: relaxed but proffesional atmosphere, plenty of feedback, every requirement ticked—handlers, dogs, paperwork, the works.

Good dogs, good handlers, good day. ✔️🐾



If you'd like to join my GP CT and Assessments WhatsApp group please email [email protected]

Costs per day for CT and or Assessments

one-to-one £200
Two-to-one £150 per team
Three-to-one £100 per team

Absolute maximum with myself is three teams to one instructor for CT and Assessments.

Various live venues in and around the Cardiff South Wales area.

07/07/2025

Spent my “only day off” hanging out with bed bugs. What else would I be doing

I attended Richard Naylor’s Bed-Bug course at CimexStore / Bed Bug Foundation

: life-cycle, hiding spots, why they’re basically the ninjas of the insect world.

Why? I have been asked about bed-bug detection dogs, both training and the operational supply of the service. If I’m going to do something / anything I'll only do it properly or not at all.

Key takeaway: they can live ages without a snack the snack being us (cheery thought) and dogs can find them faster than any torch + eyeball search. Next step: shadow a proven K9 team and see if this lane’s worth jumping into.

Certificate earned, brain buzzing, skin definitely itching (psychologically, anyway).

07/07/2025

Day 35 – Cardiff Utilita Arena
Kay & Ada – NASDU Level 4 EDD Course

Saturday’s training took place at Cardiff Utilita Arena — and unusually, the venue was completely free of events. That meant full access to the entire space, including the tiered seating — which we rarely get.

While seating areas aren’t a required element under the NASDU criteria, in the private sector, banked seating is an essential skill. Fortunately, Ada had prior exposure to this kind of environment from earlier work with me — and she handled it exactly as expected.

Kay and Ada just got on with it. No drama, no hesitation. I literally sat down and watched. They didn’t need me.

We spent the rest of the day making the most of the venue, accessing areas we wouldn’t normally be able to use when it’s busy. That gave Kay valuable exposure to new layouts and blind searches, helping test and reinforce the system — and build even more confidence.

Grateful for the opportunity — a really productive session. Thank you Utilita Arena Cardiff

06/07/2025

Heelwork & Obedience, Day 33 of 41 – NASDU Level 4 EDD Course: Kay & Ada

Another clip from Day 33 of 41 on Kay and Ada’s Level 4 course.

This is part of Lesson 3 from the NASDU practical lesson plans — Heelwork, Obedience, and Agility — which I assess as the trainer and complete as part of the course before the final independent assessment.

The lesson plans help keep the course structured and consistent, both for the trainer and the learner, and make sure we’re ticking off the right elements at the right time, and pick up on anything that may of got missed along the way.

Here, Kay’s working on practical, real-world obedience — nothing fancy, just reliable control. It includes pace changes (normal, slow, fast), left and right turns, an about turn, a sit at the halt, and a basic stay with the dog on lead.

She’s already done the recall and emergency stop earlier in the day, so this is reinforcing day-to-day control.

Why do we do it? Because it matters — especially in public. We're working detection dogs, not obedience champions, but they still need to look professional. Nobody wants to see a bomb dog dragging its handler around prior to a operational search — and neither do I. It doesn't fill you full of confidence 😁.