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Virus Detection Dogs are attacking COVID-19

Soon after the start of the great pandemic of 2020, Top Tier K9 chose one of our top dogs, acquired access to the COVID-19 virus and began the process of building a replicable virus detection training program based on our US Trademarked Foundation Dog® system. (COVID-19 Press Kit April 16, 2020)


In early April, 2020 we proved that a well trained dog, with a mature nose and effective hunt drive could indeed find and indicate on the COVID-19 virus and are more reliable than laboratory tests. We then selected 50 out of 70 of our Foundation Dogs®, that met the right level of requirements to be finished as a Virus Detection Dog (Special Security Dog) and prepared them for deployment to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. See April 3, 2020 WCTV News Report See April 6, 2020 ABC News Report here See First Coast News Report May, 19 2020 Read Politico story




England, France, Germany, Dubais, China as well as US Universities began announcing that they too had seen success in the training of dogs to find the COVID-19 virus. Top Tier K9 is the only private company in this arena and We determined that the missing variable, the biggest constraint to building more consistent results in K9 detection was an effective training program for dogs and handlers. We developed that program and now have a replicable process to scale, train and distribute certified virus detection dogs, Police/Military K9, service dogs for people with severe disabilities, and executive/family protection dogs all over the world. (see Mike Vasilinda April 16, 2020 Report here) Our Foundation Dog® program starts with puppies as young as 6 weeks old, selected from litters bred specifically for our programs, and through a phased approach we train the dogs on 50 elements that roll up to 4 functions; tracking, scent detection, advanced obedience, and protection/apprehension. Using progressive elaboration as a ladder we turn working line puppies into certified Foundation Dogs® ready to be finished as police/military K9, explosive detection dogs, executive/family protection dogs, service dogs for people with severe disabilities, and now...special security dogs including virus detection dogs.




  • We breed Belgian Malinois, German Shepherd, and British Labrador Retrievers

  • We train the entire litters through our Foundation Dog® program

  • We separate the dogs upon certification as Foundation Dogs® into their functional areas.

  • We Finish Foundation Dogs® as Special Security Dogs (including virus detection), Police/Military K9, Service Dogs for people with severe disabilities, executive/family protection dogs.

  • We then train the handler and his/selected dog for mission deployment (theater specific scenario training)

  • We have a Dog trainer Academy to teach others how to train dogs and to start their own dog training business.


We developed an easy testing system that takes advantage of our dogs depth of smell to quickly collect and test saliva or sweat from a human and determine the presence of the COVID-19 virus even before symptoms appear, and in asymptomatic patients without the human coming into contact with the dog. A dog needs only 18 molecules to determine the presence of the virus while laboratory tests require 180,000,000 molecules according to researchers at the University of Helsinki. See Helsinki report here


Our Academy for Dog Trainers is rated as one of the top dog trainer schools in the country, we train people to train pets, Foundation Dogs® and we have masters programs to certify trainers in finishing programs including police/military K9, family/executive protection, service dogs for people with severe disabilities, and virus detection.


Visit www.TopTierK9.com to learn more, to acquire a dog or to sign up to learn to train dogs.





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