American Mantrailing, Police & Work Dog Association

What American Mantrailing, Police & Work Dog Association does

The American Mantrailing, Police & Work Dog Association (AMPWDA) is a private, membership-based organization headquartered in Greencastle, Indiana, that delivers specialized K9 training and certification services primarily to law enforcement agencies, search and rescue (SAR) teams, volunteer fire departments, and civilian K9 handlers. Founded around 2011 (previously operating as the American Mantrailing Academy), the organization operates across roughly a dozen canine disciplines including mantrailing, mantracking, human remains detection (HRD) for land and water, air scent live find, disaster search, narcotics detection, patrol/utility, obedience, and personal protection. AMPWDA is not venture- or PE-backed; it is member-funded and operates on a community-led model with no institutional investors, parent company, or acquisition history disclosed.

AMPWDA's core technical methodology centers on scent-specific mantrailing, in which K9s follow individual human scent through skin rafts (shed skin cells) using environmental factors including weather, wind, and topology. The organization has codified a proprietary four-tier mantrailing certification system ranging from Basic (30+ minute-old trail, 0.5 mile) through Expert, Distinguished Expert, and Master Mantrailing Challenge (24-26 hour-old trail, 1.25 miles), all administered under double-blind protocols with GPS verification requiring teams to cover at least 70% of the trail. Training delivery is anchored by a 500+ acre dedicated training facility in Putnam County, Indiana, supplemented by two week-long national conferences annually (spring and fall) plus regional weekend workshops in states including Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Missouri, Kansas, West Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, and Texas. Twice-monthly free training sessions are offered to members, law enforcement, SAR personnel, and volunteers.

The business model combines subscription revenue from $35 annual memberships with event-driven revenue from paid seminars ($330-$485 for members, $365-$530 for non-members), merchandise sales through an e-commerce storefront (apparel, leather K9 gear, decals), and on-site or individual training services. Distribution is primarily direct-to-handler via conferences, regional workshops, and a 24/7-monitored certified search team referral database for emergency callouts. AMPWDA has built a community spanning 43 U.S. states and 7 countries (Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland), and operates with 11-50 employees under Master Trainers Tony Keith, Dan Gray, and Dave Wheeler, who collectively hold 75+ years of professional K9 experience.

Name

American Mantrailing, Police & Work Dog Association

Legal name

American Mantrailing, Police & Work Dog Association

Website

https://ampwda.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AMPWDA is a Greencastle, Indiana-based membership organization providing K9 training and certification across mantrailing, HRD, narcotics detection, and obedience for law enforcement, SAR teams, and civilian handlers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K9 Training and Certification Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Detective, Guard & Armored Car Services (7381), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAKAKAK

Handler Training, Certification & K9 Unit Compliance Services

Business & Public Services/Security & Investigations Services/K9 Security Services

SECONDARYBPAKAKAH

Search & Rescue (SAR) K9 Services

Business & Public Services/Security & Investigations Services/K9 Security Services

SECONDARYBPAKAKAA

Explosives & Narcotics Detection K9 Services

Business & Public Services/Security & Investigations Services/K9 Security Services

SECONDARYBPAKAKAB

Patrol & Perimeter Security K9 Services

Business & Public Services/Security & Investigations Services/K9 Security Services

SECONDARYEDAOAMAO

Public Safety & Security K9 Handling Training

Education/Vocational, Technical & Trade Education/Protective Services & Public Safety Training

SECONDARYBPAKAOAK

K9 Handler & Working Dog Security Training

Business & Public Services/Security & Investigations Services/Training & Certification for Security Personnel

Keywords

• K9 training certification
• Mantrailing certification services
• Search and rescue K9
• Police K9 training
• Human remains detection

Headquarters

HQ city

Greencastle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fee of $35 providing access to certification programs, referral database listing, free training sessions, and member benefits including discounts and special offers.
2. Seminars and Conferences: Week-long national conferences (spring and fall) and weekend workshops with fees ranging from $330-$485 for members and $365-$530 for non-members depending on discipline and duration.
3. Merchandise Sales: AMPWDA branded merchandise including hoodies, polo shirts, t-shirts, decals, mugs, leather K9 gear, and business cards sold through the online store with free shipping on orders over $150.
4. Individual Training Services: One-on-one or group training sessions for obedience and personal protection available by contacting organization for rates and scheduling.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

American Mantrailing, Police & Work Dog Association (AMPWDA) delivers professional K9 training and certification services for law enforcement, search and rescue (SAR), and civilian handlers. Core disciplines include Mantrailing (with K9), Mantracking (without K9), Human Remains Detection (HRD) on land and water, Police K9 (narcotics, patrol/utility, tracking, protection), Area/Air Scent Live Find, Disaster Search, and obedience/personal protection training. Programs are delivered via two annual week-long National K9 Conferences, regional workshops, twice-monthly free training, and individualized one-on-one or group sessions.

Product overview

AMPWDA is a provider of K9 training and certification services organized as a membership-based association. The core offerings center on specialized K9 disciplines: Mantrailing (with K9), Mantracking (without K9), Human Remains Detection (land and water), Air Scent Live Find, and Police/Law Enforcement K9 training. These are delivered through multiple channels: two annual week-long National K9 Conferences, weekend workshops, twice-monthly free training sessions, and individual/personal training. The organization also operates a merchandise store and maintains a certified search team referral database for emergency callouts. All training and certifications require membership, with tiered pricing for members versus non-members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• K9 Mantrailing Training & Certification Scent-specific pursuit training using K9s to follow individual human scent trails, with certification levels at Basic, Expert, Distinguished Expert, Urban, and Master Challenge under double-blind GPS-verified protocols. For law enforcement, SAR personnel, and qualified civilian handlers.
• K9 Mantracking Training Training in following trails without a K9 using environmental clues such as weather, wind, and topology. Offered at Basic and Advanced levels for SAR personnel, K9 handlers, firefighters, police, and EMTs.
• Human Remains Detection (HRD) Training & Certification Training and certification for dogs to detect human remains on land and in water environments, emphasizing real-world scenarios and problem-solving. Targeted at law enforcement and search and rescue operations.
• Search and Rescue Training & Certification Multi-discipline SAR training and certification including Mantrailing, Mantracking, HRD, Air Scent Live Find, and Disaster Search for SAR teams and personnel.
• Law Enforcement K9 Training & Certification Specialized training and certification for police K9s in Narcotics Detection, Patrol/Utility, Tracking, Protection, and Obedience disciplines. Targeted at police departments and law enforcement agencies.
• Obedience & Personal Protection Training Personalized training for all levels of obedience and personal protection, customized to individual needs using one-on-one and group class approaches. Targeted at civilian dog owners and K9 enthusiasts.
• National K9 Conferences Two week-long National K9 Conferences held annually (spring and fall) providing intensive training in scenic Putnam County, Indiana with over 500 acres of training grounds. Targeted at members, law enforcement, and SAR personnel.
• AMPWDA Membership Program Annual membership ($35/year) providing access to certification database, free trainings, discount rates on seminars, special member offers, listing in the AMPWDA Referral Database (if approved), and an official membership card.
• AMPWDA Merchandise Store Online storefront offering embroidered apparel (hoodies, polos), t-shirts, business cards, caps, mugs, decals, and leather K9 gear, with free shipping on orders over $150 within the continental US.
• Certified Search Team Referral Database 24/7 monitored database of certified AMPWDA search teams available for emergency callout referrals for law enforcement and emergency agencies.

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Tarheel Canine Training: One of the largest U.S. police and SAR K9 training academies, offering single-purpose and dual-purpose detector dog training, handler courses, and certification across disciplines that directly overlap with AMPWDA's mantrailing, HRD, and patrol offerings.
• Vohne Liche Kennels: Established police K9 training facility providing narcotics, detection, and patrol dog training plus handler instruction; competes for the same law enforcement and government agency buyers AMPWDA serves.
• Highland Canine Training: Police and detection K9 training academy offering narcotics, explosive, and patrol K9 courses plus handler certification; serves municipal and federal agencies in a comparable niche to AMPWDA.
• Shallow Creek Kennels: Police and working dog kennel providing patrol, narcotics, and SAR K9 training with handler courses; comparable service mix and target customer base to AMPWDA.
• K2 Solutions: Specializes in detection and working dog training for law enforcement, military, and government agencies, with handler instruction that overlaps directly with AMPWDA's certification programs.
• Top Dog K9 Services: Provides police K9 training, sales, and consulting for handler teams, addressing the same municipal and law enforcement buyer profile as AMPWDA's law enforcement offerings.
• Canine Training Academy: Provides obedience, personal protection, and working dog training for civilians and professionals; shares AMPWDA's obedience and personal protection service lines and target customer of K9 enthusiasts.

Emerging players

• Scent Evidence K9: Forensic and HRD K9 services with scientific validation of scent discrimination; overlapping focus on human remains detection and SAR certification where AMPWDA also competes.

Broad incumbents

• National Police Canine Association: Long-standing national association setting standards and certification for police K9 teams; a broader institutional incumbent whose accreditation framework competes and overlaps with AMPWDA's certification programs.
• North American Police Work Dog Association (NAPWDA): Membership-based association providing certification, training events, and standards for police and SAR K9 teams, offering an alternative certification ecosystem with broader institutional reach than AMPWDA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AMPWDA

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about American Mantrailing, Police & Work Dog Association