K9 Training Centre & Kennels

The K9 Training and Kennels was started at the old Animal Anti Cruelty League Kennels in Doig Road, Ottery in 1994.We started with one kennel assistant and fifteen kennels .At this point in time, all training was done by the owner-manager, Shaamil Majiet. The business ,called K9 Security Services, was a sole proprietor ship that supplied special event security services, doghandler training ,boarding and boarded training. In 1995,we added leasing of trained dogs to security companies. The business was changed to a close corporation
In 1996, we relocated our kennels to the present premises in Gunners Circle,
Epping, It had twenty kennels and the staff increased to an additional trainer assisting Shaamil and a full time night shift kennel assistant. Later a full time driver was added to transport to and from security sites. Training of domestic handlers on Saturdays and Tuesdays and security doghandlers during the week followed as the demand grew.
During 1999, it became one of the first of four kennels in South Africa to be accredited to train security dogs and handlers for the Security Officers Board (,S.O.B.) the Security Industry regulatory structure.
In 2000. we added an additional twenty kennels at the Epping premises and a breeding kennel in Kensington. The breeding under the Di Canini kennel name was started in this year. An extra kennel assistant was added to the staff.
The year 2003 saw the name being changed to the K9 Training Centre and Kennels. It was also the year that our dogs worked at the Cricket World Cup Tournament. We started training dogs for detection of explosives and drugs.
The year 2006,the kennels totaled fifty, plus the two breeding runs in Kensington. We started supplying dogs to the South African Police School , Roodeplaat., so an extra dog trainer, maintenance assistant and admin assistant was employed. Fifteen extra kennels were added in 2008 ,giving us a total of sixty five kennels.
In 2010, an additional ten kennels were built, leading to us having a total of seventy five kennels.
Shaamil Majiet: Background
Through the years, no structured training courses for professional dog training existed in this country except in the army and police. In the light of our political background, the possibly of receiving formal training in this field was out.
I was initially trained as a high school teacher, starting my teaching career in 1986. The same year, i was introduced to dog training as a hobby. I was obsessed with the hobby and in 1987; we started our own dog training club, the Canine Obedience club. The club was a community based structure with the aim of empowering people with dog handling skills, a skill that was quite new to the community at the time.
As chief instructor, I had to teach myself through intensive research, to train others and their dogs. The methods used by other training clubs were not educationally sound, sometimes even cruel. Through my research, I devised a training method that produced an obedient and confident protector. In this time, i successfully trained hundreds of dogs and people.
In the early 1990’s, I started participating in dog sports, i.e. obedience and working trials under the Kennel Union of Southern Africa with my GSD, Remo. In 1993, I also joined the GSD Federation, of which I am still an active member, breeding and showing dogs under the kennel name Di Canini. In 1998, I also joined the SA Boerboel Association(SABT) where the research on my own working Boerboels were published in their newsletter.
We also provided security services to the community, so while I was training dogs at the club, I also served as a doghandler and security co-ordinator. In 1989, I was appointed to serve as site manager at the Manenberg (M.I.T.A) Fleamarket with security being my main concern. I studied Security Management with Intec at the same. In 1994, I registered as a security company, K9 Security Services that specialized in special event security as well as providing dog services to the security industry.
In 1996, I left the teaching profession and concentrated my efforts in my Kennel, K9 Training Centre and Kennels, providing professional training service to both public and security industry.
STAFF PROFILE
Today we have seventy five kennels employing three kennel assistants, one maintenance assistant, two dogtrainers, an admin assistant and still owner managed by Shaamil Majiet
Social upliftment is engrained in the structure of the company. Most come from background .e.g. are literately disadvantaged and cannot read nor write, had a prison background, was standing on the side of the road looking for work, abused ,etc. Staff are empowered by skills training in order to improve their self worth. Most of the training is done by Shaamil, an ex teacher, but outside trainers are often included in their training. Training is a continuous process. Changes in the industry means that staff has to be kept abreast of these changes by means of training. Staff are able to improve their lot inside and outside the company. We try to get staff national accreditation as much as possible. We are currently using the new SETA unit standards to train staff. Our training center is presently playing a major role in the development of course material for these unit standards.
ANIMAL WELFARE
Animal welfare is an important priority of our training center .Animal care and animal welfare goes hand in hand. As a major role player in the security dog Industry, we have a big responsibility to prepare doghandlers to care for the dogs properly. Companies should also be guided to know the correct legal procedure regarding animal welfare.
We try to maintain a good relationship with animal welfare bodies. Through mutual co operation, we try to improve the lot of the dog as much as possible. We only do business with clients that conform to all legal requirements and have a good history of dog care. Clients must have a valid PAPA license ,conform to the Animal Protection Act and have accredited trained handlers.

ACHIEVEMENTS OF NOTE
1988-1996 : RESTRUCTURED MANENBERG INFORMAL TRADERS FLEAMARKET SITUATED IN GANG HEARTLAND AND REDUCED CRIME BY 80 % AT MARKET
CAPE MINSTREL DEVELOPMENT BOARD COON CARNIVAL ;WORKED WITH SAPS AND VIP UNIT WHEN PRESIDENT MANDELA VISITED CARNIVAL; FEW INCIDENCES OF VIOLENCE AT AN EVENT RENOWNED FOR BLOODY VIOLENCE
1994 STARTED K9 TRAINING CENTRE AND KENNELS, EMPLOYING NON –EMPLOYABLE STAFF (e.g. PEOPLE WITH CRIMINAL RECORDS,ABUSED PEOPLE; LITERATELY DISADVANCED INDIVIDUALS; HOMELESS) AND EMPOWERING THEM THROUGH SKILLS
2000 I CANINI KENNELS BREEDING AND SUPPLYING DOGS FOR SERVICE: FIRST LITTER: ONE DOG(ARN) WORKING AT ESKOM KOEBERG POWERSTATION AS EXPLOSIVE DETECTOR DOG; TWO LITTER MATES(STACY & AKIRO) WORKED ON CAMPS BAY BEACH FRONT AS EXPLOSIVE DETECTOR DOGS DURING PAGAD TERROR ERA; TWO LITTER MATES WENT TO IRAQ AS EXPLOSIVE DETECTOR DOGS, ETC.
2000-2005: WE TRAINED AND SUPPLIED KOEBERG POWER STATION WITH 3 EXPLOSIVE DETECTOR DOGS.
2005 :BRED AND TRAINED TWO DOGS (CLOE & SABRINA) AS STOW AWAY DOGS WORKING IN CAPE TOWN HARBOUR.
TRAINED TWO DOGS AJAY AND TEDDY TO STAR IN A BOLLYWOOD MOVIE.
MENS HEALTH MAGAZINE PUBLISHED AN ARTICLE ON FEAR FOR DOGS FEATURING OUR DOGS.
OUR DOGS WERE USED FOR CROWD CONTROL DURING THE 2003 CRICKET WORLD CUP IN CAPE TOWN AND P.E.
1999:I WAS ACCREDITED AS ONE OF THE FIRST SECURITY DOGHANDLER INSTRUCTORS AND DOG TRAINER AND SUPPLIER BY THE SECURITY OFFICERS BOARD.
2003: I ASSISTED ROMAN PROTECTION SOLUTIONS IN DEVELOPING A TRAINING PROGRAM FOR THEIR BANK SECURITY DOGHANDLERS.(NEDCOR) AS PART OF THEIR EXPANSION NATIONALLY
2002-2008: I ASSISTED IN TRAINING THE DOG UNIT MANAGERS AND STAFF (NATIONALLY)OF ROMAN PROTECTION SOLUTIONS.
2005: I ASSISTED IN DRAFTING THE CURRENT DOGHANDLER UNIT STANDARDS AS PART OF THE POSLEC SETA SGB GROUP.
2005-2009: OUR DOGS ARE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH SANPARKS RANGERS AT TABLE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, ALL THE RANGERS ARE TRAINED BY US USING UNIT STANDARDS AND PSIRA STANDARDS.
2003- 2007: WE ASSISTED THE FOLLOWING COMPANIES IN ESTABLISHING THEIR OWN DOG UNITS, NAMELY GROUP 9 SECURITY SOLUTIONS, DEEP BLUE SECURITY, GLOBAL GUARDING BY SUPPLYING TRAINED DOGS AND TRAINING THEIR DOGHANDLERS.
1999- 2009: WE WERE THE DOMINANT TRAINING CENTRE OF QUALITY DOGHANDLER TRAINING IN THE WESTERN CAPE ,RAISING THE STANDARD OF DOGHANDLING AND ANIMAL WELFARE THROUGH STRINGENT REQUIREMENTS AND EDUCATION OF SECURITY COMPANIES.
2006-2009: WE SUPPLIED SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE SERVICE WITH MANY TRAINED DOGS FOR PATROL AND DETECTION.
2008: WE TRAINED DOGHANDLERS TO GUARD THE IRISH MELLEM BUILDING PROJECT IN TAFELSIG.
2000-2009: TO DATE WE’VE BREED 21 GSD FEDERATION LITTERS,MANY PLAYING AN ACTIVE ROLE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA.
1998: OUR ARTICLE ON THE BOERBOEL AS A WORKING DOG WAS PUBLISHED BY THE SA BOERBOEL ASSOCIATION AND ON THE INTERNET.
2006-2009: CURRENTLY WORKING ON DEVELOPING COURSE MATERIAL FOR SASSETA DOGHANDLER AND DOG TRAINING UNIT STANDARDS.
2002-2009:TRAINED AND HANDLED SNIFFER DOGS FOR DRUG AND FIREARM DETECTION AT MOTHER CITY SOCCER CLUB; HORIZONS YOUTH CENTRE; SULTAN BAHU DRUG REHAB CENTRE;CITY OF CAPE TOWN MOWBRAY STATION STORAGE DEPOT; ETC.)
22. Had an info stand at WODAC (World of Dogs and Cats) Expo in November. We won Gold Medal Award for Outstanding exhibition for imaginative design and marketing expertise.

Di Canini German Shepherd Dogs
Our kennel is a member of the German Shepherd Dog Federation, an association that is linked with the international German Shepherd Dog body, the SV. Through the years, the high standards set by these structures have ensured the GSD to be of excellent quality.
We strive to breed dogs of a high quality that would function in both a working and pet environment. We breed from German show bloodlines that are also able to perform the work that is desired from them, be it personal protector, security dog, sporting, detector dog, etc. Not only do they have to look attractive, but they should be able to work as well, yet still maintain a steady temperament. We try to breed from the best local and international bloodlines.
All breeding stock are regularly shown in breed shows. This is not only to grade their conformation, but also their temperament. Their hips are also X-rayed to ensure that they do not pass on genetic problems to their off spring. They are also DNA tested to see that no dishonest breeding occurs.
In addition, certain of our dogs also undergo Breed Surveys. A Breed Survey involves a 20km endurance run, a protection/bite test as well as a conformation/ breed test. Some of our breeding dogs have also passed an Escort Dog (BH) test. This involves an obedience and temperament assessment.
All our dogs are trained in at least basic obedience and show training. Certain dogs are trained in special fields, e.g. Explosive Detection or Security Patrol Dogs that do not reach our breeding criteria, are often used in our commercial security section where their selective breeding makes them suitable for this type of work.
Our dogs are fed a combination of quality chunks and home cooked/raw foods. Each dog is carefully monitored to see that it receives the right amount and type of food. Pups are reared with a much human contact and distractions as possible so that they can be emotionally stable.
We supply both the discerning domestic and commercial market with dogs that are of a superior quality. Pups and young dogs are sometimes available for sale. We try to find the correct home for our pups and dogs.