Jenn Hirakawa

Owner/ Lead Trainer

Jennifer brings over 30 years of local, national, and international experience in canine training, canine program management, and canine behavior.   In May 2012, Jennifer retired from the US Army Military Police Corps with the rank of Master Sergeant (MSG) after 23 years of service. Jennifer’s military career had many postings and positions, including time as a canine handler/trainer in patrol, narcotics, and explosives detection. She deployed multiple times for short and long deployments (IFOR, SFOR, OEF, and others).

She successfully challenged the German National Dog Trainers Exam.   In 2012, she began training dogs and humans to help them form a better human-canine bond.  She works with all different breeds and temperaments; she also trains many disciplines and actively completes behavior consultations.

Jenn serves as an instructor teaching humans how to work with and understand canine behavior in multiple working dog programs. She trains Service Dogs, working odor-detection dogs, and dual-purpose canines.  She holds private training and team training at her training facility in Winterset, Iowa, and travels to work with and evaluate teams for operational assessments and Certifications.  

Alliance for Emergency Response Examiners (AERIE) for the following disciplines:
Instructor – SARAware Course for Students that are beginning their career in Search and Rescue,
Instructor – SAR Responder Course for Student certification as a Ground Searcher
Instructor for Search Management
Examiner and Chief Examiner and Mentor for K9 -- Land HRD, Water HRD
Examiner and Chief Examiner and Mentor for K9 – Wide Area Search.  

National Network of Canine Detection Services (NNCDS): Instructor and Evaluator for the following disciplines:
K9 –Land HRD,
K9 – Wide Area Search
K9 Water HRD (shoreline and boat)

Jenn is currently working K9 Moose in HRD and K9 Gracie Bell in Wide Area while training K9 Billie to follow when Moose retires. She is currently certified and has deployed dogs in wilderness HRD, responding to requests by various law enforcement agencies in and around the state of Iowa, and has deployed with the Nebraska State Task Force.  

She maintains current certifications with
AERIE (HRD)
AERIE (Live - Wilderness) Type 2
NNCDS (HRD Water – Shoreline and Boat)

She handles EDD and narcotics K9s for Merrill Detector Dog Services.  

Memberships:
American Standards Board – Dogs and Sensors Committee (ASB)  
National Police Canine Association (NPCA)
Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT: Premier Member)
American Kennel Club (AKC):
Trainer and Evaluator for All Canine Good Citizen exams Association of Professional Dog trainers (ADPT)
C.L.A.S.S. Trainer and Evaluator
The International Association of Animal Behavioral Consultants: Supporting Member (IAABC)  

Life Member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
The Disabled America Veterans (DAV)
The United States Army Military Police Regimental Association and many other veterans’ groups.