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2026 Annual HITS K9 Conference

Real-world K9 Education for Handlers, Trainers, Supervisors and Agencies

National law-enforcement K9 training designed to strengthen deployment decisions, courtroom defensibility, and long-term operational performance.

  • National-scale training with 1,000+ K9 professionals
  • 100+ vendors with equipment you can evaluate in person
  • Education focused on defensible real-world outcomes
Register nowView full schedule
Need approval to attend? Download the attendance justification

For sworn law-enforcement officers and military K9 personnel only. (Non-sworn individuals are not permitted.)

When:
August 24–27, 2026
Where:
JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort, Phoenix, AZ
Duration:
4 days (including Pre-Registration & Vendor Night)
Vendor exhibitors:
Vendor expo featuring working dogs, vehicle systems, duty gear, and operational equipment.
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Why attend HITS K9 this year

Each year’s rotating location brings new instructors, new vendors, and new professional opportunities, making attendance worth repeating.

Travel, duty time, and conference budget all require approval. HITS is structured to make that decision defensible with outcomes that agencies value:

National-scale training you won’t get locally

Expanding professional judgment beyond regional norms

Vendor expo with hands-on access

Enabling direct evaluation of equipment, tools, and systems used in active K9 operations

Exposure to diverse operational perspectives

Broadening decision-making beyond a single method

Networking with peers from across agencies

Building professional context and long-term capability

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Four days of national K9 instruction and vendor access

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Mon, August 24

Pre-Registration & Vendor Appreciation Night

Conference check-in and evening vendor reception to begin professional networking before instruction.

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Tue–Thu, August 25–27

Three full days of instruction

Multi-track classroom sessions covering operational, legal, and training topics relevant to law-enforcement K9 work.

Men browsing patches and gear on tables at a vendor booth in a large indoor conference hall.
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MON–Thu, August 24–27

Large-Scale Vendor Expo

Multi-track classroom sessions covering operational, legal, and training topics relevant to law-enforcement K9 work.

Man holding sign for free trip to HITS 2025 Dallas at event with large crowd and announcer.
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Wed, August 26 (evening)

Networking Reception & Raffle Event

Includes a conference reception and raffle prizes. Attendees must be present to win.

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How HITS K9 turns learning into defensible action

1

Learn

Handlers engage in multi-track education that extends beyond tactics to include legal context, operational decision-making, and long-term performance improvement.

2

Evaluate

Attendees compare vendors, equipment, and solutions in one place, building relationships and purchasing confidence through direct access.

3

Apply

Knowledge, defensibility, and professional perspective transfer back to the unit, supporting safer deployments and stronger testimony.

Featured instructors at HITS 2026

HITS K9 brings together legal authorities, federal advisors, scientists, and operational specialists whose instruction reflects real deployment, forensic scrutiny, and courtroom accountability.

Ted Daus

President
,
HITS K9
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See speaker

Ted Daus

President
,
HITS K9
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See speaker

Ted Daus

President
,
HITS K9
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See speaker

Ted Daus

President
,
HITS K9
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See speaker
View full instructor list

Gabriele Mangold

Program Analyst
,
DEA
Gabi Mangold is a Program Analyst with four years of experience at the DEA and in the Caine Program, specializing in program management, compliance, and cross-agency coordination.
See speaker

Tom Duncan

Supervisor Chemist
,
DEA
Tom Duncan is a Supervisory Chemist at the Drug Enforcement Administration Special Testing and Research Laboratory.
See speaker

Michelle McGregor

Supervisory Investigator
,
DEA
Michelle McGregor is a Supervisory Investigator with Drug Enforcement Administration.
See speaker

Ted Daus

Owner
,
HITS T&C
Counsel of record in U.S. Supreme Court K-9 cases and longtime Broward County prosecutor. National lecturer on canine law and search-and-seizure with decades of courtroom experience.
See speaker

Dr. Kenneth Furton

Executive Director
,
Global Forensic and Justice Center
Provost Emeritus and Distinguished University Professor; Executive Director of the Global Forensic and Justice Center and a world-leading scholar in detection-dog science.
See speaker

Mike Lilley

Owner
,
MLK9
Mike Lilley is a professional K9 trainer with extensive experience in law enforcement, working dogs, and operational deployments.
See speaker

Michael Nezbeth

Founder
,
Grassroots K9
Michael Nezbeth is the Founder and Training Director of Grassroots K9, an internationally recognized canine training company specializing in law enforcement and working dog development.
See speaker

Zach Pfannenstiel

CEO
,
Echelon K9
Zach brings over 18 years of law enforcement experience, including more than 12 years in canine operations.
See speaker
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A national conference in a world-class setting

HITS 2026 takes place at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort in Phoenix, Arizona — a five-star destination designed to support both focused professional learning and a high-quality conference experience.

The venue is part of the conference experience. Attendees can stay on-site, move easily between instruction, vendor events, networking, and downtime, and make the most of their time away from duty.

Stay on-site and stay connected

Attendees and instructors are all in one place, making it easier to move between sessions, continue conversations after class, and stay engaged beyond scheduled instruction.

Built-in amenities throughout the event

The resort includes pools, a water slide, golf, on-site dining, and outdoor spaces, giving attendees ways to unwind without leaving the conference.

A setting that keeps the event together

With everything in one location, there’s less time lost to travel and more opportunities to connect with other agencies, instructors, and vendors.

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Built to support approval at every level

Approving training requires weighing time away from duty, budget impact, operational relevance, and legal defensibility.

HITS is structured to address those concerns directly through defensible education, informed vendor access, and a professional learning environment designed for real operational use.

When training is often the first budget considered for cuts, its value must be clear, defensible, and lasting.
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Register for the 2026 HITS K9 Conference

HITS 2026 delivers professional outcomes agencies can approve, and handlers can apply.

  • National-scale training not available locally
  • Hands-on vendor and equipment evaluation
  • Long-term operational and legal impact
    • Aug 24–27, 2026
    Phoenix, AZ
Register now
View full schedule
Police officer with mud on pants runs alongside a Belgian Malinois dog jumping over an agility hurdle.