Page 20 - DATR Open Day 2023

INITIAL TRADE TRAINING
I(RAVC)
NITIAL Trade Training (ITT) for the Royal Army Veterinary Corps is an intensive 7-week course that teaches
the foundation knowledge of dog handling to all RAVC soldiers. The course runs with a maximum of 15 students and the DATR holds 3 courses a year. Students are taught the basics of Protection dog handling, including looking after their dogs’ daily needs both in camp and roughing it out
in the field. They also do regular physical training to keep them fit and healthy, and ready for the Field Army.
Week 1 – This is induction week, and the students are given some mandatory briefs and get to meet all their instructors and dogs. They are taught dog first aid, so they can treat any minor injuries or illness. They are also shown how to look after their dogs, feeding, walking and cleaning up after them.
Week 2 – They are introduced to some fun stuff like obedience and agility (running
and jumping over obstacles). We show the students how to groom properly, brushing the dogs’ coat and helping to build a bond with their dog.
Week 3 – The students start learning more handling techniques and get to release their dogs for real onto one of the instructors
(wearing some safety equipment of course!).
Week 4 – The students will be taught how to be a Practical Training Assistant (the person in the big suit) and take a bite from a dog safely. They then start “baiting” for each other.
Week 5 – We continue to build on all the new skills they have been taught and introduce how a MWD Team will be employed in
the field. This will be the first time that the students stay out overnight In field conditions with their dogs. Students are also Introduced and practice some of the more advanced handling techniques like crowd control and patrolling at night.
Week 6 – Final exercise where the students can put everything they have learnt on the course into practice in an arduous realistic scenario.,
Week 7 – Final physical and medical tests, and the week is finished off with a pass out parade in front of the students’ proud friends and family.
The ITT course is a tough introduction to the life of a dog handler, but we are lucky to have motivated and enthusiastic students that are willing to learn and are driven by their love of dogs. If they are successful in getting onto the course, then the ITT sets them up for a long and successful career in the RAVC.
Throughout the course the proud history of the RAVC Is a common theme and the ethos, history and tradition of the Corps is impressed upon the students. In keeping with this theme the ITT Instructors are running a stall that at this Open Day showcasing the history of the RAVC at DATR and this Is supported by the latest historical record “The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962 – 2021” by Lt Col Chris Ham MBE which celebrates the RAVC achievements, much of it forged on operations and numerous other events.
20 | DEFENCE ANIMAL TRAINING REGIMENT