Security Dog Handler Employment Contract UK

Responsibilities reflected in the contract

• Patrol assigned sites with the authorised dog.
• Maintain handling control and safe distances.
• Provide daily welfare care exercise and checks.
• Respond within trained deployment procedures.
• Record training incidents health and handovers.

A realistic working scenario

Deployed to a retail site for an evening shift with a trained dog. Follow assignment instructions, complete patrols logged in the patrol system, manage access points, respond to an alarm activation, preserve evidence at an incident scene, and hand over to the store manager or area manager at shift end.

Outputs to agree

• Completed assignment instructions and signed patrol logs for each shift in the patrol system
• Incident report with timeline, evidence preservation notes and CCTV references after any security event
• Access-control exception record when visitors or contractors require escorted entry
• Handover checklist and briefing to store manager or area manager at shift change

Records and evidence

• Patrol or access-control system entries showing route, times and checks.
• Incident and occurrence records with preserved-evidence notes and CCTV clip identifiers.
• Handover log signed by outgoing and incoming custodian (store manager or area manager).
• Dog welfare and equipment check log (PPE, leads, muzzles, first-aid kit).
• Visitor and key-control register for escorted access or key issue.
• Work records.

Reporting relationship

Typically reports to Line Manager or Department Manager. Confirm the employer's actual reporting structure in the builder.

Authority and escalation

• Authorised to detain temporarily under site instructions, preserve evidence, escort visitors and control access as per assignment instructions. Must escalate alarms, suspected criminal activity, safeguarding disclosures or unsafe equipment to the store manager or area manager and follow SIA escalation where licence-related or beyond authorised powers.
• Obtain approval before committing expenditure, changing contractual commitments or making regulated or staffing decisions outside the assigned role.

Tools and systems

• Access control systems.
• Radios.
• Risk assessment records.

Workplace context

• Office, client premises, remote systems or assigned work locations.

Training and certification

• Complete employer-required health and safety training.

Contract priorities

• Deliver patrols and access-control duties exactly as set in assignment instructions
• Maintain and protect patrol, incident, CCTV and visitor records and report suspected data breaches promptly
• Preserve evidence and secure incident scenes pending emergency services or store manager or area manager arrival
• Complete dog welfare, equipment checks and record defects before starting duty
• Escalate alarm activations, safeguarding disclosures and licence or training doubts to store manager or area manager and use SIA escalation where applicable

Information the employer should prepare

• the sites duties and dog ownership
• the handler qualification and team certification
• the kennelling transport veterinary and feeding arrangements
• the deployment public-contact and withdrawal rules
• the shifts rest cover and incident process