Tactical Tracker Teams is a personalized service K-9 training facility located in the Sierra foothills 30 minutes east of Sacramento, CA. We offer literally miles of training opportunities on primarily private property. The majority of our training operations are in rural Amador County, however, our curriculum can be taken elsewhere. TTT instructors have trained police and search & rescue handlers throughout the country and abroad.

Our training philosophy is based upon the decades of real-life K-9 handling experience of our valued instructors. TTT staff is all active-duty or retired civilian police officers and/ or military combat veterans. Our experience spans from the urban streets of California to the jungles of Viet Nam. Jeff Schettler, lead instructor and company founder, has also served as a K-9 handler for the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team, Canine Assistance Program designed to apprehend high risk fugitives.

TTT Lead Instructors Frank Merritt and David Layne are former Combat Tracker Team members with extensive training and combat experience in Viet Nam. They bring us knowledge and experience unobtainable elsewhere. Please visit the CTT website at: www.CombatTrackerTeam.org

Tactical Tracker Teams instructors are also considered “expert witnesses” for several courts in California in their respective fields of K-9 deployment. We have worked the dogs on the street putting criminals behind bars and producing crucial evidence in extremely sensitive cases.

TTT is not necessarily a breed specific K-9 training operation. We believe that most breeds have specific traits that offer unique deployment opportunities. However, based on the nature of our training regimen, we feel that it is important to utilize breeds that can be considered scent dogs. These dogs are varied and many from very diverse backgrounds of herding, hound groups, hunter/ retrievers, etc.

Though a particular breed may be known for olfactory excellence, not every dog of that breed is cut out for our curriculum. Trailing work is by far the most difficult K-9 deployment available. This is specifically due the sheer intensity of the scent work coupled with the duration. A good trailing dog may work for hours or days following one specific scent over varied terrain and obstacles. There are many dogs, often outstanding in other fields, which cannot perform well in this manner. TTT can test each K-9 team prior to commencement of training for suitability.

Our mission is to provide every student with the “real life” training necessary to serve their communities safely and effectively.


Jeff Schettler, one of the original TTT founders, was trained by some of the nations top man-hunters. These handler/ trainers’ roots date back to the turn of the century when modern crime fighting tools were simply unavailable. The K-9 was the modern tool. Unfortunately, many of these training techniques have been lost to history. Jeff has taken these K-9 teachings and given them a modern twist to conform to present day K-9 handling conditions. The proof is the criminals behind bars today.

Georgia K9 Academy/ Tactical Tracker Team Program
12850 HWY 9
Suite 600-187
Alpharetta, GA 30004
209-304-5048
678-592-6761