canine handler

veterinary technician

trainer

security officer

regional security manager

K2 Solutions, Inc.

When I started at K2 almost two years ago I was extremely hopeful and excited. I started as a handler and moved to a full time position after a few months. 
I could write a novel on how horribly this company treats their employees. Every day I went into work, I entered the most negative, depressing atmosphere I’ve ever worked in. I kept telling myself things would get better because I truly believed this company had a lot of potential, but I was wrong. There are so many middle managers in this company that nobody truly understands their role. It was nearly impossible for me to get anything approved or moved forward. If I had to go to management for approval on anything it could take months, if at all. I quickly realized that my creativity within my role would always be squashed and there would never be any hope in me reaching my true potential at this company. 
In my opinion, the CEO is the center of the issues at K2. Mainly because he doesn’t just allow his employees to do their job without interference. His true knowledge on detection training is minimal but he thinks he knows it all. His beliefs and ideas fit into a little box and he will not veer from them, completely disregarding those in his company who have valuable experience. I’ve seen K2 puppies go all the way through the training program and it’s pathetic the “failure” rate. They ruin more dogs than they successfully train and put in the field. I have also seen first hand how they attempt to sell law enforcement the dogs that failed their program. I will absolutely never support a company that has no ethical or moral backbone. 
In addition to all the above, this is the most sexist environment I have ever worked in (and I was in law enforcement). My immediate supervisor, Tom Hardee, was the most unprofessional boss I’ve ever had. He was constantly on social media commenting about women to me and attempting to show me pictures. While detection classes were going through, he would always flirt with the women and then directly tell me how he was hoping to sleep with them. When I openly disagreed with him and his management style he began targeting me. It became a very hostile work environment and even though I brought this to the attention of multiple managers and the CEO, my concerns were minimized and nothing was done about it. I decided not to waste my time any further and I would hate for anyone else to end up in the same situation. 

In conclusion, STAY AWAY FROM K2!

I can’t emphasize this enough....do not work for this company. Save yourself the time, money and heartache. I had extremely high hopes when I began working here, and within a month my spirit was crushed. I continued to work there for almost 2 years, consistently telling myself it would get better and things would improve, but they never did. The company has a culture of extreme self preservation amongst all of its leaders. Everyone is afraid to tell the CEO anything that might upset him, and everyone is afraid to make any decisions, no matter how small and insignificant without running it all the way up to his level. It makes production grind to a complete halt amongst the staff. Additionally, this causes office staff to lie about “profits” they are (not) making for fear of repercussions. I can only imagine financial ruin is on the horizon for this company. The recruiters will absolutely lie to you and tell you they have work they don’t have, and stand little chance at getting. So if your in the recruiting process, do not trust a thing they say unless you can verify it independently. 

I promise you will never find a place with such low morale, from the lowest people at the company to the executive staff. Nor will you find a place with such awful leadership. On the K9 side of things, if you’d like to meet a group of people who talk a huge game, fake their resumes and experience, employ archaic training techniques and look like garbage handling dogs....this place does have plentiful numbers of them!! The good trainers amongst the staff leave quickly or stay there long enough to collect a check and move on. To top it all off, the pay is nowhere near competitive for K9 staff. Which still wouldn’t make it tolerable if it was....

I hope this review is helpful to anyone on the job hunt. I wish I could get the time and energy I wasted at this company back.

K2 Solutions used to be a much larger K9 company, even though it never was JUST a K9 company. Due to changes in the market and the failure to capture enough business to compensate for the end of major contracts, K2 had to cut positions and adapt in order to keep it's K9 facilities doors open. I was one of the many employees released. In the wake of these changes, many surmised that the end of K2 K9 was imanent. That was 3 years ago.

Today, K2 has repositioned itself within the K9 services market and is back on a path of expansion. I now find myself employed here again.

Accusations of nepatism are false. To my knowledge, there are only two family members who work at K2 and those individuals more than earn their keep. One in particular has been crucial in growing, developing, and managing the expanding role K2 now occupies within the K9 services industry.

If you're looking for an opportunity within a dynamic and growing company, and you're not affraid of being held accountable for your actions (or lack thereof), then K2 Solutions is a great place to work.

I was excited at first. Later I found out that the invitation to train in North Carolina is not an acceptance for employment. There's no way of knowing what the job and company culture is like until you pay for your own trip to their facility. They promised to reimburse the airfare. Unfortunately, if you realize it's not the job you hoped for it to be, you'll be forced to purchase another airfare back home without getting any reimbursement at all. I was naive to have jumped on the opportunity. The training was a chaotic experiment, everyday. No one seems to have a clue nor the respect to give the class a common courtesy of simple expectations/clear instructions for each exercise. We were always lost on what they wanted us to do. Their bootcamp style of teaching tears down individuals more than build them for success. The staff are very expletive. It's a bootcamp. Too many times, they would jokingly refer to their dogs as just Aholes. It's not a positive environment. 

It all seems well to start but they do not care nor focus on the handlers, kennel assistants or other employees. They hire anybody especially family, the main family has members in positions that they have no idea or experience in other than they have the owner's last name. They want you to sign a year contract which is a joke,they will nickel and dime you to fatten their pockets. If you are on the handler side you have no say in your schedule and they will text you and say you work tonight and do not reply if you can't do it. The kennel assistants are always underfeeding the dogs and all the ribs are clearly visible. They will protect those they need and kick those to the curb that they do not. They live the contractor life but stateside and none of the perks. If you are local you are expected to work every weekend and night and travel many states away. If you want to make easy money then you're good if you want a legit career with a real company look elsewhere.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Co workers were great.  Ownership is terrible. Employees are deceived, underpaid and k9s are nothing more than property to the company. Turnover rate is high which demonstrates above observations. Work for K2 at your own risk. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Disorganized operation, understaffed.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Training was sub par, mostly spent taking care of company's kennel dogs for them while stationed there. Nepotism clearly plays a role in advancement. Pay promise increases never happen despite contract promises. Emails go unanswered. Phone calls direct you to voice mailboxes and also go un returned.   30 yrs exemplary service as a police officer. Perfect record. Have never worked for such poor leadership personnel.

Management is not trusting of their employees; therefore if you must work late, you have to stay at work with your computer. Only certain people are allowed to take a laptop home. In their earlier years, it truly felt like a family atmosphere. No longer. Greed and corruption have gone to management's head. Certain employees are given the run of the place and create a hostile work environment for the rest. 

Salaries were not comparable or competitive for the job or even the area. Education was not important; therefore, your pay was not determined by experience and education.

My co-workers were the only plus side; and even then, they fired one of the most knowledgeable and hard-working people they had.

Working with dogs is a plus, but if you're not comfortable with a dog be prepared to have mess talked about you by everybody. You can clean all day and take care of the dogs but management will literally FIND something to complain about. Nothing feels appreciated there and no matter what you do it feels as if though its not good enough. Little to no training either, they'll just throw you to the wolves most of the time. Will also threaten to write you up for the smallest things and will write up a whole kennels staff for one persons doing. Also tries to embarrass you in a group chat on an app called signal. Good luck if you decide to work here..

This company was run by X Military personnel who tended to hire friends for the higher positions. Sometimes these people were not effective in their roles, causing the company to lose a lot of money on contracts that were not bid right. 

At the end of my employment, the kennel staff was cut from 40 to 32 hours per week and the training staff, along with the rest of the company had to cut salaries to stay afloat. 

The kennel master had a tendency for favoritism of assistants and was always too busy to be bothered. Some people who did nothing at work, were favored and promoted, when they shouldn't have been.

My manager is the best! I get mentored on a daily basis. I grow and learn a little everyday.  I have seen progress, growth and better care of the dogs within the last several months.  I love seeing the dogs get out and worked with on different behaviors.  
I myself have learned to work with different personalities. You have to adjust constantly because everyone learns differently.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Canine handler 16 salaries reported	$31.61 per hour
Veterinary technician 1 salary reported	$21.49 per hour
Trainer 1 salary reported	$117,000 per year
Security officer 1 salary reported	$24.07 per hour
Regional security manager 1 salary reported	$65,000 per year

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