The Turkish Kennel Club (KIF)

Founded in 2006, the Dog Breeds and Cynology Federation (KIF)

is the leading organization in Turkey

responsible for all dog-related activities.

Its primary mission is to maintain pedigree archives of both native and foreign dog breeds, ensuring their preservation without deterioration

In doing so, KIF aims to pass down these culturally significant breeds to future generations in a healthy and sustainable manner.

IF is the sole representative of Turkey in the FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale),

the world’s largest and most significant dog breed

organization headquartered in Belgium.

As a result, KIF is the only organization

authorized to represent Turkey internationally in the fields of cynology and dog breeds.

Founded in 2015, the Dog Trainers Association was established to operate in various fields related to canine ethology (dog behavior science), dog psychology, and cynology (dog training science) both domestically and internationally. Its scope also includes dog breeding, rearing, caregiving, care expertise, dog walking, management, training, training expertise, and trainer education.

The association works to: , Provide human resources training within its field of activity, , Establish and enforce professional ethical standards in Turkey in line with international regulations, Identify Turkey’s needs for dog training, , Increase the number of responsible dog owners, , Ensure the training of properly educated dogs.

To achieve these goals, the association organizes courses, seminars, conferences, competitions, and events led by professional trainers to enhance both the quality and quantity of professionals in the field.

Additionally, the association focuses on: Defining career paths and specialization in dog training, Collaborating with official institutions related to dogs and cynology in Turkey, Developing joint projects with public institutions on all matters related to dogs, Standardizing practices to reduce dependence on foreign expertise, Supporting breeding education and training programs.

The association also aims to promote working dogs, sports dogs, and service dogs, while increasing the number of search and rescue dogs in Turkey. It supports the training of search and rescue dogs in different disciplines and organizes trainings, seminars, workshops, and certification exams in this field. The Dog Trainers Association is a member of the The Turkish Kennel Club (KIF).

Following the declaration of 2022 as the “Year of Search and Rescue Dogs” by our Turkish Kennel Club (KIF), the KIF & KÖPED SAR team was established. This team actively participated in the February 6 earthquakes, which deeply affected our country, deploying a team of 18 members to the disaster zone. Additionally, the team engaged in humanitarian aid efforts and provided support to dog owners affected by the disaster.

Comprising dog owners, dog trainers, and animal lovers, the team has since expanded to a 40-member unit thanks to its ongoing efforts. After completing the AFAD Urban Search and Rescue Light Accreditation training, the team has now begun preparations for the Light Accreditation Exam.

The primary objectives of the team are to: Increase the number of AFAD-accredited search and rescue dog teams in Turkey, Support heavily accredited teams with trained, accredited search and rescue dogs, Encourage talented and well-tempered dogs—whether family pets, street dogs, or shelter dogs—to participate in search and rescue training programs.