MGM National Harbor hosted a security K9 competition at the Prince George's County resort. The competition put K9 skills on display.
The resort's security K9 competition put canine security work in the spotlight. MGM National Harbor's security operation includes six K9 dogs and handlers, according to dcnewsnow.com, which reports the dogs are trained specifically for explosives detection, with some capable of identifying weapons such as guns and gunpowder.
A Nationwide Network of Detection Teams
The National Harbor unit is part of a much larger operation. MGM has 35 K9 teams protecting resorts around the country, per the same station's reporting, and handlers and their canine partners are required to take classes once a year to recertify their skills. Joe Doa is MGM Resorts' vice president of corporate security.
Handler Shawnteria Barbour told the outlet it felt good getting recognized for her work alongside her K9 partner, Luna. MGM's corporate security leadership says the dogs bring more than just detection skills to the resort floor — the station's report notes that officials describe the K9 teams as providing an additional layer of security that helps deter crime before it happens.
Regional Rivals Have Faced Off Before
This isn't the first time MGM's various properties have pitted their dogs against each other. In October 2024, K9 teams from Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, MGM Springfield and MGM National Harbor squared off in the MGM Unleashed Regional K9 Competition, tackling challenges that included weapon and explosive detection in front of a panel of judges, according to the Press of Atlantic City. Handler KJ Johnson and his K9 partner Luna represented MGM National Harbor as one of six competing teams that year.
The International Canine Resource & Working Dog Association tracks K9 trials with awards in categories ranging from explosives and firearms detection to narcotics, bed bug detection and patrol work, according to ICRWDA.
Beyond the Casino Floor
Casino security dogs aren't the only K9 teams putting their training on display this year. The 2026 Capital K9 Trials, hosted at Joint Base Andrews in Prince George's County, brought together police and military K9 teams from Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia for scenarios involving simulated explosive ordnance and narcotics detection, obedience and criminal apprehension, according to the Southern Maryland Chronicle. Deputy First Class Hendrickson and K9 partner Atlas took first place out of 20 teams at that competition.
At National Harbor, annual recertification gives the resort's dogs and handlers regular opportunities to test their skills. The K9 competition highlights the detection dogs' role in the resort's security operation.
