![]() Nearly all are trained for both patrol and detection (of explosives or narcotics). It can cost up to $40,000 to train a dog for military duty! About 270 military working dogs per year are trained at Lackland Airforce Base in TX. Military dogs are taught not to bark when in combat situations, how not to freak-out over gun shots and explosions, they learn military hand signals, attacking on command, and other more specialized skills. War dogs must learn all the basic commands like sit, heel, etc., in addition to serious military functions. TrainingĪs you can imagine, it takes a LOT of work to turn a domestic dog into a soldier. Today, the US Defenses rely heavily on Labrador retrievers and Malinoi. Other dogs that were found useful in the US War Dog program were the Belgian sheep dogs, farm collies and giant schnauzers. Both are highly intelligent, easily trainable, obedient and tenacious. The German Shepherd and the Doberman became the “iconic” war dogs. You’re not likely to see a maltese on the front lines. Desirable BreedsĬlearly, some breeds make better soldiers than others. Since that time, dogs have been used in every military conflict… Korea, Vietnam, Panama, Persian Gulf, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq. ![]() They were brave scouts, worthy war-time companions, serious soldiers. Really? A dog? But it didn’t take long for these dogs to be taken seriously. When the first platoon of combat dogs and their handlers were dispatched, many laughed. Within a couple of years, however, we started putting dogs in combat. Most of them were trained for “sentry” or guard duty. The government asked the American people to donate quality dogs to the cause and in response, received around 10,000* 1 dogs! These dogs were sent to our first K-9 training centers in Front Royal, VA and Camp Lejeune, NC. It wasn’t until during WW2 that the US felt the need to “enlist” canines in the military. Their size, endurance, athletic prowess… not to mention their loyalty and desire to please, are all valuable qualities in the making of a soldier. Their acute sense of hearing is helpful for avoiding being ambushed. They have such an awesome sense of smell, useful for sniffing-out explosives as well as enemies. It’s clear to see why dogs are such an asset to the military. Because of our passion for dogs, each holiday honoring our military… Veteran’s Day, Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day… brings to mind our brave canine soldiers too.
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