Military dogs are not ordinary dogs. In fact, they’re nothing short of heroes. They’re the most fierce, loyal, intelligent, adaptable, and trained dogs on the planet. These dogs go out into the field and perform jobs humans can’t.
Many have made sacrifices and laid down their lives while on duty to help our troops win. However, many people don’t know about what these dogs go through. Here’s everything you need to know about military dogs.
Did you know that the vast majority of military dogs in the United States are born overseas? That’s right, about 85% of them are purchased from specialized breeders in countries like Germany and the Netherlands.
The 15% born in the homeland are raised by the 341st training squadron’s training program.
Wondering what do military dogs do every day? Sometimes they have to spend 18 hours a day on duty back-to-back for weeks. Their duties involve patrolling, tracking, attacking enemies, sniffing for explosives, search and rescue, and much more. All of this can take its toll on a healthy dog’s body and mind. Attributable to the strict selection process, only 50% pass training.
German Shepherds make the best partners for dangerous field jobs because of their strength, intelligence, and resilience. But not all military dogs are German Shepherds.
Labradors are also often drafted into the military for being highly trainable. Elite Navy SEALS use the Belgian Malinois, a similar breed to the German Shepherd but with a more acute sense of smell. Plus, they’re smaller in size so that they can squeeze into all kinds of spaces for searching and tracking. Apart from this, there is a list of guard dog breeds that are also employed in the armed forces.
Dogs put an unprecedented amount of trust in their handlers and vice versa. Why? It’s simple. To survive a life-or-death situation like war, you have to have implicit trust in your partner, whether two-legged or four.
Military dogs develop a strong bond with their handlers and even experience severe grief at their loss. Handlers likewise feel a tremendous sense of loss when their partners perish in battle.
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Wondering how much does it cost to train a military dog? The average cost for training a military dog is somewhere between USD 20,000 and USD 40,000. Specialized training in areas such as bomb detection, however, can cost upwards of USD 150,000.
But that’s not all that makes them valuable. Military dogs are highly intelligent and significantly reduce stress for troops. Are military dogs aggressive? No, they’re smart enough to tell a friend from an enemy and are incredibly gentle with their friends. Their value continues long after they retire from the military.
A large number of retired military dogs find a second chance as therapy dogs.
Wondering what does the military use dogs for? Military dogs are trained in some or all of these areas:
- Locating and attacking enemies.
- Bomb and explosives detection.
- Drug detection.
- Patrolling.
- Search and Rescue operations.
- Guarding posts.
- Therapy and Support to troops.
Military working dogs spend the majority of their life on duty. On average, they remain deployed for 10-12 years before they’re forced to retire because of age, if not medical conditions and injuries.
The strict training and harsh environments merit the question, Are Military dogs treated well? The answer is a resounding yes!
Caring for these dogs has always been a priority for the military. After all, it’s not just the physical toll this job takes, but psychological as well. Yes, dogs can get post-traumatic stress disorder from witnessing gruesome violence.
Dogs have feelings and emotions, too, and they can be severely affected by events like explosions, witnessing the death of an ally or partner, and being shot. Most retired military dogs end up being adopted by their handlers or their handler’s family because they deserve healing and love for the sacrifices they’ve made.
Did you know that dogs have ranks in the military? It’s true.
Better still, dogs rank above their handlers.
While there are rumors that the military awarded dogs with honorary high ranks to prevent handler abuse, nothing could be further from the truth. Dogs earned NCO status because of their value, sacrifice, and what they mean to their handles and their platoon.
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Military dogs are highly adaptable and intelligent. So why restrict their role to one task? Today, military dogs assist troops with multiple operations, including:
- Carrying messages from one post to another.
- Locating wounded soldiers on the battlefield.
- Carrying rations to troops on the field.
- Military dogs are also employed in the Air Force. They jump out of their planes with their handlers and know how to operate a parachute to find a safe landing spot.
- Thanks to their acute sense of smell and powerful olfactory memory, they can detect explosives, weapons, drugs, and many chemicals.
- Act as sentries to cover their handler’s shifts.
Conclusion
Military dogs give so much—they perform their duties with the utmost discipline and honesty, care for their handlers, and make sacrifices for the nation. But what do military dogs need in return? The same as every other dog—patience, love, grooming, discipline, and understanding.