f.parentNode.insertBefore(e, f); There is a little twist with a Belgian Malinois that makes a difference though. Labrador Retrievers are the perfect pups to smell out danger and lead with their noses on the battlefield. } (Malinois have gotten notably larger in recently years.) googletag.defineSlot('/1030735/PetGuide_com_1x1_Slimcut_PETS_Content', [1, 1], 'PetGuide_com_1x1_Slimcut_PETS_Content').addService(googletag.pubads()); Early in World War II, as the Quartermaster Corps began training dogs for the Army’s K-9 Corps, more than thirty breeds were accepted. googletag.cmd.push(function () { Did you know that dogs have been actively employed with government police and military for over 100 years?In fact, the very first K9 unit was commissioned in London around 1889. When we think about military dogs, we probably picture the Belgian Malinois working with U.S. Navy SEALs, or the Labrador Retriever detecting explosives. A row of simulation airplanes borders a simulation parking lot. The dogs are used by MPs and other law enforcement across all services. googletag.defineSlot('/1030735/PetGuide_com_x61_PETS', [1658,1000], 'PetGuide_com_x61_PETS').defineSizeMapping(googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([1024, 10], [1658, 1000]).addSize([0, 0], [99999, 99999]).build()).addService(googletag.pubads()); The unit participates in the regional and national competitions held by the United States Police Canine Association (USPCA) each year. (Photo credit: Steve Bruckmann/Shutterstock). However, the dogs had problems detecting mines under combat conditions. It is simpler to divide the dogs into some broad categories, and then tap into the acronyms. (Photo credit: xieyuliang/Shutterstock), This beautifully big pooch is confident, ready to work, and best of all loyal. In addition to doing everything PEDDs can do, these super-high-drive dogs can be used in parachute or rappel operations. When there is little or no wind, a dog can detect intruders up to 200 meters away using its senses of smell, hearing, and sight. Black Russian Terrier The Black Russian Terrier, abbreviated as BRT, also known as the Tchiorny Terrier is a breed of dog created in USSR in Red Star Kennel during the late 1940s and the early 1950s for use as military/working dogs. Explosives dogs are deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan and in many other CONUS and OCONUS locations for this purpose. Dual-purpose dogs do both patrol work (protection, aggression when needed) and detection work, along with some basic scouting. Contractors do, and they generally buy them from U.S. vendors. In 1942 when dogs first began training for military service, several breeds were trained and included Airedale Terriers, German Short Haired Pointers, Norwegian Elkhounds, Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, Standard Poodles, Dalmatians, Boxers, Labrador Retrievers, Bull Mastiffs, Collies and more! Military working dogs are also known as, MWD. dfp728Slots[i].set('adsense_text_color','000000'); Single-purpose dogs don’t need to be aggressive. As Arod says, “They can do all this and jump through a ring of fire and tear you to pieces if they need to.”, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) K-9 Corps. }(document.createElement('script'), document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0], '//cdn.taboola.com/libtrc/verticalscope-network/loader.js'); Sentry dogs were issued to hundreds of military organizations such as coastal fortifications, harbor defenses, arsenals, ammunition dumps, airfields, depots and industrial plants. This is a Marine program only. "); From being trained in combat, to their use as scouts, sentries, and trackers, their uses have been varied and some continue to exist in modern military usage. document.write('
'); For specialized roles, detector dogs in particular, other breeds are used. These dogs are trained to locate either drugs or explosives – never both. They were especially valuable for working in the dark when attack from cover or the rear was most likely. The presence of the dogs with patrols greatly lessened the danger of ambush and tended to boost morale. Postal Service® honors the nation’s brave and loyal military working dogs. In Vietnam there was a specialized requirement for tunnel dogs to detect amd explore the tunnels exploited by the Viet Cong. The shepherds usually hail from Eastern Europe, and the Malinois from The Netherlands and other Western European countries. They do it all for the Kong. Specialized Medical Care Program for Retired MWDs. They’ve been on the front lines for generations now and that won’t be changing any time soon. military working dog breeds Why does my dog follow me from room to room? (The training of IDD handlers and TEDD handlers is far shorter than that of other MWD handlers – many say too short to ensure the safest and most effective dog teams.). Military dog adoption uniquely allows civilians to rehome military working dogs. In addition to the skills for sentry dogs, scout or patrol dogs were trained to work in silence to aid in the detection of snipers, ambushes and other enemy forces within a particular locality. if (typeof googlefc == "object") { (Photo credit: Nikiforova Viktoria/Shutterstock), War wasn’t always on the field or in the jungles and during WWII. Working Dog Breeds A diverse group skilled in a number of disciplines, most working breeds are robust, intelligent and headstrong, often unsuitable for novice owners. But even before the late 1800’s, dogs had been working with the law as early as the Medieval period.The first dog breed to work in the K9 police unit was the Bloodhound. At the end of the 13 weeks, each dog takes a final exam with their handler where they are tested on ten explosive searches, indoors and outdoors. Breed the Malinois to a German shepherd. Casualty Dogs, like search and rescure dogs, are trained to search for and report casualties lying in obscure places, casualties that are difficult for collecting parties to locate. They work by hand signals, and in the Marines can also receive commands via radio receivers they wear on their backs. } else { Over the centuries dogs have had many roles with the military, but in modern times specific duties have been defined where dogs can give the best service. © 2013 VerticalScope Inc. All rights reserved. (Photo credit: Africa Studio/Shutterstock), This beautiful pup is a top pick for a variety of reasons. Just about everything in the military has an acronym, from the sublime (COPPER for Chemo terrorism Operations Policy for Public Emergency) to the ridiculous (POO for Point of Origin; when a dog handler told me about how he had to go back to the POO in order to start his mission, it painted an odd picture.). At times this intermingling can make for dogs who are exactly on the cusp of one dog breed or the other, and it can be hard to tease apart the dog’s background. (Photo credit: OlgaOvcharenko/Shutterstock), It’s no surprise that this lean, athletic pooch has been a favorite of the US Marines dating back to WWII. First of all, German Shepherds are strong, agile and easy-to-train for scout dog duty. So, obviously that’s the dog you want to take on night patrol. The DoD Military Working Dog Breeding Program was established in 1998. (Photo credit: Serova_Ekaterina/Shutterstock), An inherent wariness around strangers, an alert disposition, natural strength and impressive agility made these athletic dogs with the jowly good looks and iconic underbites an ideal candidate for work in the military during WWI. The dogs the DOD uses are not usually pedigreed or registered. Of the 10,425 dogs trained in WW II, around 9,300 were used for sentry duty. Meet Dillard, our Adoptable Dog of the Week from Adoptapet.com. The handlers of these dogs are military police who spend months going through dog-handler school at Lackland Air Force Base. Most dogs trained to serve in the U.S. military are Belgian Malinois and German and Dutch shepherds, according to the nonprofit U.S. War Dogs Association. While many dog breeds exhibit some or most of these traits, the Shepherd more than any other breed, most consistently exhibits all of these traits. Those are far from the only breeds of pup who have used in military service and just one of the many roles assigned to the enlisted K-9s and military dog breeds. Almost all are dual-purpose detection and patrol dogs, detecting either explosives or narcotics. Roles and Duties for Military Working Dogs. While in the past they have done everything from catch rats to draw fire to expose enemy positions, today dogs are given humane tasks where their special skills do the most good. There is speculation about the use of dogs in CIA field operations, such as the Special Activities Division that employs paramilitary officers. In addition to all the fine qualities that dogs have as team members, dogs can do even more. In brief, these dogs are especially unique as they’re retired from serving. These dogs can be breeds that are usually reserved for dual-purpose, like German shepherds. e.src = u; So, who are the top dogs when it comes to military duty past and present? These pups come in a more compact form than German Shepherds, which makes them better for missions where they are parachuted or repelled into a situation with their handlers. Their heightened sense of smell helps discover wounded allied soldiers and detect enemy forces. (Photo credit: Dmitry Kalinovsky/Shutterstock), While Airedale Terriers can be bit headstrong, these athletic pups are quick to pick up commands, obedient, loyal, and aren’t a big fan of strangers. Military working dogs are essential teammates for U.S. soldiers, especially in the counterinsurgency and … Want a stronger dog with more reliable nerves than the more reactive and thin-nerved Malinois? Units were sent to North Africa in World War II. The Australian Defence Forces’ (ADFs) Special Operations Military Working Dogs (SOMWDs) are one of several elements which comprise the Australian Army’s Special Operations Command (SOCOMD). googletag.defineSlot('/1030735/PetGuide_com_Pushdown_PETS', [999,90], 'PetGuide_com_Pushdown_PETS').defineSizeMapping(googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([1024, 10], [999, 90]).addSize([0, 0], [99999, 99999]).build()).addService(googletag.pubads()); While Tunnel dogs have been used to explore the confines of underground spaces to seek out enemy forces and alert handlers. googletag.defineSlot('/1030735/PetGuide_com_300x90_Spotlight_PETS_Content', [300,125], 'PetGuide_com_300x90_Spotlight_PETS_Content').defineSizeMapping(googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([1024, 10], [300, 125]).addSize([642, 10], [300, 125]).addSize([0, 0], [99999, 99999]).build()).addService(googletag.pubads()); .addSize([320, 700], [320, 50]) googletag.defineSlot('/1030735/PetGuide_com_160X600_RightBottom_PETS_Content', [160,600], 'PetGuide_com_160X600_RightBottom_PETS_Content').defineSizeMapping(googletag.sizeMapping().addSize([1024, 10], [160, 600]).addSize([642, 10], [160, 600]).addSize([0, 0], [99999, 99999]).build()).addService(googletag.pubads()); In this situation, the Russian civilian breeders centered on the selection from already existing dog breeds. 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