In honor of Veterans Day, we thank the retired Military Working Dogs for your bravery and loyalty in protecting our country and the men and women who served beside you.  Since 1942 it is estimated that over 30,000 dogs have served our country, with approximately 2,500 Military Working Dogs on active duty today.  In their roles as sentries and scouts, to detecting explosives and drugs, and even parachuting from airplanes and repelling down cliffs, Military K9s perform a wide variety of specialized tasks.

Military Working Dogs begin their training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, with the 341st Training Squadron, and go on to serve all branches of the armed forces.  These dedicated dog handlers come from nearly every branch of the military and have extensive experience with combat situations to better help them train and assess each dogs’ individual aptitude and personal drive.  While some breeds do respond better to military training than others, war dogs are selected on an individual basis.  So yes, there are a few Golden Retrievers serving alongside the more commonly used Malinois and German Shepherds.  Dogs fit for military service are physically healthy, exceptionally brave, fiercely loyal, and reward-motivated. They must also possess a calm disposition overall, but also have the right amount of excitability in order to be assertive in emergency situations. Only about half of all potential Military Working Dogs are able to complete their training.

Initially training consists of developing the dog’s obedience, mental stability in changing environments, and the strength and effectiveness of their biting grip.  The program is based on positive rewards, usually a ball or rubber toy, rather than food.  It is the role of the trainer to determine each individual dog’s natural ability to further direct it’s training and ultimate role.  Due to their superior eyesight and hearing, not to mention their ability to inflict fear in an aggressor in a way a human, even if armed, often can’t, most Military K9s serve as Sentries.  They aren’t trained to kill as some myths may suggest; rather, the most handlers train their dogs to latch onto an enemy’s arm or leg and prevent them from escaping. Those with a calmer demeanor are often trained to be Scouts.  Scout dogs are trained to smell and listen for threats located as far as 1,000 feet away and even through dark tunnels. They can sense the presence of weapon cashes, ambushes, and enemy platoons hiding underwater, and thus save many lives.

Military Working Dogs who demonstrate an aptitude for advance nose work skills are used for detection and tracking.  With an acute sense of smell 5 to 10 times stronger than a human’s, dogs are able to detect minute traces of explosives or drugs and alert their handlers of their presence.  In fact, by the time Explosion Detection Dogs graduate from their 13 weeks of intense training, they are able to detect 19,000 explosive scents with their sensitive noses.  Dogs who have a super-high drive receive additional training so that they can accompany their handlers in parachute and rappel operations.  Some even wear waterproof tactical vests, night-vision or infrared cameras, and other highly specialized canine equipment.

Since the creation of the Military Working Dog Program at Lackland Air Force Base, it is estimated that tens of thousands of dogs have been trained, with approximately 1,000 dogs currently in training.  However, whether it is due to age, injury, illness, or death at some point every Military K9’s career ends.  On this Veterans Day we thank all the retired and active Military Working Dogs for your bravery and loyalty in protecting our country and the men and women who serve beside you.  To learn more about the invaluable service of Military Working Dogs for our country and the programs available for retired K9 Veterans, including ways you can donate to to help with their veterinary care, please visit the United States War Dog Association.