Celebrate K-9 Veterans Day With These Interesting Facts

K-9 Veterans have served our country, and we appreciate them and their handlers!

On a day to day basis, most people don’t think about K-9s in the military.  Sure, you may see a police car drive by that has “K-9” on it, but have you ever thought it might be a retired MWD (Military Working Dog)?   These dogs and their handlers get mad respect from me!  Their training is intense, their bond is strong, and these canine “officers” with their handlers have saved THOUSANDS of American soldiers’ lives over the years.  To get a quick overview of some facts, I looked on several military-related blogs (Omni Military Loans, Bullets2Bandages, Army Live).  I think you’ll agree after reading them, K-9 Veterans and active MWD’s are amazing!

Interesting Facts about K-9s

• Dogs have served with Americans in combat in some form or another since the birth of our nation, but have only served officially since WWII.
  • They started out as message carriers and sentries, but their roles have evolved dramatically over time.
  • Now, the range of their training includes: Sentry, Guard Duty, Explosive Detection, Narcotics Detection, Search and Rescue, and Scout and Patrol.
  • Their training is INTENSE. Only about 50% of dogs who start their training finish it. Just like their human counterparts, these dogs have to be mentally and physically fit.

• According to the Omni Military Loans blog, all MWD’s are trained at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, TX.
  • “Each year approximately 425 Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine students are trained to be handlers, 185 dogs are trained and certified to detect explosives, and 85 dogs are trained for patrol and drug detection.”

• MWD’s are not just German Shepherds.
  • Other breeds include Belgian Malinois, Dutch Shepherds, and Labradors.

• There are about 2500-2700 MWD’s in service today, and estimated 700 working overseas at any given time.

Related: Soldiers and Dogs

What happens after their military career?

• Their average career is 8-9 years.  So what happens afterwards?
  • Like their human counterparts, many of them become active in law enforcement agencies.
  • Most handlers (about 90%) will adopt their military dog when it retires.  Robby’s Law (passed in 2000) helps facilitate “the adoption of retired military working dogs by law enforcement agencies, former handlers of these dogs, and other persons capable of caring for these dogs.”

• Many MWD’s received awards for their heroism, some became celebrities, and some were even “defectors” that came to our side.
  • There are records of MWD’s being awarded medals, but those were later revoked due to an Army rule of preventing official commendation to animals.
  • Stubby is a WWII veteran dog that became so famous, his remains are still on display at the Smithsonian.
  • Ever heard of Rin Tin Tin? An American soldier rescued this German war dog in the battlefield.

The effects of a military career

• They get PTSD, and mourn the loss of their handlers (and vice-versa!).
  • The bond between these dogs and their handlers is EXTREMELY, and understandably, strong.  The stories of how they mourn each other will make you go through a box of tissues!
  • The military officially recognized Canine PTSD in 2014.
  • “Symptoms of Canine PTSD include hypervigilance, increased startle response, attempts to run away or escape, withdrawal, changes in rapport with a handler, and problems performing trained tasks – like a bomb dog who just can’t focus on sniffing out bombs any more.”

• “Every military working dog is a non-commissioned officer – in tradition at least.”
  • You will see that these dogs are always one rank higher than their handler.  Tradition states this was to prevent the handlers from mistreating their dogs.

• There is a United States War Dog Memorial in Holmdel, NJ.  “The memorial pays tribute to all of America’s war dogs, past present, and future.”

We can never give enough gratitude to the Military K-9s and their handlers who have served, and are currently serving our country.  Without them, we would not be able to do what we love  – train dogs.  

Please join us in thanking them on March 13 for K-9 Veteran’s Day.

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