Article From SubmitYOURArticle.com: More than Pets: Military Working Dogs

Our dogs are there for us no matter what happens;
in good times or bad times, happy or sad.
They're waiting for us when we get home after a
long day at work and they wake us up with a smile
and tail wag each and every morning. Dogs are
our best friends, our constant companions, our
children.

But dogs are more than just our family members.
They are extremely intelligent animals that
provide many important services that benefit our
communities and our country. Also known as
"police dogs" or "K-9", Military Working Dogs
have a long history in the United States dating
back to World War II.

Background:

After the attack on Pearl Harbor during World War
II, a movement began encouraging dog owners to
donate their dogs to assist the Army. Thus began
the training of the "K-9 Corps." Basic training
was 8-12 weeks and the dogs were trained to carry
out commands (sit, stay, come, etc.), ride in
military vehicles, become accustomed to the
noises of war, etc. After the initial training
was complete, each dog went on to specialized
training tailored to each individual dogs'
strengths:

- Messengers: These dogs were trained to be very
loyal to two people, as they needed to be able to
silently and quickly travel between the two and
deliver messages.

- Scouts: Using the dogs' keen sense of smell and
hearing, Scouts were trained to silently locate
booby traps, snipers, hidden weapons, etc.

- Sentries: Sentry dogs defended camps and other
important areas. They gave a signal to warn
their human guard counterpart that someone (or
something) was approaching.

- Mine Detection: Mine dogs were trained to find
trip wires, booby traps, metallic and
non-metallic mines.

Today:

Today's Military Working Dogs have varied roles
but are rarely used on the front lines unlike
their ancestors. Currently there is only one
facility in the United States that trains dogs
for military use. Although they are still used
as sentries, scouts, and mascots, modern Military
Working Dogs also perform the following services:

Law Enforcement: Many dogs are esteemed partners
and even officers in local police forces. They
can chase, track, and guard suspects as well as
react when their police officer is being attacked.

Drugs & Explosives: Detection dogs are able to
sniff out a mass array of illegal substances,
even in airtight, sealed containers. These dogs
are also able to detect explosives and are very
helpful in airports, entry and exit checkpoints,
and secure areas.

Search & Rescue: Dogs are also an integral part
of Search and Rescue efforts. These dogs are
skilled in tracking and detecting human scents
and are trained to help find people who may have
gotten lost in the woods, trapped under an
avalanche, etc.

Common Breeds Used:

The most common breed for law enforcement
operations has been the German Shepherd but in
recent years smaller dogs with keener senses of
smell have been used for detection work. The
Belgian Malinois and Dutch Shepherd have also
proven to be very helpful for patrolling.

Other Military Working Dog breeds include Boxers,
Argentine Dogos, Labrador Retrievers, Doberman
Pinschers, Springer Spaniels, Bloodhounds,
Beagles, Rottweilers, and Giant Schnauzers.

Handlers:

Each and every Military Working Dog is cared for
by one person, known as a handler. The handler
is paired with a dog after after the dog has
completed training. Although each handler may
not have the same dog for the entire length of
his or her career, the handler works with a dog
for at least a year, if not many more.

Adoption:

Military Working Dogs work extremely hard and put
in many years of loyal service using their skills
and training. Once these dogs retire from their
work life, there are many programs out there to
place these dogs in loving homes so they can
spend their retirement in comfort and relaxation
while providing another person or family with the
joy of having a dog.

Many people think of dogs just as pets. If
you're a dog owner, you already know that your
dog is more than just a "pet". Still, we don't
always think about Military Working Dogs and how
they spend most of their lives performing
valuable services to keep us safe. These dogs
are canine heroes.

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Kim Salerno is the President & Founder of
TRIPSwithPETS.com. She founded the pet travel
site in 2003 and is an expert in the field of pet
travel. Kim is a veteran of the travel industry -
formerly serving as Director of Internet
Marketing for Certified Vacations. Her mission is
to ensure that pets are welcome, happy,and safe
in their travels. Visit her company website at
http://www.tripswithpets.com

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