Re: Our deployment video
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: seal2127</div><div class="ubbcode-body">That is a bad ass video. What is the dogs job what does he do or used for I guess is what I am asking.</div></div>
There are multiple types of dogs trained for various things. There are dogs trained in bite-work that work on-leash to detect explosives and narcotics as well. There are dogs trained specifically to work off-leash to search for explosives that aren't utilized for aggression. And there are dogs trained for human tracking. It varies on what the organization we supported operated like.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MontanaKid</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Great video. Were there yellow/black labs in those units?</div></div>
There were 28 of us, 2 of which were black labs. Labs are primarily used in Infantry K-9 programs. Those dogs are trained up and sent to infantry personnel that have a basic understanding of how to utilize the dog from a short 6 or so week course, and then deployed.
We are all (in the video) by trade Military Police. Yet not a lot of us have ever done anything law enforcement. But K-9 is our ONLY job, and the only ones with an MOS for that. We wake up and go train dogs all day. We are the subject matter experts in all things K-9, and are looked upon for explosive, narcotic, tracking, terrain, and other components expertise in a lot of situations as well since we get the best training in it. Reason why I bring this up is because you will mainly see the IDD (Infantry Detection Dogs) if you are to see K-9. There are a lot more of them and we are very small compared to these programs. The infantry programs have been an expensive failure to somewhat successful program. The basic handler's course gone to by Military Police selected for K-9 is 13 weeks, then you spend months learning the in's and out's of the dog world and all things explosives or narcotics at your unit to become a basic successful handler. The IDD guys are part time dog handlers chosen to go through a 6 week course and then expected to lead patrols with a new dog. It has been a hard road for the program with many lessons.
For me specifically, I worked as base K-9 for 2 years with both an explosives and narcotics dog, then transferred to our deploying side in the MEF. I then got an explosives dog that was fresh from the dog training course, spent 5 months training him, going to several advanced courses for explosives and detection with him, and becoming a K-9 team with him, then deployed.
But in the end, there are more dogs utilized than most people realize, and lots of different uses.
