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Sgt. Joseph Fahrenbach, Lance Cpl. Alton Davis and Lance Cpl. Ryan Miller interact with their dogs Rony, Jesse and Pepo
outside of the working dog kennel at Marine Corps Base Quantico on
July 30, 2012. The dogs are placed with handlers who have similar
personality traits. Photo by Lance Cpl. Tabitha Bartley
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QUANTICO, Va. (8/7/2012) — Having to say good-bye and make new
friends is something service members and their families do often
throughout a career. Leaving people behind can be made easier
through technology because of today's social media sites, email and
the telephone. However, some Marines aren't able to stay in contact
with their best friends. Some Marines don't text, tweet, email or
even Facebook.
These Marines are military working dogs.
The working dog
handlers for Marine Corps Base Quantico spend every day with their
four-legged partners. They continue their K-9's training, as well
as, feeding, grooming, exercise and play.
The dogs arrive
from Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas, where they have
been through the dog version of boot camp and Marine Corps Combat
Training. The military working dog begins training with establishing
a relationship with a handler.
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Once the relationship has begun to develop, they get basic obedience
training. Advanced training where they learn controlled
aggressiveness, attack, and building and open area searches |
There will come a time, however, when the handlers will
have to separate from their dogs and that's “really the only
down side to our job,” said Staff Sgt. Tyler Corwin,
military police officer and kennel master, referring to the
K-9 companions. “We spend a few years together become best
friends and then we have to leave them and you don't get to
stay in contact.”
The dogs no longer follow the
handlers to their next duty station. Instead the dogs are
assigned to a base as force multiplier. The Marines go
through their tour at Quantico and then move onto their next
duty station.
“We have to further
train and mold them,” said Sgt. Joseph Fahrenbach, military
police officer and dog handler. “Each one has different
weakness.”
The dogs may need to improve in controlled
aggressiveness, attacking, or building and open area
searches.
Dogs have to ride quietly in the patrol
vehicles without exhibiting hostility toward other people or
dogs; to find a suspect or hostile person in a building or
open area; to attack, without command, someone who is
attacking its handler; to cease an attack upon command at
any point after an attack command has been given; and other
tasks.
Every day the trainers work with the dog to
improve the tasks they have trouble with and make sure that
the skills their strengths don't decreases, said Corwin.
The dogs are matched with a handler who has a similar
personality.
“Pepo and I are a lot alike,” said Lance
Cpl. Ryan Miller, military police officer and dog handler,
referring to his dog. “We are both relaxed but, when we need
to be viscous, we have no problem switching it on.”
The handlers all agreed; working with dogs is the best job
in the military because they always look forward to coming
into work.
“You could have the worst day, but the
minute the dog looks at you, you forget about it,” said
Lance Cpl. Alton Davis, military police officer and dog
handler.
Absolute control over the dog is required
at all time, proficiencies training must continue through
the dog's entire service life, but the handlers don't just
train the dogs. They talk and play with them as well.
“You have a best friend who is always there for you,”
said Corwin. “No matter what you have to say, he will listen
to you.”
Military dogs are able to serve long, useful
careers and, in 2000, it was made possible by the
Congressional Bill HR-5314, for retired military working
dogs to be adopted, by their former handlers, or any
individual, who has comparable experience or by law
enforcement agencies, making it possible for the best
friends to be reunited. Someday.
By USMC Lance Cpl. Tabitha Bartley
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2012
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