Government

A Glimpse Into How Exactly U.S. Military Dogs Are Trained

In the past, we’ve brought you pictures of military dogs in action (see them here). Today, we bring you a video showing where and how some of those dogs are trained.

The Daily reporter Justin Rocket Silverman recently visited the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs to see how some of the nation’s top military dogs are trained. He even donned a special suit and offered to be tackled by one of the military canines:

A Glimpse Into How Exactly U.S. Military Dogs Are Trained

But wait, there’s more.

Silverman also visited a private dog trainer (a former military guy) who installs titanium teeth in the dogs he trains in order to make them more bite than bark:

A Glimpse Into How Exactly U.S. Military Dogs Are Trained

Watch Silverman’s video report below:

As an interesting side bar to Silverman’s video report, he notes in a web article that the dogs you see above — German shepherds — have become a hit since the recent Osama bin Laden SEAL raid where a dog named “Cairo” was used. The shepherds, which were already threatening to overtake the Labrador as the top dog in the country, now could have a legitimate shot, even though it’s not been confirmed what type of dog aided in the raid (although shepherds are the most popular military dog):

Even before the bin Laden raid vaulted the military working dog’s most iconic breed to star status, German shepherds had been climbing the American Kennel Club rankings. Last year, it was the second most popular breed, up from fourth in 2005.

The gap between America’s top dog, Labrador retrievers, and the second-place German shepherds is closing fast. A few years ago there were three Labs registered for every shepherd. But recently that gap has closed to a mere 2 to 1.

Unseating the Lab will be no easy task, as the beloved family dog has been the nation’s most popular for two decades.

But the high profile of military working dogs — boosted further by Cairo’s exploits — is giving the shepherd market a shot in the paw.

Al Gill of Von der Haus Gill German Shepherds in Ohio can attest to the increased popularity. He’s now selling more German shepherds than anytime since 2008.

“You’ll see a lot more people wanting a personal dog because of what the Navy did with that SEAL dog,” he told The Daily.

Comments (59)

1 2
  • G
    Posted on May 31, 2011 at 6:26pm

    My mom used to take in the USAF German shepherds when they were retired. I believe she had 3 of them throughout a 15 year period. They were all named ‘Buddy”. They were the best of companions to ever have. Miss those dogs. And my Mom. >.<

    Report Post »  
  • lynnetteg
    Posted on May 31, 2011 at 5:01pm

    good dog

    Report Post »  
  • Europa3963
    Posted on May 31, 2011 at 3:55pm

    I have had Shepherds for over 30 years and have never found a better companion and protector. I’m really glad that we have them to assist our military and law enforecement

    Sadly, having worked as part of a German Shepherd Rescue group here in Texas. the success of these dogs will cause their rescue numbers to go up again.

    German Shepherds are not for the weak willed. These are highly intelligent and willful dogs. Too often people turn them into the pound because they don’t know how to be a leader or to properly exercise and train them.

    Report Post »  
  • Jaimo
    Posted on May 31, 2011 at 3:43pm

    Why are they subjecting the dogs to having titanium teeth implanted?

    Report Post »  
    • MaxVonDF
      Posted on May 31, 2011 at 8:24pm

      Dogs that do a lot of biting on trainers in bite suits and padded sleeves tend to wear their teeth down. It’s not done to make them more fierce. It‘s done when the dog’s canines are so worn he has trouble biting and hanging on.

      Report Post »  
    • NOTAMUSHROOM
      Posted on June 1, 2011 at 6:10am

      They are crowns, not implants. Their canines become worn and can break, requiring root canal therapy and a crown to keep the dead, brittle teeth from breaking. It’s far more preferable to crown them before they become worn or break and die. Please don‘t suggest that this is abuse when it’s really good husbandry to anticipate the problems your dog may experience while performing his job. And only in this country will you find veterinary dentists able to do this in every state!

      Report Post »  
  • MaxVonDF
    Posted on May 31, 2011 at 3:26pm

    I read – can’t recall where – that Cairo, the dog who accompanied the SEALs on the OBL mission, is a Belgian Malinois. I like German Shepherd Dogs myself, since Malinois tend to be drivey and nervy, very active dogs. I hate to see people get German Shepherds expecting them to be rough, tough dogs that will protect them. Some will. Some won’t. Schutzhund is a wonderful sport, but it is a sport. Law enforcement training and personal protection dogs are trained a bit differently than schutzhund.

    I hate fads in dogs, since a lot of the dogs end up being relinquished when the owner moves on to a new fad. Not good.

    BTW, use Chrome or Firefox and you won’t have the strange problems that plague IE 9.0

    Report Post »  
  • edwinmcarter
    Posted on May 31, 2011 at 2:57pm

    I recently upgraded to IE 9.0, this seems to coincide with the problems with the Blaze not showing pages correctly. Coincidence?

    Report Post »  
  • Margaret Thatcher
    Posted on May 31, 2011 at 2:52pm

    I loved my German Shepherd. His was beautiful and huge. He weighed 100 pounds when he was six months old. He was solid white. Very protective of me, but had a good disposition. The day he bit an armadillo in half with one bite, I knew he was not to be messed with.

    Report Post »  
  • nawma
    Posted on May 31, 2011 at 1:43pm

    I have a 93 pound GSD that my husband and I rescued from a local shelter. He is a big sweetie and can play with our rescued (15 of them) special needs and senior Dachshunds with the tenderness of a gentle giant. But when I take him with me for a walk he becomes my guardian angle. A few months ago a large dog began to follow us and bark at Jake. Jake tried very hard to continue to walk with me and ignore this other dog. But when this other dog made the mistake of getting too close to me, Jake jumped up, did a 180 turn in the air and let loose of a lion’s roar that would have scarred the toughest of men. Jake is a long hair and when that 6 inch long hair stood out all over his body he looked like he was 200 pounds instead of 93. I live in the country and Jake takes every step I take outside and inside my home. My hubby works long hours and I could not feel safer than I do with Jake beside me. Rescue this wonderful breed, you will not be sorry.

    Report Post »  
    • javagirl
      Posted on June 1, 2011 at 8:09am

      Great story about your GSD! I can totally relate. I also live in a rural area, with lots of ‘critters’ around anytime of the day or night, and never go into the woods without my GSD by my side. We have black bears in abundance here, and the bears just don’t like dogs. Early one morning Moses (my GSD) and Rocky (my GSD-mix) were both barking and wouldn’t stop. I went out to see why, and they had a bear up a tree just a few feet from the side of the garage. Another time we were walking and came upon a hunter on my property, following a blood trail. Usually Moses is very friendly around people, but when he saw this guy carrying a rifle, and obviously knew I didn’t know who he was, Moses just stood by my side and stared at the man, while we talked for a minute. It‘s amazing how they can sense the situation and determine whether there’s a problem or not, and behave accordingly.

      Report Post » javagirl  
  • sevencreekssappers
    Posted on May 31, 2011 at 12:33pm

    I was not able to read the article either. It is to the far right.

    Report Post »  
  • the_ancient
    Posted on May 31, 2011 at 12:26pm

    Where did we get that the Dog invoved was a German Shepard???

    I have read many many reports and only found 1 that cited a breed that the reports claims Cairo is Belgian Malinois, which I dont know 100% as being accurate

    The army trains a large range of breeds, the most common now days being Labs, not shepards…

    Report Post » the_ancient  
  • Yes a ConsvNY Mother
    Posted on May 31, 2011 at 12:19pm

    Of course I am biased since I grew up with GSD and now have one of my own who is absolutely fabulous with my 21 month old son and our almost 6 daughter! They to me are the best dogs to own hands down. He is my protector when my husband is away on business trips and would lay down his life to save mine and our children’s lives.

    Report Post »  
  • TheDebtWeAllPay
    Posted on May 31, 2011 at 11:57am

    Dogs are truly great animals i own 2 1 black lab thats 90lbs 1 St. bernard/pyrenees mix thats 120lbs both are big dogs but not fat they are just at the right weight for the size of dogs they are the vet says and i wouldnt trade them for the world

    Report Post » TheDebtWeAllPay  
  • Big Tuna
    Posted on May 31, 2011 at 11:32am

    I have a schutzhund trained Shepherd. BEST DOG EVA!

    Report Post »  
  • eMinistry
    Posted on May 31, 2011 at 11:27am

    I love them…from afar.

    Report Post » eMinistry  
  • teddyc73
    Posted on May 31, 2011 at 11:17am

    Awesome story and awesome dogs BUT..and this is a huge BUT…people should NOT buy a dog simply because it’s popular with the military. The article suggests people may start purchasing and adopting German Shepherds because of the Seal team which is one the worst possible reasons to choose a breed. I can just see it now, over breeding by irresponsible people looking to make a buck, Shepherds ending up in shelters because they were not the right dog for their owners, and on and on. I like and read this site everyday but Jonathon Seidl should have perhaps advised people not to do this in the article.

    Report Post »  
    • javagirl
      Posted on June 1, 2011 at 8:03am

      Very true, you are absolutely right TeddyC73! Anyone contemplating a purchase should read up on the breed, understand their needs and learn how to train them appropriately. GSDs are way too big and powerful, and they need proper handling. They are ‘working’ dogs and need to be active to be happiest (and so they don’t get bored and get destructive).

      Report Post » javagirl  
    • Libertyluvnmomma
      Posted on June 1, 2011 at 10:00am

      Thanks for the lecture but GSDs are tried and true.
      find a reputable breeder and you’re as good as gold.
      Which by the way. Golden Retrievers are very high on the list for dog bites.
      But then the caveat is always this: just like cars and guns- dogs in the hands of idiots are kinda dangerous regardless of make, model, or breed.

      Report Post » Libertyluvnmomma  
    • rangerp
      Posted on June 1, 2011 at 4:26pm

      Libertyluvnmomma – dog bite stats can be a bit trickey. Look at how many golden retrievers there are in the U.S. compared to many other breeds. The golden is one of the most popular family dogs in America. Also, many smaller dogs bite more often, it just does not require medical attention, and does not get reported. A pitbull may not bit as often as a cocker spaniel, but when they do bite, they cause mass damage, and get much bad press. If you want to see a scary dog, take a look at the so called wolf hybrid. Extreemly rare dog, but they have an very high rate in destroying children.

      Report Post » rangerp  
  • flattop
    Posted on May 31, 2011 at 10:47am

    I like my Rat Terrier. She’s a 100lb dog in a 12lb body.

    Report Post »  
    • Libertyluvnmomma
      Posted on June 1, 2011 at 9:55am

      yeah I would never underestimate a rat dog. those things can be vicious! And some can fit right in your purse!
      I’ll keep one of those in my purse and a pistol in my pocket!

      Report Post » Libertyluvnmomma  
  • javagirl
    Posted on May 31, 2011 at 10:32am

    German Shepherd Dogs are a wonderful breed and great family dogs. I always feel safe with my Moses by my side!

    Report Post » javagirl  
    • Showtime
      Posted on May 31, 2011 at 11:52am

      I’ll bet you do!

      CatB feels safe with her 4 1/2 -lb. Chihuahua by her side!

      Report Post » Showtime  
    • PER100
      Posted on May 31, 2011 at 12:04pm

      German Shepherd are the best pets. family, protction, and smart. have not owned a house in 25 years that didnt have at least one. (generally 2)

      Report Post »  
    • cous1933
      Posted on May 31, 2011 at 3:19pm

      Amen to that. Once you have a German Shepherd in your home, you will never want to be without one. They unconditionally love and protect their family and are pure joy to be around.

      Report Post » cous1933  
  • commonsenseguy
    Posted on May 31, 2011 at 10:30am

    why can’t we just let loose all of these titanium teethed dogs on all of those leftwing nut jobs here and over seas , lets get some return on our investments, i would love to see micheal more run from one of these dogs,better yet i would pay good money to see him get chased and bitten.now that would be a funny site.

    Report Post »  
  • Ricky A. Patriotson
    Posted on May 31, 2011 at 10:29am

    I’ll stay with Great Danes thank you.

    Report Post » Ricky A. Patriotson  
  • Lover of America
    Posted on May 31, 2011 at 10:27am

    So incredibly awesome.

    Report Post »  
  • Drum Man
    Posted on May 31, 2011 at 10:18am

    What wonderful creatures!!!

    Report Post » Drum Man  
  • GERATMO
    Posted on May 31, 2011 at 10:17am

    Our military is bad A$$.

    Report Post » GERATMO  
  • kickagrandma
    Posted on May 31, 2011 at 10:12am

    Hey, dumb bu&&s…. Let’s keep some secrets, how `bout it? We need to stop giving all our secrets away.

    Any body out there thinking about protecting ourselves? Hellllloooooo????

    Report Post »  
    • TheDebtWeAllPay
      Posted on May 31, 2011 at 12:02pm

      @kickagrandma
      You better believe for every secret we reveal there are 50 other secrets that are better than the secret we just revealed we are just giving away old tech

      Report Post » TheDebtWeAllPay  
  • biohazard23
    Posted on May 31, 2011 at 10:11am

    Good doggies!!

    Report Post » biohazard23  
    • Showtime
      Posted on May 31, 2011 at 11:49am

      Yes, sirree!

      My little brown Chihuahua mix bit the mailman, who was the deacon at my church in NC. It was a relief to see that Nathan was not on crutches in church the next morning! Can’t imagine what one of these guys would do to someone not wearing a dogtraining suit!

      And, they are such gorgeous dogs, too! Bucky had a chocolate Lab girlfriend who was a bomb sniffer, and he’d stand on his back legs and look her in the face. Yasmine was a sweet girl. And then they moved away.

      Report Post » Showtime  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on May 31, 2011 at 10:11am

    Interesting.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • TruthTalker
      Posted on May 31, 2011 at 10:22am

      Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war!

      Report Post »  
    • Mannax
      Posted on May 31, 2011 at 10:31am

      In before the PETA people start complaining about the treatment of the Military Canine Units.

      Report Post »  
    • Creestof
      Posted on May 31, 2011 at 10:48am

      Poetic justice would be to parachute in a few million of these into Korea…make sure the dogs are very hungry though!

      Report Post »  
    • BlazingPatriot
      Posted on May 31, 2011 at 11:01am

      Dear Blaze,
      You may have an html / formatting problem. All the videos and comments are showing up irregular and to the far right.

      Is the format messed up on anyone else’s pc screen or is it just mine?

      Report Post » BlazingPatriot  
    • D0ntTread0nMe
      Posted on May 31, 2011 at 11:04am

      Very cool, thanks blaze!
      http://www.mythoughtsfromthemiddle.blogspot.com

      Report Post » D0ntTread0nMe  
    • Creestof
      Posted on May 31, 2011 at 11:27am

      @BlazingPatriot

      Mine is bad as well : (

      Report Post »  
    • Mike Westfall No Hiding
      Posted on May 31, 2011 at 1:08pm

      The reasons Germans are catching up to Labs is simple. Same reason more and more people own guns and are carrying a CCW / CPL. It personal protection. I love my 2 labs but my fiance and I have agreed our next 2 dogs will be a male doberman and female german. Great dogs with great dispositions but they will defend way better than a lab than just stands there and barks! Ruff Ruff :-)

      Report Post » Mike Westfall No Hiding  
    • edwinmcarter
      Posted on May 31, 2011 at 2:59pm

      I recently upgraded to IE 9.0, which seems to coincide with the problems mentioned with the Blaze pages. Coincidence?

      Report Post »  
    • Captain Crunch
      Posted on May 31, 2011 at 4:13pm

      @BlazingPatriot

      Mine has been fine. XPHome SP3 w. IE7

      Report Post »  
    • APatriotFirst
      Posted on May 31, 2011 at 4:49pm

      IF you go to buy a Shepherd, make sure breeder can certify it is Hip Dysplasia free, on both parents side. Any of the bigger dogs can have a HD problem.

      Report Post »  
    • Libertyluvnmomma
      Posted on May 31, 2011 at 6:36pm

      Mike Westfall- Dobemans are notorious for bad health, which I can personally attest to.
      Plus, when I see one I know what lap dog babies they are!
      Since I can gotten a shepherd- not a German shepherd- I got a new breed. they live longer, more agile,healthier, wicked cool looking,bad@ss and sssssooooooo smart. You’ll have to find the breed ’cause it’s the best kept secret!

      Report Post » Libertyluvnmomma  
    • Armed Patriot
      Posted on June 1, 2011 at 9:45am

      @BlazingPatriot “Dear Blaze, You may have an html / formatting problem. All the videos and comments are showing up irregular and to the far right.”

      I read yesterday people using IE were having same problem as you. I am using Flock, a mozilla based browser and it works fine.

      Report Post » Armed Patriot  
    • Sinista MACE
      Posted on June 1, 2011 at 10:13am

      We need to train about 300 of these to sniff out corruption in Washington DC and let them loose.

      Report Post » V-MAN MACE  
    • rangerp
      Posted on June 1, 2011 at 4:18pm

      I am all for owning dogs, but there can be a problem with fad dogs. Breeding standards in America are nothing compared to many of the European nations (thus the reason our military dogs all come from Europe). German Shepherds were the craze back in the 60s. Americans about ruined the breed, and bred in much hip problems, and also bred dogs that do not have the drive to do police work. In the 70s it was the doberman, in the 80s the Rott, and in the 90s the Pitbull. Even movies spawn off dog fads. The 101 dalmations movie had bad breeders spitting out genetic deaf dogs that were bad about fear bitting. If you are going to get a dog capable of police work, make sure you have the knowledg on how to train, the proper equipment to house such a dog, and do much homework on the breeder. I hope for the sake of the GSD, that it does not become a fad dog again.

      Report Post » rangerp  
    • jeffyfreezone
      Posted on June 2, 2011 at 9:20pm

      Most German shepherds are pretty wired. Be sure you know what you’re getting into before adopting one. My Reagan was utterly devoted, but very busy!

      Report Post »  
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