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The 3 Types of Military Working Dogs

Honoring the quiet professionals.🎖️

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There's one group of veterans most people never hear from.

They’re called the ‘quiet professionals’.

They take on the most dangerous missions, often anonymously, and ask for nothing in return.

Here's what these Belgian Malinois do for our country.

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The military relies on working dogs for 3 critical functions: detection, patrol, tracking, or a combination of these skills.

1️⃣ Detection dogs sniff out explosives or narcotics, saving countless lives before threats are ever seen.

explosive detection dog (EDD)

Joe is a MWD, trained as an explosive detection dog (EDD)

2️⃣ Patrol dogs apprehend suspects, search buildings and areas, protect their handlers, and maintain control in high-pressure situations.

Patrol Dog

Devan is a MWD, trained as a patrol dog

3️⃣ Tracking dogs follow scent trails to locate enemy combatants or missing people.

Combat Tracker Dog (CTD)

Chico is a MWD, trained as a Combat Tracker Dog (CTD)

But the most elite dogs? They're called Combat Assault Dogs (CAD).

They do everything above in the most extreme conditions imaginable, alongside Special Operations forces.

Combat Assault Dogs (CAD

Cairo, the Belgian Malinois who was part of SEAL Team Six's mission to kill Osama bin Laden

What happens when they retire?

Fortunately, over 90% are adopted by their handlers

Otherwise, law enforcement agencies are next in line but many retired MWDs aren't adopted by police due to age or injuries.

That's where civilians like you and I come in.

The adoption process isn't quick. It involves careful screening and long waiting lists since they aren't typical pets.

But it’s one way to thank these quiet professionals…

TL;DR: Belgian Malinois serve 3 military functions: Detection, Patrol, Tracking, or a combination. The most elite are Combat Assault Dogs (CADs) who work with Special Operations. Over 90% are adopted by their handlers when they retire, but civilians can adopt those who need homes.

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Until next Thursday, ✌️

Sam

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