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In Iraq & Elsewhere, Bomb-Sniffing Dogs Soldier On
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Merely baring their teeth, they can intimidate a crowd. Commanded to strike, they can flatten a big man with one leap, flying like a 50-pound sandbag tossed from a truck.
Smart and strong Malinois and German shepherds predominate, but other breeds are trained, too. Even small dogs are occasionally taught to detect explosives in submarines and other close quarters.
In Iraq, the demand for explosives-hunting dogs has increased. The dogs lead patrols with their handlers in tow, sniffing bags and other objects along the way.
The bombs have bulked up in past months, putting dogs and handlers at increased risk. To protect handlers, some dogs are trained to wear backpacks with radios and respond to remote voice commands.
"As much as I love these dogs, their job is to take a bullet for me," says trainer Sgt. Douglas Timberlake.
The military estimates spending six months and $25,000 to buy, feed, train and care for the average dog. The dogs are tended by 440 Army veterinarians worldwide. They have two physical exams each year. They get blood tests, X-rays and electrocardiograms.
When dogs break teeth, military veterinarians sometimes do root canals. "Here we treat them, because that's part of that dog's equipment: to use his teeth," says Lorraine Linn, a dog surgeon at Lackland.
Dogs have been weapons of war since ancient times. Thousands were enlisted by the United States in World Wars I and II and in Vietnam. Dogs cannot be awarded medals under military protocol, but commanders sometimes honor them unofficially.
Care for wounded military dogs was limited in earlier wars, and the end of a dog's working days usually meant the end of its life. But that, too, is changing.
Since 2000, a law allows many dogs to be adopted by police departments, former handlers and others if the dogs' temperaments are suitable.
Tech. Sgt. Jamie Dana's German shepherd Rex was plenty friendly, but also young and healthy. The military didn't want to let him go.
Rex ended up on an Iraqi roadway when a bomb blew the door off the Humvee he was riding in with Dana in June 2005. His injuries were minor, but Dana nearly died with collapsed lungs, a fractured spine and brain trauma.
