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After The Work Is Done Homes for Military and Contract Working Dogs

November 11, 2020 • Rescue

By: Bob Bryant - CTO, Mission K9 Rescue

 

 

If you are surprised to learn that you can adopt a “Hero Dog”, consider what a treat these intelligent souls will bring to your life and home and think about adopting!

 

Thousands of working dogs serve globally, working tirelessly alongside military and civilian handlers. The jobs they are trained to do vary, with the most common being drug or explosive detection tasks. Many are cross trained in protection and are considered “dual purpose” K9’s. Other specialized skills include currency detection, electronics detection, and tracking.

 

For dual purpose work, the Belgian Malinois has become king of the working dog world. They are lighter and faster than their German Shepherd relatives and have fewer problems with their hips as they age. Some refer to them as “Maligators” due to their high, constant drive and tenacity.

German Shepherds are second only to the Belgian Malinois for use as dual purpose K9’s, with Labrador Retrievers coming in third and most commonly used as single purpose detection dogs. TSA frequently employs Vizslas, German Shorthair Pointers, and Springer Spaniels in their operations.

The working career of a K9 can span nine or more years. The normal factor that comes into play for retirement is “workability”. Older dogs can lose drive, be less effective in heat or cold, and develop medical problems as they age. One or more factors can push a dog into retirement from an active role.

 

Working dogs have seldom lived a life of luxury, with most kenneled daily from birth, no house training, and little interaction with other dogs or animals in general. When retired, these factors can bear heavily on a dog’s future. Temperament can be a huge issue in going from work to retirement. Many dogs have PTSD from being around explosions, gunfire, harsh chemicals, as well as combative suspects they were forced to interact with.

 

Military Working Dogs can have up to four handlers during their careers. They receive excellent medical care and it’s normal for one of the handlers to adopt their former military working dog when they are retired. The dog’s first handler has first choice, then the second, and etc. Reasons why a handler might not be able to adopt his partner include small children in the home, time available, and other reasons that cause the first handler to pass his dog to another that worked with him/her. 

Most retired Military and Police K9’s are adopted by former handlers with some exceptions as noted above, however contract working dogs, not owned by the military often don’t have designated handlers. Their future can be more uncertain. Some have been left kenneled overseas for far too long and their health can be endangered as a result.

 

Contract working dogs are rescued from overseas by organizations like Mission K9 Rescue. They have brought over 1000 dogs home to the United States since 2013 and over 420 of those retired working dogs were reunited with former handlers that they served with. 
 



Dogs pulled from lives of work need a rehabilitation period, not only to decompress but to learn how to just be a “dog” again, live in a home and enjoy life with a family. Mission K9 provides each dog with at least 60 days of rehab, complete veterinary care, rotation out of the kennel and into the house, and behavioral evaluation for adoption.

Potential adopters are welcome to apply and are matched with dogs suitable to their environment, family makeup, other pets, and miscellaneous considerations unique to each dog. Adopters often travel to Mission K9’s Houston area facility to meet their matches and some dogs are transported directly to their forever homes.

Many believe that these retired working dogs should be paired with individuals needing service animals, however as most of these dogs have PTSD or other work related medical problems, they are unsuitable for and cannot be certified as “Therapy Animals or ESA Animals”. Specially trained dogs are needed for these great works as well as youth and drive the older dogs have lost.

If you are surprised to learn that you can adopt a “Hero Dog”, consider what a treat these intelligent souls will bring to your life and home and think about adopting! You’ll find a spark in these dogs that inspires you and everyone has a unique story to tell.

You can apply to adopt a retired working dog via:

 

https://missionk9rescue.org/working-dog-adoption-forms/

 

About: Bob Bryant is the chief technology officer of Mission K9 Rescue, an animal welfare group dedicated solely to rescuing, reuniting, rehoming, repairing, and rehabilitating American working dogs. Learn more at www.MissionK9Rescue.org.

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