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Military K-9 force puts bite into barkSAN DIEGO (NNS) —The dog handlers at the K-9 unit and the veterinary clinic at Naval Base Point Loma currently are maintaining four-legged Sailors for fleet readiness.Military Working Dogs must be in peak condition, so they can deploy at any time. They train daily with their handlers and are taught to protect the handler and apprehend an enemy.The dogs are regularly put through training drills for scenarios they might encounter. The drills include bite work, stand off, search and call, and escorting. Detection and prevention training for bombs and illegal substances is also held to keep their skills sharp.The veterinary clinic at Naval Base Point Loma is the only veterinary office maintained on a naval installation in the Southwest region. The clinic is run by Army Capt. Pauline Couch and a small staff of two civilians and three military personnel.The office's mission is to provide support to the military working dogs and provide health care for pets belonging to members of the military, their families and retired military.The Navy uses various breeds of dogs for the K-9 units. The most common are German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois. These breeds are preferred due to their aggressiveness, agility, speed, longevity and sense of smell.The average military working dog will work for 10 to 11 years. The dogs then retire and are adopted or sent to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio where they help train new handlers.
Newspaper Details
Newport Navalog
Newport, Rhode Island, US
Fri, Mar 03, 2006
Page 12
Full Page
Clipped by
Camille C.
USA 07 Jun 2025
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