Earlier in the week I talked about the RAAF Open Day, and highlighted the aircraft and the pilots. We also saw a great demonstration of the Military Working Dogs (MWD) on attack. Their role is to defend the security of the RAAF bases but they also go on some overseas postings with their handlers.
The MWD nearest the orange fence (mid-picture), is retiring after 12+ years service. Good and faithful work!
Kitting up for the attack. The extent of protection shows that these dogs mean business.
Kicking up dust and bringing him down.
Apart from being impressive I can tell you those dogs are very scary. You absolutely would not want to be the subject of their aggressive attention. Basic fact: the dog’s back teeth 5 times as much pressure as is required to break human bones. Despite being kitted out with safety gear, the “offender” must have had a few bruises on Sunday. You also can’t outrun them either!
On the run.
The dogs were very responsive to the handler’s commands and my observant husband noticed they always circled back round the handler before coming to rest/attention beside the handler (makes sense really). But as they were called off the cowed offender they did rather look like they’d have loved another go at him. Cries of “get him off, get him off did not deter the dog in the slightest. They are also trained to cope with the sounds of gunfire and to plunge through fire.
Amidst the gunfire.
Different breeds have different attributes but they all seemed keen to bring the offender down. I kept thinking of my friend’s German Shepherd, Bear, who is incredibly intelligent. He’d have loved being a working dog if he’d been trained as a puppy.
This little puppy is being trained..only a few months old from memory. Looks quite sweet doesn’t she?
But she’s got the drill…
And she’s not letting go! She may look like she way playing, but she surely wasn’t.
