K9

Episode 5: Cautious Closure

May 19, 2018 admin 00:45:24

When people are missing, often dog teams are called in to locate them.  At times, Human Remains Detection dogs or cadaver dogs are utilized to recover the deceased body of a missing individual.  These dog teams are often used by law enforcement to successfully prosecute cases and to provide evidence that would otherwise be overlooked.  They are also used in “cold cases” to find bodies that have been missing for years and even decades.  These dog teams take a special kind of dog and an even more special type of person to be successful.  Many of these cadaver dog teams volunteer their time and resources for training and the cases they work.

 

Whether the death was due to a homicide, suicide or even a natural disaster, families of the victim are desperately searching for closure.  These dog teams perform a daunting job in some rigorous conditions and environments to provide that closure.

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Episode 4: Thirty-One Kilo

April 19, 2018 admin 00:43:15

Dogs have been officially serving as soldiers in the United States military since World War I. Known as (MWDs) or military working dogs they are trained for a variety of highly specialized tasks and actively contribute to U.S. combat operations. There are about 2,500 war dogs in service today, with about 700 serving at any given time overseas Military working dogs are versatile, highly mobile and have been proven to save the lives of US soldiers in combat.

When examining military working dog teams, an essential aspect that is often overlooked is that of the handler.  I had the opportunity to sit down with some working dog handlers and gain some insight into the significance of this position that the US Army refers to in its MOS listing as 31Kilo

Our podcast episodes are designed to be heard and not read.  As such, we do not provide transcripts for our episodes.  However, we enjoy sharing “extra content” to supplement the stories we follow and the intriguing dogs and people they are about.

The Military Working Dog Handler

This episode gives us some insight into the role of the military working dog handler and what makes a great one.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpls. Matthew Scofield, left, and Jarrett Hatley, right, rest next to Hatley's military working dog, Blue, after clearing compounds with Afghan soldiers during Operation Tageer Shamal in Afghanistan's Helmand province, Jan. 4, 2012. Scofield, a squad automatic weapon gunner, and Hatley, a dog handler, are assigned to Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment.

This episode puts you right in the middle of the action with Military Working Dog Handlers with the US Army and US Marine Corps.  It also explores what makes a great dog handler.

Justin Edwards and K9 "Bond" in a helicopter
Jarrett Hatley and K9 "Blue"

A Special Thanks to Justin Edwards and Jarrett Hatley for sharing his stories.

We also want to thank our episode sponsors.  Be sure to visit them to learn more and show them your support.

Royal Canin

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Dogtra

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Music for this episode:

“Ossuary 5 – Rest” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
“Concentration” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Piper Airport K9 Border Collie

Episode 2: Catching a Flight

March 19, 2018 admin 42:39:02

It’s a fairly common occurrence for a bird and a plane to collide.  Recently, a Japan airlines flight had to make an emergency landing due to a bird strike, while another commercial plane was forced to make an emergency return to Cardiff Airport in Wales after a bird hit an engine.  Although rare, dogs trained to deter these incidents can be extremely beneficial.

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