Fearless ... US soldier with the 10th Special Forces Group and his military working dog jump off the ramp of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter during training. Photo: Technical Sergeant Manuel J. Martinez/US Air Force
It's being reported that accompanying the Navy Seals who completed the bin Laden mission was a faithful four-legged fighter. The trained military dog, either a German Shepherd or a Belgian Malinois, was strapped to an assault team member and was lowered into the compound along with the Seals. The dogs have been trained to wear an oxygen mask and be comfortable jumping for an airplane at 25,000ft into hostile environments.
Heavily armoured hounds — equipped with infrared night-sight cameras — have been used in the past by the top-secret unit. These war dogs wear ballistic body armour that is supposed to be able to withstand damage from single and double-edged knives. Additionally they wear protective gear to shield them from shrapnel and gunfire. It's likely the explosive sniffing dog was along to not only check for explosives in Bin Laden's compound but to also help sniff him out if he was in a secret room.
Canines often play a significant role in military operations as they can crawl into small spaces, find enemy soldiers and report back unnoticed with TV footage from a camera attached to their heads. Their primary functions "are finding explosives and conducting searches and patrols," Maj. Wes Ticer, a spokesman for the United States Special Operations Command, told the New York Times, but Ticer said that many times dogs save "the lives of the Special Operations Forces with whom they operate."
German Shepherds and Belgian Mailnois dogs have the skills best-suited to the job (like sense of smell, courage, athleticism, endurance and intelligence) and thus are most commonly used in the military. It just goes to show a dog is a man's best friend — as long as he's on your side.
Belgian Malinois
(info obtained from AKC)
One of the four types of Belgian sheepherding dogs, the Belgian Malinois is an alert, high-energy breed, popular as both a police and military working dog. Although sometimes mistaken for the German Shepherd Dog, the Malinois is more elegant in build and lighter-boned, but does not lack for strength, agility or herding ability. Active participants in conformation, obedience, schutzhund, herding, sledding, and tracking, the breed ranges in color from rich fawn to mahogany, with black tips on the hairs and a black mask and ears.
Developed in the city of Malines, where it got its name, the Malinois shares a common foundation with the Belgian Sheepdog and the Belgian Tervuren. In fact, the Belgian dogs share a breed standard in all countries except the United States. The original breeders prized the Malinois’ working character, and historically, the breed has been the favorite type of Belgian Shepherd in its native country.
Intelligent and trainable, the Belgian Malinois possesses a strong desire to work and is happiest with regular activity and a job to do. A relatively easy keeper due to their medium size and short coat, this confident breed loves their families, but may be somewhat reserved with strangers. They are naturally protective of their owners without being overly aggressive.
