Just like people, some dogs learn faster than others, and some dogs may never be able to learn everything you try to teach them. Your dog has the best chance to learn both quickly and effectively if you avoid arbitrary goals and a negative training environment. Not everyone is cut out to be a dog trainer, either. If you know you don’t have the patience or positivity needed for the role, hire a professional dog trainer who utilizes military-style techniques.
If you already do have a relationship with the dog, spend a few days emphasizing your roles as provider and leader. Take care of feeding, walking, cleaning, and so on yourself, without treating them like unwanted chores. Daily grooming is a good way to both build a positive bond and check the dog for potential medical issues. Military trainers typically groom their dogs every day.
One of the reasons why dogs tend to make great “soldiers” is that they usually thrive on predictable schedules. Holding the training session at the same time each day helps your dog slip into “training mode” more easily. Military dogs typically train for at least 4 hours per week and at least 30 minutes per day. Aim for 1 30-minute or 2 15-minute sessions per day, 6-7 days a week.
For instance, while house-training a dog, positive reinforcement means immediately responding anytime the dog “goes potty” properly with specific praise—”Good job, Scout, you went potty outside!”—and possibly a physical reward like a toy or treat. However, when the dog has a potty accident inside, positive reinforcement means you simply and immediately identify the problem—“Scout, you went potty inside!”—and clean up the mess. It never involves hitting the dog or sticking its nose in the mess.
Don’t shout the commands or show anger or displeasure when the dog doesn’t comply properly. Remember to keep your cool and stay positive. The instructional commands you teach beyond the basics like “sit,” “down,” “heel,” and “stay” depend upon your needs and the dog’s abilities. Military dogs may learn commands for things like detecting explosives or subduing enemies that you won’t need to teach, but the instructional methods remain largely the same.
If you use treats for rewards, keep them small. Otherwise, your dog may consume far too many calories. Military trainers don’t use treats as rewards beyond the very beginning of training, if at all. Their goal is to turn a basic verbal reward—often a simple phrase like “yes”—into the thing that the dog craves. Verbal-only rewards are, after all, much more practical in military situations.
Saying “no” or giving alternate commands will just confuse the dog and make it think the unwanted behavior (such as jumping) is part of the command. Punishing the dog through scolding or any type of physical abuse is completely unhelpful. Since you’re the “alpha,” the dog craves your attention and approval. Ignoring it briefly is a mild form of corrective “punishment” that the dog can understand and learn from.
Potential MWDs may come up short in their capability to identify explosives or drugs, for instance. You likely aren’t going to do training in these areas, but you may find that your dog isn’t well-suited to something like obeying “heel” commands. Don’t give up completely in that area, but also be realistic and focus your training in other areas.
Old dogs can learn new tricks, and they can also forget old tricks!
The official job title in the U. S. military is Military Working Dog Handler (MWDH). The compensation packages and career advancement opportunities are similar to those in comparable fields within the military. National militaries across the globe train and utilize dogs in various capacities. Consult a military recruiter where you live for more information.
The ASVAB is not specifically focused on dog training. Rather, it is a general aptitude test used widely by the U. S. military to help determine which service members are good candidates for particular fields. The ASVAB tests cover 10 general knowledge categories in multiple-choice format. For more information, visit https://www. goarmy. com/learn/understanding-the-asvab. html.
The Military Working Dog (MWD) program for the entire U. S. Department of Defense (including all branches of the military) is headquartered at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. There’s a good chance you’ll be stationed there for part if not all of your AIT. [14] X Research source
Phase 2 reinforces essential dog training and handling techniques while also getting into specifics like searches and “controlled aggression” (in other words, deploying the dog as a non-lethal asset).
MWDHs spend time practically every day training their MWDs. This, combined with their on-duty time in their specified roles, means that they spend a significant portion of every day alongside their MWDs. It’s no surprise, then, that these human and canine service members often develop a deep bond that continues after one or both leave the service.
