MOUNTAIN HOME, Idaho — Military working dogs at Mountain Home Air Force Base are trained for some of the toughest missions in the world — from patrol to explosive detection and search-and-rescue.
Senior Airman Naomi Borrero, handler for military working dog Vieth, said the dogs serve as a powerful first line of defense.
"They're mainly a psychological deterrence. It's the main thing they do, to get people not [to do bad] things in front of us."
WATCH: What it's like to train a military working dog in the U.S. Air Force
But if a warning isn't enough, these dogs are ready to act.
Senior Airman Borrero and Vieth train to respond as a team, running obstacle courses, practicing takedowns, and preparing for real-world threats.
Staff Sergeant Brandon Male, a trainer at the base, said the dogs are not released until the situation demands it.
"So in a real-life situation, if they were to release a dog, we are not taking them off the bite until we have positive control of the suspect. That means putting handcuffs on them," said Staff Sergeant Male.
RELATED | Mountain Home residents react to Qatar Emiri Air Force training partnership announcement
Military working dogs live a different life than most police K-9s — living entirely on base instead of going home with a handler. Staff Sergeant Male said the dogs go through a rigorous qualification process before entering the field.
"So as a military member, we go through basic training, and dogs do the same thing. So we get them into the field, we'll do a series of tests to make sure they are qualified, and they are trained to do what their records say," explained Staff Sergeant Male.
The Air Force mostly uses Belgian Malinois and German Shepherds. At Mountain Home, Master Sergeant Kyle Snape, the kennel master, matches each dog with the right handler.
And sometimes, opposites attract.
"If we have a strong dog that's got years in the field, we might pair it with a younger handler to help elevate that team," Master Sergeant Snape said.
Those teams deploy together. Male recently returned from a 7-month deployment to the Middle East with military working dog Landreau. Snape said the dogs bring capabilities to the field that no technology can replicate.
"That working dog provides an element of detection that outcompetes any computer or robot out there, i.e., if we're searching for explosives, these dogs have an olfactory and a nose that works at a rate that is simply unmatched and unbeatable," added Master Sergeant Snape.
For many handlers, the hardest part of the job is saying goodbye.
"I think the biggest challenge is getting so attached to the dog; we don't own them, so they will stay at the base. You may have to say bye and go to your next base and pick another dog up," Staff Sergeant Male said.
RELATED | Air Force pilots sharpen combat skills at Saylor Creek Bombing Range
That bond was on display recently when Dak, one of the base's retired military working dogs, passed away. Male fostered him during his final days.
"He's been in working service for so long, so we just let him be a dog, you know, he came to work with me, I take him home, relax, play with toys, have fun, just enjoy the last few moments before his quality of life diminished," Staff Sergeant Male said.
The base is currently on a waitlist for a sixth military working dog, with no word yet on when that new recruit will arrive.
