Page 32 - Chiron Autumn/Winter 2023

ITT: From training Dog handlers to training Military Working Dogs
In late May 2023, the Initial Trade Training (ITT) Instructing Team of Cpl Mahoney, LCpl
Moon, LCpl Morris and LCpl White were called to the ITT office for an announcement. Sgt Miles informed them that they would facilitate the vision of the DATR and train the next generation of Patrol Military Working Dogs (MWDs) for use by future ITT Students.
There was excitement from LCpl Morris and LCpl Moon as they had not trained MWDs previously. LCpl Morris was particularly keen at
the opportunity to lead the Pickup- and-Indication (P & I) training as
he had recently spent many, many, many, many, many, many months
in the jungles of Brunei handling the Infantry Patrol dogs there. For Cpl Mahoney and LCpl White, it was a return to their roots, as they had recently been posted to ITT from the
Canine Training Squadron where they had been training MWDs on the Arms and Explosive Search Training Section and High Assurance Search Training Section respectively.
Mid-June the dogs arrived and each of the training team were assigned a dog to train. The four dogs all having different personalities, behaviour traits and differing levels of previous training. Starting with the essential phase of training of building relationships with the
dogs and loading them onto a mark through the use of clickers, or word/ sound. With the mark being used as a release for the dog confirming that it had performed or was performing the correct behaviour. All of this occurred whilst the dogs were being held in the mandatory isolation period for new MWDs into the Defence Animal Training Regiment.
At the end of the MWDs isolation period, after confirmation that all the dogs were fit and healthy, the MWDs moved to the ITT Kennel Lines which will be their home for the foreseeable future. Here the next stages of their training could commence.
As we all know, obedience is the foundation of all dog training, and this was focus of the next stage of the training. The team all wanting to ensure that the obedience training was given the highest of priorities. Through the use of a variety of methods, including luring and shaping, the dogs obedience has progressed nicely. LCpl Moon and LCpl Morris demonstrating that not having trained MWDs prior would not be an impediment to them.
With the dogs progressing well at obedience, heel work on the move and static, sits, downs, stays
MWD Hunter
30 / Chiron Calling
MWD Enox
and recalls. The training started to incorporate other aspects of training, such as agility. With 1MWD Regiment borrowing the ITT agility equipment the team got creative and improvised where necessary to ensure that the dogs could be trained to go in and over appropriate obstacles. The team also started to focus the training
onto areas such as battle inoculation and bite work. These areas have also been progressing well. With P & I yet to be started, it is hoped due to the progress that the dogs have made in the other areas that P & I will also progress well once started.
With dog training there are never any certainties, but with the progress the dogs have made thus far, due to their drive to work and intelligence, there are promising signs that they will be accepted into service ready for the next ITT course starting in September 2023.
MWD Ufra