Page 9 - Nellis AFB Bullseye 7-10-15

BULLSEYE Feature 9July 10, 2015

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SAFE, from page 8 _______________________________

U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jake Carter the point that the kennel master sees you have taken the dog as
far as you can, so he will switch (partners).”
Staff Sgt. Logan Fitzgerald (left), 99th Security Forces Squadron military working dog handler, performs the
guard technique with his dog, Erik, at the MWD training grounds on Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., June 29. MWDs Fitzgerald learned from Erik first hand that if a dog and handler
are trained to obey their handlers and listen to commands as they are called. If MWDs see a threat aimed are together for too long, the dog can develop a dependence on the
toward their handler, they will protect them by any means necessary. handler and make it difficult for the dog to work with another handler.

“When I picked Erik up, he had been with his previous handler
for four years,” said Fitzgerald. “I couldn’t get him to do anything for
me. When he would see his old handler he would just run straight
to him. It took me a good three months for him to trust me.”

After Erik finally started to trust Fitzgerald, working with each
other was a lot easier.

“We have to build rapport with our dogs,” said Fitzgerald.
“Sometimes it takes a couple days, but it could take a month or
longer.”

Anyone interested in becoming a MWD handler must be part of
the security forces career field already. Applicants must also have
a physical completed, and their leadership’s approval.

“You also have to come to the kennels and work with other dog
handlers by helping out with cleaning and learning the job,” said
Fitzgerald. “You have to show up here, watch our training and show
that you want to do this before going to training.”

The knowledge gained by being a MWD handler is never-ending;
with each day bringing a new set of tasks to complete.

“There’s an endless amount of knowledge and we are never
done learning,” said Fitzgerald. “There’s so many ways to train
dogs and we do it. I love doing this job and I think it’s the best
in the Air Force.”

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