Teaming up K-9s, handlers

  • Published
  • By Junko Kinjo
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  Everyday we all work as a team, such as in a family, church, school, soccer team, work team and many more. It could be a big team, small team, or just teaming up with one individual.

In all of these situations good teamwork will give good results.

On Kadena Air Base, many people work as a team in their every day missions. Most of the employees on base are part of a people-oriented team.

The18th Security Forces Squadron is the same, but they also have a unique team relationship with a particular individual -- the K-9. The 18th SFS Military Working Dog  handlers work closely and are involved with K-9 dogs since some SFS duties require the K-9s to get their mission done.

The military working dog section, Airmen and K-9s alike, do many things together for training. There are two types of training; detection, which is to ensure the K-9s can find illegal drugs or explosives, and patrol training, which is to find and attack a suspect.

Training for the real world is important which is why the handlers have the K-9s run an obstacle course daily. The obstacle course gives the K-9s the chance to get used to objects such as walls and windows they may encounter in a real-world scenario.

K-9 training is important but keeping them happy is a task in itself.

"Cleaning, ... feeding, grooming, bathing them, being positive, and playing with them makes for a good relationship," said Staff Sgt. Kristen Mckay, 18th Security Forces Squadron MWD handler.

All the training they do prepares the handler and K-9 to encounter situations together in the real world. During this time, the K-9 and the handler use the skills they were trained on to bring to the mission.

Without the K-9's senses, it would be hard to search for things in most instances. However, the K-9s don't work alone. The dog and the handler need each other and that's why they are a team.

"A K-9 is what no human could ever be; they give us a sense of smell 100,000 times greater than any human being," said Mckay. In addition, the dog handler offers "encouragement, praise, and eyes to see what the dog misses," said Staff Sgt. Sedale Berry, 18th Security Forces Squadron MWD handler.

By working together as a team, the K-9's senses and handler's eyes and voice form the bond and training to complete the job. Keeping a good relationship, and training on a daily basis, leads to a successful team to get the job done.