Photo By Sgt. Elizabeth DeGroot | Sgt. Anthony Langer and his Military Working Dog, Retired Staff Sgt. Dino, assigned to...... read more read more
JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – Military Working Dogs (MWDs) are more than just companions on the battlefield— they are force multipliers that enhance the Army’s readiness and lethality in modern warfare.
“Historically speaking, humans have used dogs in warfare for centuries,” said Sgt. Anthony Langer, an experienced 31K (Military Working Dog Handler) assigned to the 508th Military Police Battalion, 42nd Military Police Brigade. “We still rely on working dogs today because they are incredibly capable, adaptable, and historically reliable.”
Throughout his career, Langer has worked with multiple MWDs, including his former partner, Dino, whom he handled before the K9’s retirement.
Langer and Dino deployed overseas, moving throughout the horn of Africa. It was during this time Langer saw firsthand how his K9 teammate improved mission success. K9 teams deter, track, and apprehend enemy combatants, detect explosives and narcotics, do scouting and intelligence collection, patrol, clear routes and secure perimeters. Their specialized skills to detect threats that human senses alone cannot perceive make them essential in combat.
“[To] witness the advantage we bring makes me proud to be where I’m at,” Langer said.
Training K9s starts with olfactory conditioning, a method that teaches the dogs to associate certain scents with rewards. “Dogs use about 40% more of their nose than humans do,” Langer said. “So they get interested in a smell, and once you start making the association between a reward—like a kong—the dog makes the connection between the odor and payment. Then we build off of that.”
In addition to their enhanced sense of smell, MWDs are capable of overpowering and subduing threats with unmatched precision. With a bite force measured between 250 and 350 pounds per square inch (PSI)—stronger than that of a pit bull and comparable to a Rottweiler—these dogs can crush bone, tear through flesh, and neutralize an enemy in seconds.
Their training also emphasizes not just force, but control, ensuring they maintain their grip until the threat is subdued. This makes them indispensable in close-quarters combat.
Langer noted that as “man’s best friend,” MWDS are also unwaveringly loyal. For millennia, humans and dogs have been allies, and the K9s are instinctually driven to protect and obey their handler. This loyalty fostered a bond so strong, that following Dino’s retirement, Langer and his family welcomed him into their home, adopting him.
MWDs continue to be essential in mission success. Their ability to detect threats, protect Soldiers, and neutralize risks in dynamic environments make them integral to the Army, and as the Army continues to evolve, K9 teams will remain at the forefront of readiness and lethality.
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| Date Taken: | 02.27.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.12.2025 16:55 |
| Story ID: | 492662 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 65 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, More than Man's Best Friend- K9 Units Provide Readiness and Lethality, by SGT Elizabeth DeGroot, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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