War Hero Dog Puts Titanium Teeth into Dog Bite Week
Most readers probably marveled at the Navy Seal war dogs, especially the one that parachuted to help with Bin Laden. Besides bullet-proof vests and night googles these war dogs are supposed to have been fitted with titanium teeth. The dogs earned an infamous reputation in the Abu Ghraib pictures! And so, I hope President Obama has his picture taken with the one that came face to face with Bin Laden. (I wonder if the image of the threatening dog in the prison haunted Bin Laden for the last second of his sight!)
These dogs are truly heroes and have been on and behind the front lines in every war in history–most recently, besides our current wars, the Korean war and Vietnam.
The dog trainer who pioneered work with America’s attack, guard, rescue and bomb sniffing dogs was the late Captain Arthur Haggerty. His training methods are not popular today. “Sit means sit”–no treats. The dog learned and worked for the comradeship and love he and his owner shared.
Haggerty taught the dogs of such celebrities as Jack Paar, wrote numerous books, won awards and acclaim but he was proudest of our war dogs, which he felt not only needed their own parades but deserved to be disposed of with dignity and respect when they were no longer able to serve. Sadly, these dogs do die, are killed by the very hands that train them to work with us –no one thinks about rehabilitation. We can rehabilitate the Vick fighting dogs but for our American hero dogs it is a one-way path to death. Haggerty called war dogs, America’s Forgotten Heroes. No medals and little recognition–the people’s dog! We were fortunate when one of these dogs parachuted into Pakistan.
I once wrote about how violent and sad the image of the Abu Ghraib dog was in the famous torture pictures. Haggerty telephoned and told me it was a picture of a dog doing his duty as he was commanded–proud picture.
I wonder if this picture flashed through the mind of Bin Laden?
They say Bin Laden was a tall man. If they measure height in heaven I believe Captain Haggerty is a little taller today. NATIONAL DOG BITE PREVENTION WEEK IS MAY 15-21 THIS YEAR. This year it may have titanium teeth.
May 10, 2011 | | Uncategorized