Fit to fight: Military working dogs

Just like their Airman counterparts, military working dogs have to stay in shape. But unlike their handlers, they need more than cardio and strength training - daily obedience training and runs on the confidence course ensure the dogs can follow orders and stay agile. Detection training for bombs or narcotics in a variety of base locations keep the relationship between handler and dog strong for real-world scenarios, while weekly aggression training keeps the dogs ready to deter threats. Being a working dog handler is not a 9-5 job; handlers go in on their off time to feed and play with their dogs and clean the kennels, perform training demonstrations for outside organizations, and perform physical training. According to Staff Sgt. Jeremy Hayes, 81st Security Forces Squadron military working dog trainer, there are a million ways to train a dog - it’s all about finding what works and building a bond to ensure the duo stays fit to fight in all aspects of the job. (U.S. Air Force photo illustration by Airman 1st Class Duncan McElroy)