Navy Seal Dogs: Exploring Their Incredible World

Navy SEAL Dogs are highly trained dogs that are used by Navy SEAL teams, and they perform a wide variety of tasks from search and rescue to close protection and explosives detection. Their role is so specialized and the training so arduous that only 1% of dogs pass the training and become SEAL dogs.

It takes around 15 hours a day of intensive training and they need to be comfortable around gunfire and explosions, capable of making independent decisions, but also highly responsive to their handlers. Perhaps the best-known Navy SEAL dog was Cairo, who was part of the SEAL mission that took down Osama Bin Laden in 2011.

However, these dogs have been used in many major conflicts and specialist operations and they provide an invaluable service to their teams.

What Are Navy SEAL Dogs?

Navy SEAL Dogs are highly trained canine units that operate in tandem and as part of Navy SEAL teams. They are assigned to one handler within the unit, and they are trained to take on a wide variety of roles. SEAL dogs provide close protection and are used to detect weaponry and explosives. They will also alert the SEALs to the presence of danger and can be called upon to perform search and rescue operations.

The dogs have to have a wide range of skills to be able to perform these tasks and the vast majority of dogs that start SEAL training do not complete it, such are the rigors of the role.

The Roles of Navy SEAL Dogs

Navy SEAL dogs go on the same missions as Navy SEALs, and they need very similar attributes and skills. They are multi-purpose canines, which means they perform a dizzying array of tasks. As well as being comfortable around gunfire and capable of rappelling out of helicopters or even skydiving out of planes, the dogs perform the following roles.

Detection

SEAL dogs need to be able to identify and detect weapons and explosives. Cairo, the dog that was deployed to help find Osama Bin Laden, was used to sweep the compound for explosives, therefore ensuring the safety of the SEALs he was with.

Threat Detection

As well as detecting guns and explosives, the dogs also need to be able to identify human and even canine threats, alerting their handler to the presence of danger. They can do this even when there is nearby gunfire and explosions.

Close Protection

The dogs are trained for close protection. They can identify and track suspects and are generally trained to subdue them by getting a full bite. If the assailant attempts to hit the dog, it will bite harder and thrash around, preventing the person from getting away.

Search and Rescue

Seal dogs will sometimes be used to aid in search and rescue missions, as part of larger operations. They can track human scents in rubble and then help uncover the person before even dragging them to safety.

Navy Seal Dog Training

Like the SEALs themselves, SEAL dogs have to undergo intense training to ensure they are combat-ready. The training ensures that the dogs can perform under gunfire and surrounded by explosions and that they are comfortable rappelling out of helicopters, riding in tactical boats, and skydiving out of airplanes.

They need to be obedient, responding to their handler’s commands whenever called upon, but they also need to be independent enough to make their judgment calls. It is estimated that the acquisition and training of a single multi-purpose canine unit cost approximately $40,000 and that only 1% of all dogs that start the training will complete it.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Are All Navy SEAL Dogs Belgian Malinois?

Although German Shepherds are used by military units around the world, the Belgian Malinois is the most common Navy SEAL dog breed. They are trainable, look threatening, and are brave and intelligent. They are also smaller than German Shepherds, which makes it easier for them to be strapped to their handler when jumping out of a plane and for performing various other tasks. As well as Malinois and German Shepherds, Labradors are used by some militaries for similar reasons.

Can Any Dog Become a SEAL Dog?

It takes certain attributes and a lot of very intense training to become a SEAL dog, and this means that only 1 in 100 dogs that start the training complete it. Puppies are typically chosen before they are born and are bred by specialist breeders with a history of producing suitable canine units.

How Many Navy SEAL Dogs Are There?

In total, there are approximately 3,000 active-duty dogs across all of the U.S. military forces. These dogs are deployed in countries around the world, and they are regularly sent on missions and deployed in hostile environments. Few details about the dogs are known because they are used for top-secret missions.

Conclusion

Navy SEAL dogs are highly trained professionals who are deployed with Navy SEAL teams on missions around the world. Their roles range from bomb detection to tracking and subduing assailants. They have to be able to operate under the pressure of gunfire while also being capable of jumping out of planes and rappelling from helicopters.

They're incredible animals that perform invaluable roles, and such is the difficult time they face that only 1% of the dogs that start SEAL training make it to the battlefield.

Featured Image Credit By: New Africa, Shutterstock