Once bitten: Wing leaders attacked during K9 training

  • Published
  • 8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  Leadership from the 8th Fighter Wing experienced the biting end of a military working dog during a training session here Oct. 21.

Military working dogs of the 8th Security Forces Squadron undergo obedience training and spend hours on patrol performing base defense and drug and explosive detection.

Wing leaders, wearing the "bite suit" to protect their arms, experienced 400 to 700 pounds of biting force. After each attack, the dogs are rewarded with a toy, building trust between the dog and handler and improving the skills of the canine.

Kunsan currently has 17 military working dogs, including Belgian Malinois and German Shepherds.

The military working dog facility here contains 23 kennels, an isolation room in which dogs are quarantined if they become sick, a kitchen, offices and a veterinary room where an Army vet from Camp Humphreys visits once a month to administer medication and provide check-ups for the dogs.

The dogs follow a feeding schedule and meals are prepared twice a day, going through about 200 pounds of food per week.