# Military/police dog adoption



## nezzz (Jan 20, 2013)

My friend is a dog handler for the army and he's told me they are having an adoption drive for some retired dogs. Anyone adopted one before and how are they as pets?? Are they high drive like most working line dogs??

I'm considering bringing one home but I also have a 4.5 month working line pup at home now. Do military dogs play well with pups??

FYI I've adopted GSDs before. Just not high drive military dogs that I've not personally trained before so I am not sure what to expect. Should they be worked like other working line dogs too??


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## TommyB681 (Oct 19, 2012)

I have read where people have past MWD in their homes with other animals without conflict. Differnt dogs have different personalities. Those dogs obviously have high drives and you have to be able to keep up with that. They are bred to work so make sure that you are able to satisfy the dogs want to continue working because after all that is his purpose. Good luck


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## nezzz (Jan 20, 2013)

My main concern is if they are handler sensitive. If they're trainable I guess I can fix most of the issues I mentioned. Most rescues and adopted dogs come from owners who hardly cared to train their dogs so its easier to train them since they're mostly blank slate. Do military or police dogs face this? Afterall they've trained and bonded with their handlers for years.


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## huntergreen (Jun 28, 2012)

wonder why they are adopting them out when they seem so beneficial to our soldiers coming home with ptsd.


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## nezzz (Jan 20, 2013)

And you think dogs don't get PTSD too? I've heard the rescue dogs searching for bodies during 9/11 had some form of PTSD due to seeing too much death around them. The same can be said of military and police dogs if they were exposed such.


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## HarleyTheGSD (Feb 13, 2012)

I've seen a news clip in the past about military dogs with PTSD. Some were terrified of loud noises, some of certain objects. I, personally, think it's possible. But it doesn't mean that these dogs don't deserve a loving home.


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## huntergreen (Jun 28, 2012)

i have never heard of ptsd in dogs.


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

huntergreen said:


> i have never heard of ptsd in dogs.


I've heard of it, think they covered it in one of the "Alpha dog" episodes. A mal had become adversely affected by explosions, think they ended up retiring him?? Not sure, but it happens.


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## blackshep (Aug 3, 2012)

huntergreen said:


> i have never heard of ptsd in dogs.


It definitely happens


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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

Most military dogs have been on many different handlers. They are used to learning new people. If you have some experience with WL dogs, you should be fine. There are a few things to consider if you have another dog in the home. Same sex aggression is always something to consider with adult dogs, and some MIL dogs get into fence fighting in the kennels, which can lead to some possible DA issues.

The adoption coordinator will have some background information about the particular dog you are interested in, and may also have contact information for the dog's current handler. MWDs are as different as any other group of dogs in personality. They are going to have some drive for sure, but many that are getting adopted out are older.

As far as why they get adopted out, there are many reasons, but it is usually when the dog can no longer do the work, due to injury, age or PTSD.

Thanks for sharing this information. I hope these retiring dogs can go to appropriate homes where they can thrive through interaction with understanding and knowledgeable owners. They have paid their debt to society and IMO, deserve the best retirement we can give them.


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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

blackshep said:


> It definitely happens


It's actually a big problem with dogs that are riding in a vehicle when it gets hit by an IED. They sometimes get really freaked out and pretty much shut down. Some of them never make it back. 

The same thing happens to people too.


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## hunterisgreat (Jan 30, 2011)

PTSD occurs in elephants as well. Its been well documented that when a herd has mothers culled, or poached, the orphans (while still raised by the remaining herd) can become profoundly effected and act out later in life.


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## Susan_GSD_mom (Jan 7, 2014)

I believe my Orick suffers from PTSD. We don't know what all happened to him his first year, and there are times when he awakens in a start with a frantic look on his face, running back and forth until he realizes where I am, then crawls into my lap...It takes him a while to calm down. There doesn't seem to be anything that triggers it, unless it's flashbacks in his dreams. My sister suffers from PTSD (extreme childhood abuse) and I have been with her when she suffers flashbacks. Orick acts the same way. They break my heart. For humans, meds and therapy do help, but it never goes away. With Orick, we'll just have to see as time goes on.

Susan


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

Where are you getting the dog from? I have friends interested in adopting a retired military or police dog.


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## Susan_GSD_mom (Jan 7, 2014)

RebelGSD said:


> Where are you getting the dog from? I have friends interested in adopting a retired military or police dog.


RebelGSD,

Not sure who you are addressing your post to... If it was me, my dog Orick is a rescue, and the first 2 years of his life, especially the first year, he was abused, neglected, starved, and left in a kennel with another, larger male GSD who beat up on him all the time. So I was just commenting on PSTD in dogs, regardless of the cause. It's not a pretty thing, and I am sure Orick's not suffering as much as the MWDs who go through the trauma of war events.

Susan


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

OP, if you post any contact info you want to share about the adoption program here, those of us connected with rescues can help get the word out to families looking for older dogs to adopt.

David, is there any military research on successful techniques (training or medication) to help dogs with PTSD? I see occasional issues with dogs in rescue that seem like the dog is going through something like PTSD, and I wish I knew better how to help them.


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## nezzz (Jan 20, 2013)

David Winners said:


> Most military dogs have been on many different handlers. They are used to learning new people. If you have some experience with WL dogs, you should be fine. There are a few things to consider if you have another dog in the home. Same sex aggression is always something to consider with adult dogs, and some MIL dogs get into fence fighting in the kennels, which can lead to some possible DA issues.
> 
> The adoption coordinator will have some background information about the particular dog you are interested in, and may also have contact information for the dog's current handler. MWDs are as different as any other group of dogs in personality. They are going to have some drive for sure, but many that are getting adopted out are older.
> 
> ...


Thanks David for the tips. If he's receptive to training from another handler, I guess it will be easier for me. But do these dogs adjust to life easily after retirement and in a new environment?


RebelGSD said:


> Where are you getting the dog from? I have friends interested in adopting a retired military or police dog.





Magwart said:


> OP, if you post any contact info you want to share about the adoption program here, those of us connected with rescues can help get the word out to families looking for older dogs to adopt.
> 
> David, is there any military research on successful techniques (training or medication) to help dogs with PTSD? I see occasional issues with dogs in rescue that seem like the dog is going through something like PTSD, and I wish I knew better how to help them.


I don't live in the US so I don't know how it will help most of you guys. My contact is a friend of mine who is a police dog handler who is going to take me to see some retired police and military dogs.

There is no war and we don't deploy our troops to war zones so these dogs haven't experienced war before, they're mostly guard dogs, as well as bomb and drug sniffers and a couple of search & rescue. Mostly labradors and hounds but there are one or two GSDs and malinois I'm interested in. 

Military/police adoption drives here typically have good reception and most dogs get rehomed, I'm just getting first dibs because of my contact. Adoption is not certain yet, I still need to find a dog I like and also I need to consider if I should get another dog.


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