Belgian Malinois, German Shepherd breeds under spotlight as possible war hero dogs

Despite the few facts released about the raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound, people are parsing each detail in an in­cred­ibly collective study of the incident. The latest focus of attention? The dog that helped the team bring down bin Laden.

Military dogs have a long and storied history of fighting alongside soldiers (check out this gallery of war dogs at Foreign Policy), but the reliance on man’s best friend has increased as the enemy has increased its reliance on improvised explosive devices. Dogs have a far better track record of quickly finding bombs, the New York Times reports.

The military has kept mum on the breed of the dog, but the military usually has relied on Belgian Malinois, German Shepherds and Labradors in previous missions. The Belgian Malinois is a breed not as well known as the German Shepherd or the Labrador, but it is also trained to herd sheep. All three breeds possess the speed, agility and sense of smell needed in war zones.

In 2010, David Zucchino wrote for the L.A. Times: “The military considers them just pieces of equipment; they even have service numbers tattooed inside their ears.”

The Daily reports: “Their razor-sharp teeth are made from titanium, their body armor can withstand clouds of hot shrapnel, and they’ve been trained to wear oxygen masks for high-altitude skydives into enemy territory.”

Gardiner Harris at the New York Times writes: “Suzanne Belger, president of the American Belgian Malinois Club, said she was hoping the dog was one of her breed ‘and that it did its job and came home safe.’” But Laura Gilbert, corresponding secretary for the German Shepherd Dog Club of America, said she was sure the dog was her breed “because we’re the best!”

Charles County Sheriff's officers from the K-9 unit give a demonstration of with a Belgian Malinois. (Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post) “Their training is intense; their working conditions are deplorable; their lives are always on the line,”the U.S. War Dogs web site reads. The animals can be adopted after they finish their service, but most need to be adopted by highly trained dog handlers.

Charles County Sheriff's officers from the K-9 unit give a demonstration of with a Belgian Malinois.

Gerry Proctor, an officer at Lackland Air Force base in the dog training division, where the dog was trained, took questions at 1 p.m. on the Washington Post Conversations site about the training process for these dogs, what they can do and why having a military dog was valuable to the Navy SEALs while taking down Osama bin Laden