The Future of the MWD Program

LSCO Integration and Holistic Health and Wellness

By First Lieutenant Catherine A. Nelson

The growing threat from China in the United States Indo-Pacific Command region has prompted a shift to large-scale combat operations-oriented training as a driving factor across the force. For the military working dog program, the shift from counterinsurgency operations to large-scale combat operations has also meant a shift in mentality toward our canine companions. In the large-scale combat operations environment, military working dogs are now considered warfighters. The 520th Military Police Detachment “Sheepdogs,” Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, have adopted new ways to care for, train, and employ military working dogs across the Pacific Theater. The Sheepdogs are changing the way that military working dogs are integrated into large-scale combat operations and taking a new approach to holistic health and wellness for military working dogs.

As with any other Soldier, the health and wellness of military working dogs is paramount to their success in future conflicts. The Sheepdogs embraced this mentality by including their military working dogs in their foot marches, installing a treadmill for military working dog use, and working closely with the veterinary team to build tailored fitness programs for each military working dog. The fitness programs cover everything from stamina to work/rest cycles, diet, and the behavioral health of the dogs. Within the realm of military working dog behavioral health, the Sheepdogs have implemented various methods of controlling military working dog behavior in and out of the runs and keeping aggression under wraps. Key aids used in the runs include puzzle bowls and calming toys. Puzzle bowls force hyperactive/aggressive dogs to slow their eating and deliberately think about how to get their food—which, in turn, forces them to redirect unproductively spent energy to a more meaningful task. And “aggression balls”—which are essentially large, rubber bouncy balls—allow dogs the opportunity for productive play. The use of puzzle bowls and calming toys in the runs helps keep the military working dogs from becoming overstimulated and overstressed before they are assigned a task.

Focusing on holistic health and wellness produces military working dogs that are ready for law enforcement missions and integration into large-scale combat operations throughout the United States Indo-Pacific Command area of operations. One of the first large-scale combat operations exercises to include military working dogs was the 2d Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Bronco Rumble, in which military working dog teams from the 520th Military Police Detachment were integrated with combat support military police platoons. The teams conducted route sweeps and assisted with security patrols and other tasks. This exercise set the conditions for 520th military working dog teams to support the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center, Schofield Barracks, where the teams served in similar capacities with infantry units from the 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, providing support to their maneuver elements. During the time between these two exercises, leaders became rappel master-certified, fast rope insertion/extraction systems-certified, and special patrol insertion/extraction system master-certified. These certifications and work with the Lightning Academy, Schofield Barracks, and the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii, enabled military working dog handlers to train on tactical insertion and movement methods with their dogs. Since the culmination of this training, military working dog handlers from across the detachment have served as subject matter experts to partner nations, bolstering their military working dog programs, conventional forces, and nonconventional forces.

From the home of the 520th Military Police Detachment at Schofield Barracks, the Sheepdogs continue to lead the way in military working dog health and wellness, bringing the benefits of lessons learned into the modern battlespace to ensure that our battalion, brigade, Military Police Corps Regiment, and Army are ready for any missions that come our way.