Did anyone else notice that she already has two horses, two cats and three dogs to care for?

That's at the bottom of the link Dennis Jones posted earler.

I keep hearing on the news, etc. that there is a serious shortage of working dogs for security, bomb sniffing, etc. in airports, overseas and wherever else they are needed. I have always wondered why that is? With such a high demand and a shortage of dogs why aren't more people/kennels/trainers producing more working dogs?

Is the government not willing to spend the money?

In issues like these many miss the big picture . They only look at a possible quick fix to this Sgt's problems . They don't see that this compassionate jesture is actually exposing someone else(or many others) indirectly to death or bodily injury because the dog wasn't there to do it's job .

For those that don't know , there is a huge demand for qualified K9 candidates in the Military , Law Enforcement and Private Security fields . More so in the need for Explosive detector dogs . There is not only a huge demand in the United States but around the world also .

There has been a shortage of K9's qualified for these jobs since before 9/11 and it got much worse after 9/11 . You can't simply replace something there is already a huge shortage of .

These dogs also take along time select and train . After training they continue to improve through the actual real life work they do . There is no replacing the real life experiance these K9's have gained . You lose alot by starting over with a new K9 .

I know some may think I lack compassion for this Sgt. because I feel this dog shouldn't be given to her when she is in a time of great need but it's quite the opposite . I feel so much compassion for her situation I don't want others to join her because a valuable tool was taken away from them that was meant to keep them safe .

Matt ,

I saw your question after I posted my last statement .

I think it is because a dog with the genetics needed to do this type of work is rare . The puppies with these genetics in any litter are the minority . Also there aren't enough good breeders to meet the demand . It's a very tough business to make a living on .So I don't think you will see alot of people scrambling to take on the job of a breeder or K9 vendor .

It looks as if the Sgt has plenty of strength to pick a fight this big. The healing effects of this drama ought to have her back on her feet in no time. Who has time for a lowly working dog with all the media clamoring about.

I say, get one of the three dogs you already have and let the EDD save a brothers life.

Howard

I don't think any of us really 'lacks compassion' for this woman.

It's just that some of us are being a bit more objective and seeing the bigger picture, which is that this dog is needed elsewhere, to save more lives.

Working dogs are bred, raised, and trained to work. This dog is lucky enough to be worked, and worked to the benefit of the soldiers and Iraqi civilians still in harms way.

That needs to continue.

The needs of the many American troops still fighting a war absolutely outweight the needs of the single soldier who is now back home due to injury.

That doesn't mean that we don't owe this soldier a debt of gratitude beyond what she will ever receive, quite the opposite. That still doesn't entitle her to keeping the dog.

It is a sad situation, but the dog needs to get back to work. (if it hasn't already)

After spending over two years in combat zones with my dog and being awarded a bronze star with a "v" device I still could not keep my dog. We were deployed for the third time when I lost her. She died over there and she died so that other could live. This thread needs to be closed. We have to many "feel good" civilians commenting on stuff they have no idea about. Should she keep the dog...NO.. Should we feel sorry for her...Sure but she is not the only one to die or be injured. BUT like Jessica Lynch she will get the press time. I was on the rescue mission and it was a joke. She was no more a hero then the next troop to be captured. So for this to go on and become a debate is stupid. I agree with Chris and Will she needs to suck it up and move on. She deployed over there with a thousand other dog handlers. She is one of about 130 handlers now to be hurt. What people fail to realize is 90% of the dogs in country are bomb dogs. You are in harms way every dog. You get shot at you see your friends die and you come to realize that you too could check out maybe on your next search or maybe in the chow hall or just maybe when you are driving in a convoy of post in a war torn country. It happens and the press jumps on the stories that will get this kind of reaction. IMO Civilians do not need to know what happens in War. It is ugly and 90% of them cannot handle it. Ask Will or Chris or even Ed they’re feeling in the subject and I promise you will not like what you hear because it is the truth.

If anyone on the board has a right to speak about the subject it is the four of us. We have lived it. Chris and Will and earned the right to have an option on this subject. If you have not stood in the sand you have not. If you have not seen the worst that the human race has to offer or watched your best friend being zipped up into a body bag you have no right to comment on where a working dog should go. You need to stick to your sport comments.. As it was said before Working dogs need to Work not be retired out to a girl throwing a temper tantrum.

(SGT) Matt Hammond
US Army K-9 Corp 94-03

My friend was an Army K9 handler in Lebanon for three years (Norwegian Army). This was about ten years ago. He said the army had a policy of rotating dogs every 6 months. Every handler was deployed for a year and would still change dog in the middle of his deployment period. Don’t know if this is still current practice and maybe I misunderstood something, but I’m pretty sure that’s what he said. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Matt,
Thank you for your post. Your statememts are helpful and not rude. You are right I for one do not understand the things that happen in war. I do understand violance in America, but that is very different.
You are also right that my post before came from "feelings"
I do work with service and commanion dogs and so my thinking comes for that point.
I did state this before. I did not intend to insult ANYONE, I came to this board to learn and have. But have had no idea about anyones past one much about police or war dogs.
You are right about this thread needing to be closed because unless someone has been where you and the rest of our service men and women have been (we,I ) can't committ except from what we know in our own lifes.

After being given the reason for the dogs and how they are used and not just reading the story. It is much easier to understand why you all are up set that this girl wants the dog. It is not her dog and the dog needs to do the work it is born and trained to do.
If she needs the type of dogs that I'm more likely to be working with then she can get one later.
Again I've not meant to insult anyone !
Thank you (SGT)Matt Hammond for you post.