That is the question! I am helping some MWD handlers and all three are fairly new in this job. I have asked a few other MWD handlers and I have received a couple different answers. I would like to see what others think. There is one dog that will not bark when we agitate him. The handler is wanting to work on this. He wants him to bark at the decoy. While asking this question to other MWD handlers, they asked me why he wanted his dog to bark. They stated that they would rather have a dog that didn't bark. It gave their position away while deployed out to different places. What are some opinions or suggestions on this one? Should the MWDs bark at the decoy?

I have had great success with what I call a magic kennel, or tie the tie out and watch method. The magic kennel is nothing more than putting the dog in the kennel (one without a top on it) and let the dog watch others dogs being worked, if he is a working dog he should get worked up enough to start barking on his own, then the handler needs to be there to praise that behavior. Then have the decoy tease the dog in a prey fashion with the sleeve, separated by the kennel fence the whole time, and about 3Ft off the fence (standing back a little works more) and have the decoy keep repeating the barking command, while the dog is being teased and as soon as he gives what could be construde as a bark, toss him over the sleeve. The same can be done for a dog backtied. It also helps if he is backtied with other dogs that will bark. For a dog that doesn't attempt to bark, I would also make sure he is on a harness, instead of collar if backtied, the last thing you want is for him to be uncomfortable if he does try to bark. If all else fails just have him close to the training, and don't let him participate, Frustration is motivating factor.

Chris,

That is some good advice. I appreciate that and I will remember it. But, do you think MWDs should bark at the decoy or is it OK if the dog doesn't bark?

As an MWD Handler, I preferred a dog that would bark at the decoy on the command of "watch 'em" but could be easily shut off when told to "out". But, if it were a choice between bark or not bark, I would choose to have a dog that didn't bark. It's too much of a pain when you are trying to issue challenges when you find the decoy during scouts and building searches. It's also difficult when you have to give the warning during searches.

As long as the dog has good drives I wouldn't worry about the barking. Now, if he's not barking because he doesn't have enough prey drive and the decoy doesn't interest him that's a different story.

I have also taught a silence command. To me it's the best of both worlds. I'll tell you a quick story of a MWD that wouldn't shut up when he was told to be quiet, and it saved our lives. I was in Iraq and we decided to bring along an MP and a dog, because they never get out on missions anymore, it's not like vietnam where the dogs went out all the time. I had suggested on our next mission we take a dog because we started having some runners, they would fight and then drop weapons when they ran out of ammo and run, figuring we couldn't shoot them, because they were unarmed, and trying to chase them on foot when they were already 200yards away, wasn't realistic tactically. So we said the next runners are going to get some K9's in their anus!! We were watching an area that we thought weapons were being dropped off and picked up, when the dog started barking behind us at a field to my 6 O'clock, we looked and didn't see anything, and figured the dog was just a little on edge. We ended up getting attacked from my 9-2 O'clock, they had some RPK machine guns and were rockin with'em, the dog kept barking to our 6, the handler was trying to fire and control his dog, as I glanced I was seeing him having a hard time, he was trying to shoot at 12 o'clock and the dog was alerting on 6 o'clock. This whole time I'm thinking man I can't believe they haven't shot any rockets (RPG's) at us yet, I'm anticipating that rock my bells feeling when an RPG lands close, but none, the enemy was laying steady suppression fire on us from 9-2, then the handler lost the leash and the dog was about to charge the 6 when the handler got control of him, I took a moment to observe the 6, My men who was watching the 6 saw nothing at our 6, all of a sudden we saw about 3 men appear for about 2 seconds, and then they disappeared in the vegetation of the field. I immediatly re-structured our defensive position, and right after I did, we were hit with a barrage of 3 RPG rounds from that 6. My 240 machine gunner attatched to me turned from the 12 to the 6 and gave those bastards a bad day. Had that dog not continued barking, and alerting on our 6, I wouldn't have put extra eyes on it, and I probably wouldn't have re-structured my position and who knows what would have happened in that RPG barrage.

Hey Chris,

Thanks for the story. Wow! You are a blessed man. Thank God that K-9 knew someone was back there.

Chris, that one should qualify for Will's book