Gone to the dogs

Man’s best friend: Military police dog Rocky and his handler Cpl Mark Laing, 44 MP Pl, stick together after graduating from the Army’s first dog handler’s course. Photo by Lt Simone Heyer

By Lt Simone Heyer

NEW military police dog handlers have sunk their teeth into the Army’s first military police dog handler course in Oakey.

Four MPs and their furry friends marched out of the 13-week course in mid-June.

The handlers completed seven units of competency, ranging from dog obedience to deploying a military police dog overseas.

WO2 Michael Pimm, 44 MP Pl, said previously the Air Force trained Army MP dog handlers, but the MPs wanted a course to better meet Army requirements.

“We analysed the RAAF course and redeveloped it to meet the Army’s needs,” he said.

“The course is based on everyday duties of Army MPs and lessons learned in the course of our work.

“Approval was given last year to run a pilot course.”

Once the TMP was constructed, instructors formulated lessons to reach identified objectives.

With the success of the pilot course, two courses will be run next year at 44 MP Pl or the Defence Police Training Centre.

The new course brings military dog-handler training in line with civilian accredited dog-handling roles, such as the police force and the Australian Customs Service.

WO2 Pimm said students on the course took dogs with no training and taught them all they needed to know to become highly efficient military police dogs.

“They can now use these dogs as a specialist capability in the Army. They know the constraints and implications of deploying a dog in the wider Army and what factors are considered in planning phases and how a dog can be used to enhance capabilities,” he said.

He said handlers had developed firm bonds with their dogs, which in most cases were donated by the public.

Two awards were given on the course: Top Team for best handler and dog went to Cpl Shane Harden and Kyro; and Student of Merit, for the soldier with the best academic results, went to LCpl Christian Bryant.

Soldiers will now take on duties within the platoon in the security sections of fly-away teams.

For Cpl Mark Laing, graduation from the military dog handler’s course is a dream come true.

“I’ve wanted to be a dog handler ever since I joined the Army in 1988,” he said.

He said the course was a challenge.

“It was in-depth but good. Dog physiology was probably the most difficult aspect, but the dog training was the most rewarding. My dog, Rocky, was afraid of grasshoppers, so I had my work cut out for me.”

Cpl Laing said before being taken on by the MPs, Rocky was destined for death row at the RSPCA.

“He went from a deadbeat dog to a standard I could be proud of. I never want to leave here without him,” he said. WO2 Pimm said he was ecstatic with the results of the course. “I couldn’t have asked for better. The dedication and perseverance of instructors has produced exceptional results – and four qualified handlers.”

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