Thousands of years ago, man forged an unusual pact with the wolf, admiring its skill as a hunting companion and protector. Our fates became entwined as wolves evolved into almost 400 distinct dog breeds. Their barks became our early warning signals. Every dog has its day and this year it is August 26, celebrated as National Dog Day. Don't forget to explore our Archive and Share & Subscribe with your friends!
Canine Ops
In the aftermath of the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound in 2011, an unusual Navy SEAL emerged from the kennels of history. Cairo, a Belgian Malinois with a talent for bomb-sniffing, was pivotal in securing the perimeter during the take-down operation. Commando Will Chesney reveals the unheralded world of canine combatants and his admiration for Cairo, the SF dog who stole his heart.
Trakr trained as a Halifax police dog but it was the German Shepherd’s remarkable bravery on 9/11 that etched his name in history. When Trakr’s handler James Symington heard about the terrorist attacks he bundled Trakr into his van for a 14-hour journey to Ground Zero. Early on September 12, Trakr’s tail went stiff as he searched the World Trade Center rubble. He’d made a life-saving discovery.
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SPYGAMES is coming to SPYSCAPE in Manhattan, Summer 2023
Italy’s Navy-trained pooches are Baywatch fit. La Scuola Italiana Cani Salvataggio trains shaggy Newfoundlands like Ferruccio to perform the most spectacular water rescue technique of all: helicopter dives. The program is the brainchild of a retired Italian Navy commander and his training methods are being adopted at US beaches.
‘Puppy Class’ graduation is a day of tummy rubs and hard-earned biscuits for black Labradors like Indigo who are motivated by food. During their four months of CIA training, dogs learn to identify thousands of explosives. Not every recruit makes the cut though. Lulu, a pacifist, didn’t give a tail wag about training but other superhero puppies feature on their own K9 Spy Dog Collectors' Cards.
Hunter might seem like an unlikely hero - after all, the Border Collie was a failed Disability Assistance Dog - but a retired teacher saw his spark and trained Hunter to become a rescue dog. When Haiti was decimated in 2010 by a 7.0 earthquake and 52 aftershocks, Fire Captain Billy Monahan and Hunter were deployed as part of a highly specialized Florida rescue team to locate survivors - and fast.
Canine spies come in many disguises including Chinese Robo-dogs that can be armed with machine guns and air-dropped into position by drones. Thailand uses cyber dogs to patrol university campuses while New York deploys Digidogs in hostage stand-offs. Privacy advocates worry that what governments are really unleashing, however, are sensors and mobile cameras that sniff out personal data.