by Airman 1st Class Jason J. Brown
633rd Air Base Wing Public Affairs
7/16/2010 - LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (AFNS) -- Military working dogs and their handlers from across Air Combat Command assembled here June 28 through July 2 for the first military working dog training seminar.
The handlers and dogs attended the five day course, hosted by the 633rd Security Forces Squadron, to receive intensive education and training, including dog psychology and behavior, decoy training, and ways to improve working dog performance.
The seminar provided the upgrade training for security forces MWD teams to be successful at home and while deployed, said Staff Sgt. Gary Cheney, a 633rd SFS MWD handler.
"These dogs are safeguards on the front lines, at the gates finding bombs and drugs, supporting our sister services outside the wire," he said. "This training ensures that dogs and handlers can perform in the real world."
Master Sgt. Antonio Rodriguez, the 902nd Security Forces Squadron law enforcement operations superintendent from Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, and Chris Jakubin, a U.S. Air Force Academy kennel master, administered the course, which began with a classroom session before handlers and dogs began hands-on decoy and prey training.
The instructors designed the program to enhance the dogs' abilities and educate handlers who, in turn, return to their respective units and share the training with other handlers.
