Thinking about adopting a retired military working dog anything I should consider?

What type of service dog? Are we talking protection trained or just detection?
If it is protection trained you need to consider it is a possible liability. Yes, the dog is likely well trained and not a liability, but if he ever bites someone the first thing that will be brought into question is the dog's training. Also, we have been turned down for home insurance because we have a Police K9.

Can you handle this type of dog? These are not your average pet dog. These dogs are high drive and high energy and not to be take lightly.

Will the military even let a civilian take one of these?
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Dogs don't go temporarily insane. ALL dogs will bite. ALL dogs give warnings before hand. There is never a case of "out of the blue" there are always indicators somewhere, some people just ignore them.


@Amanda - what is the difference between this and adoption? This dog needs a home or it will be euthanized. Sounds the same to me.

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We were able to get insurance through other companies, I would just check with your current provider.
It's kinda absurd. The K9 is the least likely of all of my dogs to bite, not that any of them are dangerous. And no one is going to be breaking in.

How sad that this dog would be euthanized.

They put all that time, money & effort into training a dog and then treat it as "excess" baggage.

Sigh.

I would have a long chat with his handler as you are not really telling us what his training actually is. His handler will know him the best. I cannot imagine that the military would hand out a dog that really needed a very specific owner without which the dog could be a problem to society to be honest.

A bunch of years back, my SO got a phone call about a dog tied up in a barn, about 200 miles away. When he got there, he got the whole story- dog was MWD that had retired with his handler- handler retired from the military and drove trucks- was killed in a truck accident. Dog had been tranq'd while they were trying to get the owner's body, and dog wouldn't let them near. Family members couldn't handle the dog, so they tied it up in a barn. It was well fed, but filthy, and clearly suffering problems from being isolated for several weeks, after being accustomed to spending 24/7 working with its handler.
At first, the dog tried to attack SO, he had become quite territory protective of the barn stall he was chained in. It took 3 hours just to get him into the car. Then the dog wouldn't let him in his own car. After quite the struggle, and a few good bites, SO got the dog into the passenger's seat and started the trip home. The dog growled at him the whole ride.
When he returned home, the dog stayed in his car for three days. It wouldn't get out, and he wasn't in a position to force it to. Then it hit him (duh) the dog was trained in German. Being able to communicate with the dog, they formed a great bond, and everything was great- other than when people would walk in unannounced- the dog would do a bark and hold on them until he was released- rather inconvenient. But the dog was a good (albeit EXTREMELY headstrong and dominant) companion.

He still talks about that dog, (only all the time) and someday i will obtain and train another GSD for him (he's an ok handler, but a terrible trainer) but not right now.

If i had a MWD offered to me, i would take it. If you are a capable enough handler to do the dog justice, there's no reason you shouldn't go for it.

Never wear a turban...

i think the dog is in the U.S. we in uk have a different set of rules though like you we have an idiot test as well for the dog AND the new prospective owner. I train and work these dogs, first i suggest 1. that you talk intensively with the handler! 2. You ask the handler to train you to the dog.
The mil are not dumb and WILL NOT release the dog to someone that cant handle it!
So its back to the handler seek his cooperation and all should go well for you and the dog. I wish you all the luck in the world. I wish there were more people like you around willing to take an old dog that has done and seen more than his fair share!
Bless you for helping a dog that as indirectly helped you!

Go for it!

He deserves a happy and relaxing retirement than any one of us. They lived in kennels and worked with disciplines all along.

You should be able to spend a lot of time with him during the day. He is used to being with his handler on duty and was only put back into the kennel at night.

Keep in close touch with his handler and have yourself trained first as to how to communicate with Sir Dog. Good luck!

If the dog is trained in "patrol" work then as a civilian wanting a dog as a pet, with no training yourself, you will not be allowed to take the dog.

Contact the organisation that has the dog and ask them. If the dog is just a "sniffer" dog you may be able to take it.

ETA: Is this 11 year old dog the one listed as being in Stuttgart, Germany?
Perhaps the US military is "different" in their policies than UK Military K9's. But any dog trained to "attack on command" here in the UK would not be placed in a pet home, unless the dog had failed in this task. A trained "patrol" dog would either go to a registered security company, prison, or other, but would be considered to high a liability to be placed in a civilian pet home.
Good luck with your quest if this is possible, all the same and thanks for pointing out the Lacklands website.

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You should know all the code words. Also know that all dogs can go temporarly insane. You've heard of the quiet neighbor that "snaps." Dogs can do that too and end up killing children and weak adults.

go and addopt it it is the best way