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In this video a German Shepherd Marine dog handler hares what like to be military partners helping to protect the US President!
Cpl. Christopher Vogt works as a canine handler and trains Kepie, a longhaired German Shepherd military dog. The pair help protect the president of the United States.
“Once you pick up a military working dog, you first build rapport. You go out there; you walk with them; you play with them,” he says. “That dog needs to learn you. He needs to trust everything you say, so he needs to be able to know your voice and be able to know what you do and how you’re going to react.”
Every day, Christopher trains the German Shepherd in obedience and patrol work. The dog also needs to learn how to interact with civilians who may get friendly toward him, while being wary of those who may be engaging in suspicious behavior.
Just like their handlers, Kepie and his fellow military working dogs also go through physical training.
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“The dogs are just as much Marines as we are, so they PT every day just like us. If we go on a run, they go on a run with us,” Vogt says.
The duo is stationed at Marine Corps Air Facility in Quantico, Va., with Helicopter Squadron One. Vogt and Kepie travel ahead of the president, and arrive at a location before the president.
“In HMX-1, Marine Helicopter Squadron, we are in direct support of the president of the United States. We protect the helicopters and all assets that are involved with the movement of the president. There are only six dogs in the squadron,” Vogt says.
They work together to make sure there isn’t any danger for the president – sweeping the area and maintaining security.
“Working with a dog … there’s nothing else like it. The love they have for you and how they’ll protect you in any case – it’s unbelievable,” Vogt says.
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