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Dogs have always been integral to the Indian Army and squad, whether in research operations or on battlefields. But their service and contribution are consistently undermined by the people. From finding the subtle clues to detect explosives and provide alerts for any insurgency, they have played a significant role in the army. And that’s a reason why there is an undefined bond between a soldier and a dog.
Many countries train their dogs for specific tasks and inherent qualities that help later in future with the tasks. There are many other tasks for which people also use dogs in the Indian army. In today’s blog, we will share with you things you must know about the Dog Squad of the Indian Army.
Know All About Indian Army Dog Squad
1. The Dog Squad of the Indian army is made after their rigorous and extreme training. After training, the final selection is carried forward and many face rejection.
2. The army dogs are meticulously trained as they play a significant role in search and rescue activities. They also opted for assistance in recovering explosives; without them, these activities can get a setback.
3. The Dog Squad doesn’t consist of ordinary customary pets. And that’s the reason why the Remount Veterinary Corps (RVC) is rewarded with Shaurya Chakra.
4. The Indian Dog Squad has more than 1000 trained dogs. But the task of maintaining their strength is given to RVC only.
5. During their training, dogs are taught to control their barks in combat situations and are coached with many other things to prepare them for any worse situation. The main objective is to cover their position in front of the enemy.
6. The military dogs are meticulously trained to respond to hand gestures of the military along with the verbal order for better communication with the handlers.
Additional Facts To Know About Dog Squad
7. During the celebration of Republic Day in 2016, an army dog squad also participated along with the soldiers. The celebration was held at the RVC Center and College, Meerut Cantt. The gesture was significant for recognizing the dog squad as an integral part of the Indian Army.
8. Labradors and German Shepherd are the army squad’s most preferred and popular breeds. The qualities that made them perfect for the army were their ability to adapt to any training schedule and rigorous training.
They are also easy to train and have the best skills to perform a task effectively.
9. An army dog’s training duration ranges from 8-10 years.
10. As the service duration of an army dog ends, they are put to sleep. The post-care of the dogs is quite expensive. And the risk of any information by the dog to any person makes the army take this harsh decision for the sake of the safety of the entire organization.
11. The entire cost to train a dog for the army ranges from 1 to 1.2 lakhs. They undergo nine months to prepare for any tasks and operations. After their training and tests, they are further sent to their respective district.
12. The team that picks dogs for the army is called CBCID. They ensure that each dog that goes for the training is not more than a year along with the breed. After the selection process, the dog squad goes to the training center in either Panchkula in Punjab or Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh.