As the door gradually opened, a series of howls echoed through the hallway. A military working dog eagerly barked as her partner approached, ready to start the day. As her wingman stopped in front of her, she immediately began spinning, jumping and whining.
“They're always so excited to see us from the moment we walk toward their kennels,” said Air Force Senior Airman Angel Flores of his companion, a military working dog named Kety, a nine year-old German shepherd. “That's how it is being military working dog handlers.”
Flores, one of nine dog handlers assigned to the 5th Security Forces Squadron here, begins his day by guiding his partner outside to perform their daily duties. These include patrol, detection and scout training.
‘She's Like Family'
Flores and Kety have trained together since day one to strengthen their relationship and create a cohesive team. The two have been together for seven months, during which they've grown a bond strong enough to completely be in sync with each other.
“We have this saying of, ‘Things travel down the leash,' which basically means that our mood affects our dog's mood,” Flores said. “For example, if I'm in a bad mood then it's going to put Kety in a bad mood, too, so I always try to stay positive when I'm around her.”
He added that despite initially being unfamiliar with each other, Kety attached herself to him…
