Four-legged friends in the army – military dogs “living weapons” in case of emergency

The barking of dogs can be heard from far away. “Enter at your own risk!” is written in large letters on the green gate of the military dog ​​center Kaisersteinbruch, which has been running what is probably the largest breeding farm for Rottweilers in the world for almost 60 years. Here, 20 trainers work with 69 Rottweilers, German Shepherds and Labradors eight hours a day, so that they can be used as a living weapon in an emergency.

With his tail wagging and his head held high, “Xempl” obediently marches past us next to his master. The dog’s gaze never leaves his owner’s eyes for a second. Because the Rottweiler knows exactly what is coming: daily training is just around the corner. And that has already paid off. “’Xempl’ has already represented Austria three times at the World Rottweiler Championships and each time ranked in the top 10 in the world,” says his owner, Martin Kruiss, head of training at the military dog ​​center.

Aggressive fighting dog?
The male Rottweiler was born here seven and a half years ago and has since worked daily as a service dog for the guard and security service of the armed forces. In addition to “Xempel”, mainly young dogs are trained here. The group training has just started on a fenced meadow.

Kruiss knows exactly what he is doing, even though training with his “Rotti” can leave him quite breathless. “Xempl” weighs at least 45 kilos. Kruiss has been practicing dog sports for over 30 years and turned his hobby into a profession in 2009. Since then he has worked as a military dog ​​handler. As the son of a dog school owner, he grew up with his four-legged friends and is the proud owner of two Rottweilers himself. An aggressive fighting dog? A question that the armed forces clearly answered no.

Bitten to death by a dog
How dangerous these dogs can be was evident from, among other things, the tragic accident in November 2019 at the barracks of Wiener Neustadt airport. A dog handler was literally mauled by two dogs. However, to this day it is not clear how the drama came about.

As a Rottweiler, “Xempl” also belongs to the so-called list dogs, i.e. those dogs that are on a list of dangerous breeds. In this country, their attitudes are regulated differently from state to state. Kruiss advocates that “future dog owners should have certain basic knowledge in advance. Just so that people think about whether they can do justice to the dog and its nature with their living conditions.”

For the commander of the military dog ​​center, Otto Koppitsch, it does not matter whether it is a Golden Retriever or a Rottweiler. It’s about how you treat the dog. “Every dog ​​is nothing more than a domesticated predator,” says Koppitsch. It is always important not to miss the imprinting stages, otherwise any dog ​​can become dangerous. The commander is also certain: “Every dog ​​bite is one hundred percent human error.”

172 military dogs in the army
The exercises on the training field are not initially about biting. With its formidable, strong physique, “Xempl” is believed to catch and bark a mock offender on command. It is truly an impressive animal. Its short, dense, black coat with distinct rust-red markings on the legs, chest and face is characteristic of the breed. Every time “Xempl” executes a command, other dogs join in enthusiastically.

But the 172 military dogs throughout Austria also have to bite in an emergency, as Kruiss demonstrates with an exercise. What prevents the dog from not performing what has just been practiced without a command? The training environment. “The dog always learns on the green pasture, always with a person dressed as a helper, always hiding. The dog remembers this image.” The four-legged friend only has to and may not actually attack a human if its owner is attacked by a human.

At home, “Xempl” is a perfect family dog, as his owner explains with a loving look at his animal.