Croatian army sees its dogs of war as pride of NATO
Source: Reuters
By Zoran Radosavljevic DUGO SELO, Croatia, Nov 2 (Reuters) - The training camp with burning hoops, suspension bridges, 'terrorist' strongholds and speeding vans is awaiting the dogs of war. But these aren't the grizzled mercenaries of far-flung conflict, they are Croatia's elite four-legged soldiers. Young German and Belgian shepherds, Rottweilers and Labradors will spend six months learning how to find hidden drugs or explosives, bring down a runaway suspect and, vitally, keep their cool under fire and never disobey their handlers. Many of them may soon replace the cosiness of the Dugo Selo barracks near Zagreb with the harsh conditions of the NATO-led peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan. Croatian military policemen and dogs have served there for the past three years. "Afghanistan was our first international mission. All commanders there were really satisfied with our dogs and the job they did and that's the best recognition we can get," said lieutenant Branko Mikulic, the training camp commander. Superb training is vital if they are to make it in the real world, and superb training of dogs is what Croatia's army prides itself on, having forged it in the 1991-95 war of independence. "That's some experience you cannot learn at school, it really facilitates our work in Afghanistan," said Mikulic. Handlers here spend 24 hours a day with their dog. Romano Grdic and his brown Labrador Hondo are inseparable, having served six months in Kabul securing the premises of the German mission commander. "For me, Hondo is a family member and a partner. He trusts me and I trust him," Grdic said. Dogs have accompanied soldiers into battle throughout history, giving rise to "Cry, 'Havoc!' and let slip the dogs of war" from Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar". Frederick Forsyth used the line for the title of "The Dogs of War", a novel about mercenaries in Africa which was made into a film. HIGH HOPES IN NATO Croatia has started adapting to NATO standards, hoping to join the alliance in the next few years. To that aim, military police joined a project, co-financed by England and Denmark, where dog trainers from each country compare their experience. "We are now creating conditions to become compatible with NATO members. Our aim is for any dog trained in Croatia to be able to serve in any NATO unit, whose commander can know exactly what to expect from the dog and its handler," Mikulic said. "Our dogs' quality, search technique and reliability have already been recognized on the ground," Mikulic said. Therefore, Croatia hopes to become NATO's regional centre for training military dogs. This would also generate profit as a trained dog can fetch between 10,000 and 30,000 euros. "If this idea takes off, we would train handlers and dogs from anywhere in the region and all those who come here would have to pay," Mikulic said. The dogs relentlessly sniff out hidden drugs or explosives. They can spring into a running van and subdue the driver, or jump through the window of a house guarded by armed terrorists. But regardless of how high their adrenaline level may be, they will not do anything unless ordered to by their handler -- a testimony to good drill. Only one from dozens of dogs trained here in the last 15 years died in action after his parachute failed to open during a drop. He was buried in a small cemetery at the far end of the barracks reserved for Croatian army dogs, the only one of its kind in this part of Europe. Each of a few dozen small tombstones carries the dog's name, age and specialisation. "This cemetery shows our respect and gratitude, our paramount love for the dogs," Mikulic said.
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