Meet Arpy

Age comes for all of us and this big boy is no exception. After years of faithful service as a Military Working Dog (MWD) stationed in Japan, this seven-year-old gentle giant retired a year ago due to a malady common to German Shepards, hip dysplasia.

Arpy has a special connection to our family. He served as the faithful companion and protector to our son, his trainer and handler. When the chance to adopt him upon retirement surfaced, we accepted without hesitation.

We met Arpy for the first time last June when we traveled to Japan to see our son. One Sojourner, Jr. escorted us to the on-base building housing his function, a two story structure with offices above and kennels on the first floor. The grounds also sported a large fenced area with an obstacle course where the MWDs could run through training drills as well as get some well deserved exercise.

On that day, the team was cleaning all the kennels and had the K-9s in the smaller, truck mounted kennel enclosures used for transport. While our son went inside to let his coworkers know he had visitors on the grounds, we kept our distance from the MWDs until he returned.

When our son emerged from the building, we approached the dogs in the transport kennels. All were quietly in their spaces looking at the strangers approaching. Our son walked us around to each enclosure, pointing out each dog, their name, and something about their characters. As he was standing directly behind me speaking about a “sweet goofball,” I offered my hand to a large K-9 who filled the dark enclosure, only alert intelligent eyes and a hint of noise were visible.

“Uh, Dad. I wouldn’t do that,” said One Sojourner, Jr., USMC.

Quickly retracting my hand, “I thought you said she was a ‘sweet goofball’.”

“I said that about Wendy. That’s not Wendy. Wendy is the next one over.”

“Oh, good thing you told me. Who is this then?”

“That’s Rambo.”

Enough said. Lesson learned.

Military Working Dogs: Not Your Typical Pet Pooches

As animal lovers, we always had 2-3 dogs at a time at home (plus a cat) while the kids were growing up, including a GSD, my favorite breed since childhood.

While our large breed dogs had the potential for inflicting damage, as any dog of any real size does, I spent the time necessary training them and we always socialized them well, for their own comfort and peace of mind as well as for ours and that of our family and friends who visited. They were calm, sweet, and pets who knew how to “dog.”

However, while the look might be similar, MWD’s in many respects are not your ordinary large breed pooches. By rearing and training, MWDs are in a class all their own and it’s our first experience being around K-9s that have been trained for bite work, attack upon command, search and rescue, and the like.

Our son opened one of the enclosures, attached a tether, and a massive, and I mean massive, K-9 bounded out. One Sojourner, Jr. introduced us to his buddy, Arpy, who barely acknowledged our presence. His focus was solidly on his handler waiting for a command.

We went into the fenced-in area with obstacle course and our son ran Arpy through some of his training drills. Arpy’s focus and discipline were exceptional as was our son’s confidence in his buddy. I was proud and amazed. After the mini-work session completed, both walked over to us and our son proferred the only real treat he cares about, Arpy’s Kong.

Arpy played catch with his Kong, gnawing and popping the red plastic treat in his mouth. He’d bump his buddy’s hand upon his triumphant return with his coveted red prize, an indication Arpy wanted to play “tug” with whatever he had in his mouth.

“Here, Dad. Why don’t you play with him. Don’t worry. As long as you have the Kong, you are fine.”

Our son handed me the toy bathed in thick slobber. Arpy’s eyes completely focused now on me. I threw his Kong and he retrieved it. He came right back to me, bumping me the same way he bumped my son, wanting me to put my hands around the toy, dripping wet, in his massive jaws to play tug of war. As I did, I could feel him bite down, Arpy’s strength was immediately apparent, and he wasn’t even trying. He was playing.

I’m not skittish of animals, but I admit, Arpy gave me pause. He’s the largest GSD I’ve ever seen, easily eight inches longer than any we’ve had. His paws are literally the size of Girlfriend Sojourner, Jr.’s feet. This is no exaggeration. Pictures do not do him justice and fail to capture his full stature, size, and strength. Arpy resembles more of a relation to a Timberwolf than a German Shepherd. If you’ve ever been close to a Timberwolf, and I have, you will know they are very unsmall.

Before we traveled to Japan, I’d ask our son the do’s and don’t’s of being around MWDs, knowing that we’d get a chance to meet his buddy while on base. I don’t know if it’s USMC SOP, but our son never really offered any insight in this area – other than the obvious. Avoid sudden movements, etc. I’d ask him about words or phases to avoid and One Sojourner, Jr. was no help. “You’ll be fine. Don’t worry about it,” were the responses I’d receive. Only after we were on our way to pickup Arpy at Lackland Air Force Base outside San Antonio, TX after his service with distinction ended did my son, still in Japan, offer any help.

“You might avoid saying, ‘Get ‘em’ and things like that,” he said.

“Well, you know, I’m old and the likelihood is high that I’m going to forget, screw up, and say something like that unintentionally.”

“Uh, well don’t.”

Thanks, son. I’ve been asking you for over a year and all I get is don’t.

It’s really the first time I’ve been at a loss, especially with a dog.

In the time that we’ve had the pleasure of providing a place to transition back into civilian life, he has taught us many things. Arpy is the sweetest pooch I’ve had the pleasure of being around. However, he is no pet, not in the traditional sense. Because of his time in the military, he recognizes and values two things and two things only, nothing else: Work and play. He’s not food driven. He is no cuddler.

In our uneducated experience as MWD first-timers, we’re trying our best to transition him into retirement in peace so Arpy can begin to “dog” again. If he doesn’t believe he has a job or is at play, anxiety is quick to overwhelm Apry and it comes out as ball of nervous energy causing him to frantically search the house until something or someone eases it by giving him a job to do or brandishing a toy with the backyard door wide open. Girlfriend Sojourner, Jr. takes him out in his harness and he’s a perfect gentleman, always, even going to work with her on occasion. He’s disciplined and doesn’t react to people or other animals as other dogs would.

They are Heroes that Deserve the Best of Us

Fearless, selfless, and courageous, MWDs are no less heroes than the humans they serve along side. We are honored to have the opportunity to provide Arpy with a loving home and a chance to relax and have fun in his retirement, until his buddy returns for their next adventure together.

Credits: All photos and playtime courtesy of Girlfriend Sojourner, Jr.