On the eve of the September 3 Armed Forces Day, the Chinese Culture Association, in collaboration with the Ministry of National Defense Military News Agency, officially released the latest episode of Artisan Spirit titled “Dog Power Unleashed” today. This episode features the highly popular “K9” military dog unit on social media, taking viewers behind the scenes of military dogs’ daily lives, from training processes and duties to retirement mechanisms.
Wearing specialized vests and dog boots, “K9” (a homophone of the English word “canine”) is the universal term used by countries worldwide for military and police dogs. The Military Police Command’s Guard Battalion Military Dog Unit is responsible for venue security inspections at the Presidential Office, locations visited by the head of state, and major event sites. It is the only unit in the ROC Armed Forces that employs dogs to perform counter-terrorism explosive detection tasks. Handlers and military dogs work in close partnership to search for and neutralize potential threats such as explosives, ensuring the safety of key locations and personnel.
“These spirited explosive detection dogs were once adorable, fluffy puppies.” Military dog trainer Staff Sergeant Wang Po-min explained that training for Military Police dogs mostly begins at the Ministry of Finance Customs Administration’s Drug Detection Dog Training Center. Since 2018, the ROC Armed Forces have collaborated with the center, selecting Labrador Retrievers as the breed for training. From birth, puppies undergo gradual training: using games to develop their sense of smell and exploration instincts, learning to adapt to different environments, and gradually building positive foundations through companionship and encouragement, preparing them for future missions.
To enhance social adaptability, puppies between two months and one year of age are placed with foster families. These families take them to schools, train stations, parks, and other public places to familiarize them with crowds and environments. After reaching one year of age, the dogs are assigned to different units. This socialization phase determines whether the dogs will be able to successfully perform important tasks in the future.
Staff Sergeant Wang stated that a well-known saying in military dog training is “Trust Your Dog,” meaning a partnership is built through complete trust. Military dogs and their handlers are the most important work partners. The training philosophy of the military dog unit is not based on obedience but on establishing trust and rapport through games, interaction, and positive reinforcement. This relationship extends beyond duty hours; in daily life, handlers must maintain the most sincere interaction with their dogs, carefully reading the messages they convey and allowing the dogs to sustain their enthusiasm for work through a continuous sense of achievement.
Episode 55 of Artisan Spirit, “Dog Power Unleashed,” premiered today at 0800 hours on the Chinese Culture Association’s Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram platforms, with simultaneous release on the Military News Agency YouTube channel.