Profile of the Canines Protecting the White House and the First Family

The recent rash of perpetrators infiltrating the White House brought heightened awareness of the efforts of the Secret Service to keep the First Family safe. Part of the Secret Service’s defenses include K-9 Unit of highly-trained dogs that were the first line of defense inside the White House perimeter in the most recent intruder’s entry on October 22, 2014 (see USAToday article W.H. fence jumper charged with assault, making threats).

These heroic dogs, Hurricane and Jordan, contained the perpetrator, Dominic Adesanya (23, of Bel Air, MD) on the North Lawn before he could gain access to the White House. In doing their jobs, the four-legged duo sustained injuries from their altercation as they were “treated for minor bruises Wednesday after they were kicked and punched by the fence-jumper, Dominic Adesanyaas.” As canine members of the Secret Service are granted comparable revere to human Secret Service members, Adesanyaas is being charged with felony assault for the damage he inflicted on the dogs.

What Kind of Dogs Make up the Presidential K-9 Unit?

The dogs that were involved in the aforementioned incident are Belgian Malinois, which are “gentle enough to be around children, but they are known for chasing people down. They take off like bullets to subdue suspects, can run up to 30 miles an hour and have a 270-degree field of vision. That’s why many Malinois dogs are used in the military, and one dog was even on the team to take down Osama Bin Laden” according to USAToday.  For those of you who aren’t aware of the incredible deeds of the Bin Laden-hunting dog, in 2011 Cairo and his Navy SEAL handler were crucial in the final stages of tracking down and killing one of the world’s most notorious criminals.

According to the petMD Belgian Malinois page, the breed is “of moderate weight, with a square-proportioned and powerful body. It has an impressively effortless, easy, and smooth gait that enables it to remain tireless throughout the day. The breed also possesses oval-shaped bones and an intelligent expression. Its undercoat, meanwhile, is short, stiff, and straight, which is one of the breed’s most distinct characteristic. The basic coloring of a Belgian Malinois is a rich fawn to mahogany, with black tips on the hairs, as well as black ears and mask.

The SecretService Twitter (@SecretService) tweeted some informative and fun facts and patriotic photos of about the dogs, including:

“USSS K-9 Hurricane – black Belgian Malinois, brown eyes, age 6, enjoys playing with his Kong toy, ready to work” and “USSS K-9 Jordan – black/tan Belgian Malinois, brown eyes, age 5, enjoys walks around White House, ready to work”

What is the Training Process Like for Secret Service Dogs and How Long Can They Work?

Dogs that work as part of the K-9 Unit in the Secret Service go through a rigorous training process. As per USAToday, “Secret Service dogs, in particular, must complete 20 weeks of training with handlers before they can report for duty. On average, the dogs work until about age 10.”

Diseases of the musculoskeletal tract, such as elbow and hip dysplasia, can lead to mobility-compromising osteoarthritis and sight-hindering progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) and cataract can limit a Malinois’ performance in their adult and geriatric (greater than seven) years. Additionally, cancer, like hemangiosarcoma or other forms of the disease, can affect the Malinois most often later in life. As working dogs, the Malnois gets excellent health care and both Hurricane and Jordan were immediately examined by a veterinarian to assess their injuries from their altercation with the latest White House fence jumper.

Is the Belgian Malinois an Appropriate Companion Dog Breed?

Although the Malinois is an appealing and intelligent breed, its genetics are best served working in police or military forces instead of being a companion canine. Yet, for an educated owner providing an appropriate home environment and regular activity the Malinois may just work out fine.

According to petMD, the breed has “protective instinct that makes it superb for guarding the home. The active, intelligent, and sometimes dominating Belgian Malinois is always alert and aware of its surrounding. It may show signs of aggression towards other animals and dogs at times, and prefers to stay aware from strangers.”

I wish Hurricane and Jordan a speedy recovery and am grateful that we have such prime specimens of the Belgian Malinois breed protecting the White House and First Family, including Bo and Sunny.

Copyright of this article (2014) is owned by Dr Patrick Mahaney, Veterinarian and Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist. Republishing any portion of this article must first be authorized by Dr Patrick Mahaney. Requests for republishing must be approved by Dr Patrick Mahaney and received in written format.