United States military working dogs from 2019 to 2021: analysis of causes of service discharge and decreased service life.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Military working dogs (MWDs) are maintained by the United States Department of Defense (DoD) in effort to maintain readiness. MWDs provide valuable abilities which include explosive and drug detection capabilities as well as security support. However, acquiring, training, and maintaining MWDs requires significant investment of resources. Therefore, understanding the prominent causes of service discharge and associated causes and demographics associated with decreased service duration in the modern MWD population is crucial.

Methods

To meet this objective, an extensive review was conducted of service discharge records of MWDs who were discharged from service in fiscal years 2019 through 2021. The causes of service discharge were categorized and subcategorized by

SUBMITTER: Discepolo D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12548479 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature