As you may have noted in my previous writing, "My Arrival at U-Tapao", the Sgt. from the K-9 section had informed me that Smokey had bitten his previous handler, in the hind parts, on twelve different occasions. I was not overly enthused about hearing that but I knew it was something with which I would have to deal.

Sgt. Knapp was the buck Sgt. from the K-9 section who had greeted me upon my arrival at U-Tapao. And, on the day I was to meet Smokey, it was Sgt. Knapp who briefed me concerning him. I was informed that Smokey got a shot of morphine every two weeks for rheumatism/arthritis that was starting in his hindquarters. And, that each time he had bitten his former handler was when the handler was putting Smokey back in the kennel after a night on post or after a training session.

Further information revealed that, to save himself from future bites, the handler employed the following method. The muzzle would be left on Smokey, after initial entry into his kennel, the connecting strap would then be loosened (so it could slip off the head easily), the choke chain would then be removed, the leash would then be removed from the choke chain, and then the leash would be clipped to the front of the muzzle. The handler would then back out of kennel, with leash in hand, close the chain link gate and then yank the leash, thereby pulling the muzzle off Smokey's head.

It is now time to go and meet Smokey. Sgt. Knapp accompanies me to Smokey's kennel and leaves me with him. However, I am informed that when I get ready to take Smokey out, to let him (Knapp) know and he would go in and muzzle Smokey for me since he knew Smokey quite well and Smokey would let him in without a fuss.

Now it was time for me to do the "Sweet Talking" bit, to see if I could win Smokey's affections and trust. There I stood, looking at this spindly looking dog of about 60 to 65 pounds, mostly dark reddish brown in color, with a hint of black blended in throughout his coat. He was not a handsome dog at all. He was a German Shepherd mix of some kind and had a lot of the body structure but still not as well proportioned as a true German Shepherd. But, he was the dog I had been assigned and looks don't mean a thing as to how a dog can/will perform. I sat down in front of his kennel but did not say anything for a few minutes. I just wanted him to get a bit used to my presence. He growled and snarled for a while but he soon realized that I was not a threat to him. After he settled down, I started talking to him. It may have taken 20 minutes until I felt that he had somewhat accepted me but it was still to soon to tell with him. But, I was ready to take him out with the muzzle on and walk him around and try to play with him. I informed Sgt. Knapp that I was ready. He muzzled Smokey and off we went. All in all things went pretty well but he did try to jump me three different times during our time outside the kennel, twice while he still had the muzzle on and once after I took it off. But, that did not disturb me a bit, that was just part of being a dog handler and breaking in on a new dog.

It was now time to put Smokey up and use the method that the other handler had used (which I might add, I did not like. I knew there had to be another way) to get out of the kennel without getting bit.

We entered the kennel, I loosened the muzzle, I slipped the choke chain over his head, took the choke chain off the leash, clipped the leash to the end of the muzzle, backed out of the kennel, closed the gate, yanked the leash, thereby pulling the muzzle off his head. Smokey went absolutely wild, viciously growling and barking, teeth snapping against each other and then trying his best to get at me through the chain link fence. He was biting the fencing, trying to get through it to get to me. I knew then that I was not going to use the method of the other handler for very long. Because, I think I would get extremely agitated too, if I had been out with a friend and he takes me home, talks sweet to me and then tries to tear my head off before he leaves.

What could I do, though, to make it a pleasant experience for him when I put him up and at the same time prevent him from wanting to bite me? The answer came somewhere around the third or fourth night, while out on post with Smokey. It was a super hot and muggy night (as most of them were) and we had been patrolling for maybe two to three hours. I was sweating like crazy, fighting mosquitoes and cursing the noise of the 52's and KC 135's. It was time for a drink, more insect repellant (if it really worked) and a short sit down break. I pulled my canteen out, unscrewed the cap and took a long drink. Smokey sat down right in front of and facing me, he watched ever so intently as I drank. You see, he knew it was time for him to get a drink too. Right then it dawned on me as to the method I would employ to put Smokey in his kennel. He would no longer have a muzzle yanked off his head and I would not worry about getting bit.

I knew he wanted water (right then) and I was going to use that to my advantage. I would not give him a drink tonight. And, in fact, I was going to make him even thirstier. All I wanted that dog to have on his mind, when we got back to the kennel, was water, cool, clear and a bucketful. I ran Smokey (and me) about half to death for one solid week while out on post. I would trot, run, walk fast almost the entire night but I would get a drink but not Smokey. Remember, repetition is the key to teaching a dog.

Well, here is what I would do after we got back to the kennels. I would take Smokey into his kennel, take the muzzle off, keep the leash and choke chain on him, stand at the back of the kennel, away from the water bucket, with Smokey in the heel position. And, even though he wanted to get to that bucket, I would hold him back and keep him in the heel position and just love up on him. Lavishing all the verbal and physical praise I could upon him. I would do this for about 3 to 5 minutes. Then I would walk with him to the bucket and while he was drinking I would slip the choke chain over his head, letting it drop into the bucket. And, then, since the leash was still attached, I would just pull it out of the bucket and then I would back out of the kennel. After a week of this I then started giving Smokey his drinks while on post and going back to the kennel and putting him up with no problems whatsoever. However, after about a month, he tried me on two occasions. On the first one he almost got me but I evaded his lunge for me and got rough with him. And, you would not have believed it. After I got rough with him he was as happy as any dog I have ever seen. He did his obedience training with glee and showed more enthusiasm than ever. And, was more affectionate with me than what he had ever been. A week or so later though he tried me in the kennel one more time. This time just as I was about to leave the kennel, I heard his toenails on the concrete coming for me. I turned around, pointed at him and said, "You keep this up your going to be one dead dog." He stopped dead in his tracks, sat down, panting happily and wagging his tail like crazy. I walked over to him and loved him up and he returned it in like fashion.

Smokey came after me one more time but this time it was out on post. And, again I had to get rough with him. And, again he was as happy as he could be afterwards.

My conclusion, about Smokey, came down to this. "He was a dog that wanted to be shown who was boss, anything less and he had no respect for you."

Smokey, however was not a good dog to have for Sentry duty. He never proved much of anything to me. He never did attack well on the agitator, nor was he much on the obstacle course and his nose was not that good. I have often wondered if a lot of his problems could have stemmed from the morphine shots that he was given. I had Smokey for 2 months and I had put in a request for another dog within the first month to month and a half of working with Smokey. I wanted a dog that would perform and I knew of four dogs that did. And, their handlers would soon be going back to the "world". So I had put in my request for either one of the four dogs that would soon be available. That is how I ended up my beloved PISTOL.

Though Smokey never managed to bite me, he did nail his next handler rather severely on one of his arms.