Military working dogs will be on the job at Fleet Week
BALTIMORE -- There will not only be a lot of ships and sailors at Baltimore's Inner Harbor for Fleet Week, there will also be military working dogs, too.
They have an important job during the event: Keeping you safe.
"Our military working dogs will be walking beat alongside our civilians in blue and we'll be out here making sure everyone's have a safe, grand time," Trevor Houseknecht with the US Navy said.
Military working dogs Opel and Rugby will be among dozens on hand for Fleet Week.
"The dogs are used to detect pretty much anything bad that we want them to look for: drugs, certain drugs, certain explosives, elements of explosives," Gabriel Gallegos with the US Navy said.
WJZ caught up with their handlers as they were running through training exercise.
"They only need the faintest hint of an odor to actually find something," Gallegos said.
Rugby and his handler, Joseph Bender, ran through obedience drills.
Opel and his handler, Gabriel Gallegos, practiced some bite drills, training Opel to attack if anything goes wrong.
This is more than a job for the handlers.
"I am absolutely a dog lover," Bender said.
These dogs become their best friends.
"It's the coolest job in the world," Gallegos said. "I love it. It's really something special, building a bond with you. You're their teacher. They trust you. You trust them."
Fleet Week is a chance for them to show off their skills.
"This is a great opportunity to bring the community and the military in as one," Houseknecht said. "So, this is one of the best assignments that you can do."
A reminder: you are not supposed to touch the working dogs if you see them out at Fleet Week. They are on the job.
