Just for fun

H

HopefulMid

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Jun 26, 2020
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So I enjoy dogs and being around them and have experience training them, so I was wondering if there were any opportunities during or after any service academy (preferably USNA), to interact with/train dogs if not that’s completely fine, just wondering. :yllol:
 
USNA did (or used to, obviously covid changes things) bring dogs to mitscher hall every day around lunch time during finals week for the mids to come and pet as a stress release.

Other than that you aren't likely to interact with any dogs unless your sponsor has one. There are no dog training opportunities that I am aware of, all of the dog handlers in the Big Navy are enlisted.
 
Once you get to shore duty after your first operational tours, and have more free time for volunteer work, you can always get involved with non-profit organizations such as:

Service Dogs for Veterans Charity in NY - America's VetDogs

www.vetdogs.org www.vetdogs.org

www.petsforvets.com

Pets for Vets

Welcome to Pets for Vets. We are a non-profit charity that helps to match veterans with A.C.E. trained animals. These animals help our veterans return to a normal life.
www.petsforvets.com www.petsforvets.com

and many others.

If you get a dog of your own, when you deploy, there are volunteer families who will look after your dog if you have no other options.
www.dogsondeployment.org

Help Military Pet Owners

Pets needs help on Dogs on Deployment
www.dogsondeployment.org www.dogsondeployment.org

If your sponsors don’t have dogs, you can always figure out how to volunteer as a dog walker at the local humane society. I admire the many mids who use their liberty time to volunteer in the community with all kinds of groups.

Navy military working dogs are trained and handled by enlisted Navy security force personnel.
 
Capt MJ said:
Once you get to shore duty after your first operational tours, and have more free time for volunteer work, you can always get involved with non-profit organizations such as:

Service Dogs for Veterans Charity in NY - America's VetDogs

www.vetdogs.org www.vetdogs.org

www.petsforvets.com

Pets for Vets

Welcome to Pets for Vets. We are a non-profit charity that helps to match veterans with A.C.E. trained animals. These animals help our veterans return to a normal life.
www.petsforvets.com www.petsforvets.com

and many others.

If you get a dog of your own, when you deploy, there are volunteer families who will look after your dog if you have no other options.
www.dogsondeployment.org

Help Military Pet Owners

Pets needs help on Dogs on Deployment
www.dogsondeployment.org www.dogsondeployment.org

If your sponsors don’t have dogs, you can always figure out how to volunteer as a dog walker at the local humane society. I admire the many mids who use their liberty time to volunteer in the community with all kinds of groups.

Navy military working dogs are trained and handled by enlisted Navy security force personnel.
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Thank you for the insight!
 
USMMA has a service dog training program where two Mids are selected each year to keep and train service dogs while at the academy.
 
1. As pointed out, your best bet to interact with a dog is through a sponsor's family. It may be possible to put that down as a preference. Not sure. When my brother was stationed at USNA his yellow lab would be let out of the back yard by mids he sponsored as they ran by in formation, then put back as they passed by his house again. She was in heaven getting all that attention from mids.
2. I discourage JOs (O-1 through O-3) from getting dogs. My DW and I tried twice when we were JOs, but it just got to be too tough with deployments. Once I left active duty we were able to do so. Someone needs to be there to care for the dog.
3. I do have a dog trained as a therapy dog and I bring her by to see Cadets from time to time, though she's getting a little old.
 
UHBlackhawk said:
1. As pointed out, your best bet to interact with a dog is through a sponsor's family. It may be possible to put that down as a preference. Not sure. When my brother was stationed at USNA his yellow lab would be let out of the back yard by mids he sponsored as they ran by in formation, then put back as they passed by his house again. She was in heaven getting all that attention from mids.
2. I discourage JOs (O-1 through O-3) from getting dogs. My DW and I tried twice when we were JOs, but it just got to be too tough with deployments. Once I left active duty we were able to do so. Someone needs to be there to care for the dog.
3. I do have a dog trained as a therapy dog and I bring her by to see Cadets from time to time, though she's getting a little old.
Click to expand...
I will try to request that. It would be a good pick-me-up to see the dogs at a sponsor families house.
 
It’s on the sponsor form as a preference - I think. I believe there is also some free text area to write in special requests. The Chesapeake Bay Area is a dog-happy place. Downtown Annapolis stores put out dog drinking bowls, there are Newfie swims from the dock, and runners/walkers bring their dogs onto the Yard as security conditions/COVID permits.

I agree with @UHBlackhawk about the challenges of responsible dog ownership. Even when you hit shore duty after your first operational sea tours, that’s a long day for a social animal to be home alone. Since both my husband and I were AD, we waited until our deployment days were over. You’ll figure it out.

Our boxers, several of them over the years, are experienced sponsors themselves, providing sofa companionship, exercise inducements and game partnership as required.

C1B8AC51-6F97-40FB-8C65-0E10E897ABE6.jpeg
 
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Capt MJ, those dogs are very cute and I am positive I will request sponsor dogs, as it is deemed “unreasonable” for me to travel 1,000 miles to see my dog every weekend. :shake:
 
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