Training Blackwater K-9's with Dogs For Defense Inc. Founder Dan Hughes | Mike Drop 204

About this video

Dan Hughes, founder of Dogs For Defense Inc., discusses his experience working as a K9 handler with Blackwater in Afghanistan. Hughes describes going through Blackwater’s intensive training program, being the only K9 handler to complete his class, and being immediately deployed to Afghanistan where he was paired with a German Shepherd named Adak. He recounts working on a mobile team protecting the Ambassador and other officials, operating on 90/30 and later 60/60 rotations, and eventually becoming kennel master while continuing handler duties.

Key takeaways

• Hughes was the only K9 handler to complete his Blackwater training class and describes the training as more intense and faster-paced than his previous Secret Service experience
• Hughes worked with a German Shepherd named Adak for a couple years in Afghanistan, finding the dog to be exceptional and forming a close bond, though he never found the major IED discovery he hoped for
• Hughes eventually became kennel master for Blackwater’s Afghanistan program while continuing regular handling duties, overseeing a growing program that included mobile teams protecting high-level officials

Episode details: published September 8, 2024 · 5.8K views · 8:41 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Stories told by Mike Ritland’s podcast guests are the guests’ own accounts, attributed to them — not independently verified. Commentary is Ritland’s, presented as his analysis.

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