K9 handler learns from her canine student

Published on February 26, 2018

SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFNS) —

Moments ago, the joys of playing with a rubber toy were all he could think about; but now his posture has changed.

Senior Airman Nicole Meyer, 386th Expeditionary Security Force Squadron military working dog handler, deployed from Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, waits patiently and reassures him the training will begin soon.

Nido, a Belgian Malinois, is ready to work.

This is Nido’s third deployment, second to his current undisclosed location, and Meyer laughs joyfully describing how he clearly remembers the location.

“Oh he definitely remembers,” she said. “Like the vehicle search pit, it’s not always the most exciting thing in the world but he knows what he has to do and you can tell.”

Speaking for Nido in a melancholy tone which sounds smaller and more child-like, Meyer says “we are going to the pit today aren’t we.”

It is a testament to her bond with Nido, that she can instinctively describe his emotional reaction to the location before they have arrived.

This is Meyer’s first deployment as a handler. She graduated from the military working dog technical school approximately a year ago and has worked with dogs for a few months before she found out she was deploying and assigned Nido, a more experienced and confident dog. Read More