This Veterans' Day, join us for a moving episode about America’s four-legged warriors—military working dogs, or MWDs. These unsung heroes serve on the frontlines of combat zones around the world, but the challenges they face extend beyond the battlefield and into retirement. In this episode, Bob Bryant, co-founder and vice president of Mission K9, and US Navy Veteran Elijah Holyfield speak with co-hosts Jordan Tyler and Dr. Stephanie Clark about the duties, sacrifices, and unmet needs of today’s MWDs.

Helpful Links

Learn more about Mission K9: https://missionk9rescue.org/, and follow the organization on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MissionK9/

Learn more about The Ddamien Project, a partner organization of Mission K9 that specializes in caring for retired MWDs who aren't suited to be adopted out to the public due to behavioral or medical challenges: https://www.ddamienproject.org/

Read more about the unique roles working dogs play in our lives: https://bsmpartners.net/insights/celebrating-humans-best-friendship/

Learn more about military working dogs from the Department of Defense and the Association of the United States Army.

Find the full text of the proposed Honoring Our K9 Heroes Act: https://fitzpatrick.house.gov/_cache/files/e/4/e462d2d5-5f20-43f7-8973-b192ebdd09d7/7AF5380674B8629CDEA00BAFAE044AB4.honoring-our-k9-heroes-act.pdf

Show Notes

00:00 – Behind the Episode

02:34 – Introducing Bob Bryant and Mission K9

05:27 – What is a Working Dog?

08:32 – “Fur Missiles” with Elijah Holyfield, a US Navy Veteran

09:46 – The DoD Military Working Dog (MWD) Breeding Program

12:11 – Do Dogs Get PTSD?

15:04 – The Five R’s of Mission K9: Rescue, Reunite, Rehome, Rehabilitate, and Repair

20:05 – The Plight of Contract Working Dogs

23:21 – Carefully Pairing MWDs with Their Forever Homes

27:08 – The Ddamien Project

28:28 – Happy Endings for More Than 1,300 Dogs

29:19 – Life After Deployment

30:15 – Celebrating Happy Endings

31:49 – “Navy, Seek!”

34:17 – Supporting Canine Veterans After Service

38:18 – Stress Testing and Hot-Loading

40:13 – Long-Term for Mission K9

42:49 – How to Support Mission K9 Now and In the Future

44:10 – Conclusion and Farewell