Dog handler Sergeant Balas Lain, 34, will participate in the parade with Bruno, a Labrador. - Photo: Bernama
PUTRAJAYA: The Serigala branch of the Army Combat Training Centre (Pulada) is set to be a highlight at the 68th National Day celebrations at Dataran Putrajaya on Sunday (Aug 31), featuring 25 trained army dogs, up from just 10 last year.
The Serigala branch is a special unit of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF), combining army dogs with trained handlers for control, detection, and combat operations.
Captain Duin Tat, 35, the assistant head and commander of the MAF war dog detachment, will lead the K9 unit parade for the first time. He described the opportunity as a historic moment in his four years of service with the unit.
"I hope the public will become more familiar with the role of army dogs as a special asset of the MAF. With the presence of 25 dogs this year, the team appears bigger, stronger, and is a symbol of MAF's preparedness to protect the nation's security," he told Bernama.
Duin, who will parade a Rottweiler named Storm, said other breeds featured will include German Shepherds, Belgian Shepherds, Dutch Shepherds, Labradors, Pointers, Cocker Spaniels, and Border Collies, each specialising as guard dogs, explosive detection dogs, or tracker dogs.
Meanwhile, dog handler Sergeant Balas Lain, 34, said preparations for the Serigala branch team began in Ulu Tiram, Johor, including conducting road walk training for about 1km round-trips to ensure the dogs' stamina and control.
He noted that the large number of requests and responses from visitors last year led to the increase in the number of army dogs, enhancing this year's celebrations. However, he acknowledged that managing 25 dogs poses challenges, as fights might break out if they are too close together.
"Various techniques are used to get the dogs to be more 'friendly' with each other. Other training has also been conducted so that the dogs would be comfortable sharing space and not be affected by their surroundings, including the cheering from the crowd during the parade," he said, adding that he would be handling a brown Labrador named Bruno.
Veterinary staff Warrant Officer II Anthony Jitol, 46, said his responsibility of supervising and monitoring the health of the dogs began a week ago to ensure they are in good condition for the parade.
Dog handlers will provide full 24-hour attention, including fitness, nutrition, and health monitoring.
"The prolonged hot weather is a major challenge. To ensure the dogs do not suffer heatstroke, their body temperature is checked daily. A dog's normal temperature is 37.8°C to 38.4°C. If it exceeds this range, the risk of heatstroke and seizures increases.
"If there are signs of a weak dog or a body temperature that is too high, immediate treatment is administered with fluid therapy (drip) to stabilise their condition. All treatment equipment is always on standby," he said.
Additionally, dogs are usually fed twice a day at 8am and 4pm, but during the parade, the schedule might change, and they will receive additional vitamins to ensure they have enough energy.
"For example, if training ends at 5pm, the dog will be given a two-hour break first, and then fed at 7pm. Dogs may get hungry or restless, however, this schedule change is important to avoid bloating, which can be fatal," he added. – Bernama
