ISRAEL The dogs that make up Israel's elite canine fighting force, Oketz (the Hebrew word for "sting"), are especially hardcore. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) use three breeds -- Belgian, German, and Holland Shepherd -- and all have a reputation for being highly trained, relentless, and fierce attackers. The canine program, though finally made public in 1980 after years of operation in the shadows, is still extremely secretive about the details of its operations. As one Oketz commander told Haaretz: "Our dogs know how to spare civilians and home in on terrorists. How do they? That's our secret."
When choosing its handlers, the IDF is highly selective. The tryout session alone lasts three days. As one handler who made the cut said, "220 soldiers show up to the tryouts and only 30 pass." During a training period that lasts for upwards of 17 months and includes both basic and advanced infantry instruction, the handlers and their canines are taught to work with every "unit in the army," learning everything from parachuting to urban warfare to counterterrorism.
The Oketz dogs have sparked controversy in the past. In March, a patrol dog bit a Palestinian protester during a demonstration in the West Bank. The man was only "lightly hurt," according to Haaretz.
Above, Israeli infantry soldiers enter Gaza on January 4, 2009, on the border between Gaza and Israel.
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