Hobo

[binnes]

So what do you all think of this then?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14358126

[_Ju_]

Hobo is a working dog and not a pet. This is the hazard of his job. The way he learned to carry out his job was through positive re-enforcement so he probably enjoys his work alot. I am sure that if returning to work compromised his welfare he would have been retired.

[crustyroll]

Tough one but I would probably say let him go home and do some other work that he would find rewarding. He's made it once, he's lucky and yes he keeps the morale of the soldiers up but so would another dog that hasn't had any injuries. Dogs don't feel pain like we do and for them to show pain, it has to be a lot worse, so he may be doing his job happily enough but that doesn't mean he isn't feeling some pain, especially with shrapnel still in his abdomen. He may get injured again, survive, but mentally he could be a different dog and stop enjoying his work.

[Dadie]

As long as he is enjoying his work, let him work, if he cant/wont do the job thens the time to pension him off.
But he should get some sort of a medal or an honour for his bravery.
He is doing a job he loved and may be lost without his work.....but as long as he is happy working, why not?
(though I feel he would be happier with a big bone and a new ball)

[scottyjock]

Tough one but I would probably say let him go home and do some other work that he would find rewarding. He's made it once, he's lucky and yes he keeps the morale of the soldiers up but so would another dog that hasn't had any injuries. Dogs don't feel pain like we do and for them to show pain, it has to be a lot worse, so he may be doing his job happily enough but that doesn't mean he isn't feeling some pain, especially with shrapnel still in his abdomen. He may get injured again, survive, but mentally he could be a different dog and stop enjoying his work.

Absolute rubbish.
Dogs have eactly the same pain pathways as humans.
I know of one dog that accidentally stood on a jelly tot sweet in the street and screamed non stop, i have also known of dogs losing legs in RTA's that bounced happily into surgery whilst bleeding profusely from the wound. It is totally personal to each dog and the situation it is in, whether it is frightened at the time of the injury, whether it has other wounds and whether the animal is in shock.

[brandy]

this is a solider just like any other.. he just has 4 legs, he was found fit for duty and put back in the field just like every other soldier out there..
his two legged brethren risked life and limb to get him help just like they would any other brother in arms..
he will finish his tour of duty God willing and come home to rest.

[_Ju_]

this is a solider just like any other.. he just has 4 legs, he was found fit for duty and put back in the field just like every other soldier out there..
his two legged brethren risked life and limb to get him help just like they would any other brother in arms..
he will finish his tour of duty God willing and come home to rest.

I am sorry, Brandy, but that is just placing the way you feel as a human being on the dog. You are anthropomorphizing the dog. He sniffs out bombs because he finds it to be fun, especially when he gets rewarded afterwards. Not because of a sense of valour. He works because he was trained and found to have a talent for sniffing out bombs. He was not given a choice to carry out this training, just like every working animal we use. He has no notion of risk in carrying out his job nor is he brave in the way we understand, because he does not know he is going into danger. At most he can sense the tension in his human pack. Removing him from his trainer would confuse him, because he would loose his pack and pack leader. This would be extremely stressful to him.
There are many ways of evaluating pain. Just because a dog does not go "ow, this hurts", does not mean that the vets cannot tell when an animal is feeling pain. I am sure that the dogs welfare will come first, because if it were in pain, then it might make a mistake at it's job. And mistakes out there cost lives in this kind of scenario.

[binnes]

Looking at it from Hobo's point of view, I am sure that prior to this incident he was of the mindset this is just a great game and let me get out there for some more. He would of course be blisfully (am not sure if thats the right word to use) unaware of the extreme level of danger that he is in. And even after this horrific incident, given the soppy Labrador temprament, I am sure that he is probably only too happy to continue playing his 'game'.

However, looking at it from the outside of the box perspective, I fully agree with Crustyroll's comments. He's done well, been injured once and survived, let him come to a place of safety where he can chase balls to his hearts content.

[brandy]

not really ju.. i meant it in the sense he is a soldier.. he was trained to do a job and he is doing it.. just as all soldiers are trained to do their jobs.
he was wounded.. patched up and found fit for duty.. just as any other soldier..
and at the end of his tour of duty.. he will come home.. either walking or in a box.. like any solider..
the emotions side of it, no man left behind will be with the two legged soldiers..
even if the dogs do not understand exactly all that is going on.. they are doing what they are trained for.. and in my book that makes em like any other soldier.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dickin_Medal

[Garnet]

Much as I agree that it would be nice for the dogs to return home to rest I must agree wholheartedly with Brandy, all these dogs are trained to a high degree and are in a different situation from 'local' dogs used by the police etc, remember these dogs are pack animals and are lost without them and should only come home with their 'handler' just like the Lad from Fife who's dog died when he did, the love between them was palpable and were 'soldiers' to the end and may they rest in peace having given their all.