96th SFS gets the Point-er

  • Published
  • By Minty Knighton
  • Team Eglin Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  When you first meet the newest military working dog, Kanjer, your first reaction might be, "He's a military working dog?" Even his handler, Staff Sgt. Leonard Anderson, dog handler for the 96th Security Forces Squadron, can hardly hold a straight face when talking about him.

"I didn't choose him, he just kind of fell into the slot," said Sergeant Anderson about the two-year-old German Wire-haired Pointer. Kanjer may look a little cross-eyed with patches of gray on his face and chest, but don't let his looks fool you.

"He's a spaz," said Sergeant Anderson. "He's real energetic."

German Wire-haired Pointers are naturally very active. They are actually known to be highly intelligent, eager to learn and generally good watch dogs. Although they are known to have strong bites, dogs like Kanjer are not used as attack dogs.

"He's a search and detection dog," said Sergeant Anderson. "He'll never be an aggressive dog."

Unlike other 96th Security Forces dogs, German Shepherds and Malinois breeds, Pointers rarely deploy and it's not known if Kanjer will actually deploy. Being new to the 96th SFS, he has just begun his training in obedience and detection.

To Eglin, Kanjer is one of a kind; its first Pointer and maybe its last.

"We probably won't get another like Kanjer," said Staff Sgt. James Richey. "The military needs dual certified dogs, ones that can detect and attack."

Although the military uses all types of dogs for different missions, Air Force, and specifically Eglin, use breeds like German Shepherds and Malinois which are more likely to be dually certified, trained in explosive detection and patrol and will attack on command. They will also protect themselves and their handlers. All these skills make them valuable in deployed field missions.

But Kanjer is young yet and has much to offer. Aside from his rather odd appearance, he is naturally equipped to perform.  His gray wiry coat is thick and weather-resistant which can be quite beneficial in deployed areas where there are rough terrains. Also, he, like other German Wire-haired Pointers, have amazing tracking skills which can be use to detect explosives both in land and water.

So we may yet to hear from the great Kanjer!