"As I walked to meet K-9 Ultra, a five-year-old explosive-detection canine and one of the finalists of the 15th Annual American Humane Hero Dog Awards, I ran through my list of questions in my head: How do you stay so focused during a mission, even in the presence of clear environmental distractions like squirrels and birds? Do you always comply with your handler's commands? And Is that behavior transferable to my civilian dogs?"
"Except then I arrived. The camera was rolling. My tennis-ball microphone was on. I stood next to K-9 Ultra and her handler, Maritime Enforcement Specialist First Class Alaina Whitaker, and the first question that blurted out of my mouth was: So does he know any tricks?! He. He! Not only is does he know any tricks? the most cliche canine interview question everespecially for a Hero Dog finalist who literally protects our country"
A reporter prepared questions before meeting K-9 Ultra, a five-year-old explosive-detection canine and Hero Dog Awards finalist, about focus, obedience, and transferability to civilian dogs. During the filmed meeting, the reporter mistakenly referred to Ultra as male and asked whether Ultra knew tricks. Coast Guard handler Maritime Enforcement Specialist First Class Alaina Whitaker clarified that Ultra's primary skill is searching for bombs. The piece highlights persistent male dominance in corporate, government, and military leadership and notes that Whitaker and Ultra's service is significant against that backdrop. Most pet dogs perform playful tasks, while Ultra performs specialized bomb-detection work.
Read at www.amny.com
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