Originally posted by Edwina's Secretary
From the link I posted..


Military Working Dogs are purchased from American breeders (80%) and from selected foreign breeders (20%). The average cost is $4,000 per dog. Male and female dogs are accepted but females must be spayed.

----------------------------------------------------------

Buyers will go to Germany in July (2001) to buy new breeding stock, which can cost up to $10,000 per dog. Quality is the most important consideration when buying dogs, said Capt. Anthony Maisonet, 341st Training Squadron director of operations and foster parent of Dugan, a puppy from one of the litters. The 341st TRS trains military working dogs and their handlers.

"It's a considerable investment because it's for a lifetime of work," said Captain Maisonet.
--------------------------------------------

Formal funding for the breeding program began in 2000 and will continue through 2005. On average, it costs about a $420,000 per year to run the program, according to the major. He says the funding and the whelping kennels are the first steps toward making the breeding program permanent and making the Department of Defense dog program a more effective one.

All at the 341st TRS agree there is still a lot of work to be done.

"Breeding puppies is the easy part," said Captain Maisonet. "Raising them and training them is what is difficult. We want to make sure we're doing it right, and that's always a challenge."

----------------------------------

A friend of mine was attached to a 'Global Weather' (Spy satellite)
section in the A.F. Dogs were used by the guards to patrol the flight line at the air force base where he was stationed. The handlers were very protective about their charges......

They treated the dogs better than they treated each other.