There are some advantages of having a companion dog in military service.
Some officers prefer to have a K9 companion during their deployment. An officer and his K9 dog spend months or years together and form a unique bond.
But there’s the catch: both of you are serving the military, and you’re there for a mission. There is no guarantee that you and your service dog will stay together for a long time.
Most service dogs get left behind when their partner goes home.
This was the case for Bakk and Sergeant Dustin Cain. Dustin always loved dogs, and when he was in the Air Force, he immediately asked what it would take to be a military dog handler. He worked hard to be qualified until he finally got his chance to have an army dog.
Dustin was called for duty at Busan Air Base in South Korea, and when he arrived, a German Shepherd was waiting patiently for him. Bakk stood there and understood that he was meant to wait for his human. The two clicked in an instant.
Having Bakk meant the world to Dustin.
Dustin struggled with being away from his wife and young sons. Bakk helped alleviate the pain and loneliness he was feeling. However, Dustin didn’t want to get too attached because he knew their partnership would be short-lived.
True enough, he was sent an order to be reassigned to Idaho, where his home was. He was excited to go home to his family. But that meant leaving Bakk behind.
Dustin left South Korea heartbroken, but he knew they would be reunited someday.
Almost a year later, when Bakk started limping. They found out that he had torn cruciate ligament, like an ACL but for dogs. He was already seven years old and was not a good candidate for surgery. However, he was a candidate for adoption.
Dustin jumped right in and applied to adopt his old buddy. American Humane, led by Dr. Lesa Staubus, assisted in bringing Bakk home to Dustin in Boise, Idaho.
Dustin was excited to see his buddy again.
He was in a room full of cameras to witness this reunion. He also brought his wife and son with him. Dustin admitted that he was a bit nervous about if Bakk would still recognized him or how he would act around little kids.
Dr. Staubus and Bakk arrived a few moments later. They opened the door to the room, and Bakk trotted in like there were no other people around besides Dustin. He recognized his old partner so well, and it was as if no time had passed between them.
Bakk and Dustin were happy to be reunited.
They drove home to see how he would blend with his family. As it turned out, Bakk was a gentle giant around his youngest son and was very playful with his eldest.
It’s always nice to see stories of military dogs being reunited with their handler when they retire. It is just fitting that they get to adopt them after all that time they spent together.
Check out the sweet reunion video below!
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