The Belgian Malinois shepherd dog named Arkadas, which means "friend" in Turkish, was donated by Turkey to Mexico after the death of Proteo. This weekend, he turned two years old in the country. He was recently promoted to the rank of corporal and is ready to carry out search and rescue operations, excelling in this task as if he were the reincarnation of Proteo, the dog of the Mexican Army who passed away in September 2023 during rescue efforts in Turkey.
"Arkadas" specializes in search and rescue, a demanding activity in which he has shown great progress in his training. Lieutenant Colonel Rubén Reyes Burela explained that the dog is one of the most outstanding in his training, learning faster than others and having reached an advanced level in locating people.
In the Mexican Army, dogs are trained for three specific tasks: guarding and custody, searching for narcotics, and searching for people. Arkadas excels in the latter category. Dogs with temperamental or restless personalities are assigned to guarding and custody, while more passive ones focus on searching for narcotics or explosives. Those that are more curious are suitable for searching for people, prioritizing live rescues, although they can also be trained to find bodies at a later stage.
During a visit to the military facilities, the progress and discipline with which Arkadas advances in his training to become a valuable asset of the Mexican Army was observed. Despite having come out of his meal time, he displayed his stature, greeted, played, and showed a friendly attitude.
The lieutenant colonel detailed the necessary care that a dog like Arkadas requires, from a balanced and high-quality diet to medical care, sleep monitoring, thorough grooming, and any other aspect necessary to ensure his optimal performance in search and rescue operations.
In a detailed talk, the different phases of Arkadas's training were mentioned, such as physical training, following commands (which are given in Spanish), tracking skills, and the challenges he will face alongside his handler, with whom he does not separate at any time. Each dog has an implanted chip to ensure immediate location in case of loss or theft.
The army dogs, of high genetic profile, are not for sale and cannot reproduce. All dogs destined for these tasks are sterilized to preserve their purity and maintain their focus on assigned tasks.
