Not to be underestimated

Dog puppy baptism: “Einar” in service for the military

Puppy "Einar" was baptized on Tuesday.(Bild: krone.tv)

On Tuesday, Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP) christened a puppy at the Kaisersteinbruch Military Dog Center and presented him with his badge. She also bid farewell to the commander of the military dog center, Colonel Otto Koppitsch, who will be retiring in June.

When little "Einar" was carried by a military dog handler in front of the audience at the Kaisersteinbruch Military Dog Center, a delighted murmur went through the crowd. The Rottweiler puppy, who is just nine weeks old and has a little rump on his belly, is the real star of the day. He clearly redefines the word "cute". His fur is so soft that you are tempted to reach out and touch him. 

Puppy "Einar"(Bild: krone.tv)

His christening took place on Tuesday. With the dog badge that Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner symbolically put on him, he is now officially a permanent member of the Austrian Armed Forces. Meanwhile, "Einar" has only been in Austria for a week. He comes from the Netherlands from a breeder who is a friend of the Austrian Armed Forces. A stud dog from Kaisersteinbruch mated the Dutch bitch. Instead of a financial reward, the army received a male dog from the litter.

Lone fighter or team player?
The male Rottweiler's name "Einar" comes from the Icelandic word for "lone fighter". "Our dogs may well be lone fighters when they are out and about side by side with their military dog handlers, but we shouldn't be. We should all fight together for the cause," said Tanner in her opening speech, during which some of the other 70 military dogs in Kaisersteinbruch pricked up their ears with curiosity. 

Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner with Rottweiler puppy "Einar".(Bild: Bernadette Krassay)

Another reason for the puppy christening was the renewal of the partnership with the Austrian Kennel Club (ÖKV), which is headed by the newly elected President Philipp Ita. 

"We are interested in an intensive exchange with the Austrian Armed Forces. There is a huge amount of expertise in the ÖKV and immense expertise in the Military Dog Center and we want to extend this partnership that we have," Ita told "Krone". A military dog handler has now even been appointed to the ÖKV board. Ita not only takes over the office of President, but also the sponsorship of "Einar"

Military dogs in Austria

There are currently around 70 military dogs in Kaisersteinbruch; throughout Austria there are around 170 and a total of 130 dog handlers, of which around 30 are stationed in Kaisersteinbruch as dog handlers and trainers. The rest are distributed among Austrian units. The military dogs are Rottweilers, German shepherds, Labradors and hunting dogs, which are used both at home and abroad.

The currently still somewhat clumsy and awkward puppy will one day become a guard and protection dog like the other Rottweilers in the army. With a deep nose, they sniff out buried objects, sniff out explosives or pick up the scent for tracks. "The dog is shaped from an early age, goes through the socialization phases and completes the young dog training," says Otto Koppitsch, commander of the military dog center, who will retire on 23 June.

A total of 170 military dogs
Einar" will complete the military dog handler course for guard dogs on the site at the earliest when he is one year old and start working as a guard and watch dog. He is currently the only puppy on the Kaisersteinbruch site. On Tuesday, Tanner emphasized the importance of training guard dogs, which has repeatedly made headlines in recent months: "This training is absolutely essential." After cuddling the four-legged friend, it's time for "Einar" to sleep again. 

"Of course, it's always difficult to say goodbye," says Tanner, probably speaking from the heart of many of those present.