Comando may be small, but the Mexican National Guard entrusts it with a very big role.
Equipped with miniature glasses, a form-fitting tactical vest, a helmet and even a small front-facing camera, the 7-pound (15-pound) chihuahua has become the force’s most unusual — and smallest — canine member.
Officers said the 13-month-old puppy was trained not only as a crowd-pleasing mascot, but also for search and rescue work.
The little Comando, measuring 21 cm (8 inches), looks nothing like the powerful dogs usually associated with military or police units.
During a training session in Mexico City last week, the little dog climbed stairs and navigated obstacles as a much larger, fully trained dog named Roko looked on.
Lt. Debora Hernandez said Comando challenges two stereotypes: that only big dogs can serve in the National Guard and that a military-style force cannot establish a warmer connection with the public. Her presence, she said, reminds people that “underneath the uniform, we are human beings.”
The force adopted Comando about six months ago in the northern state of Chihuahua, inspiring the breed’s name, after his elderly owners were no longer able to care for him. Comando now appears at civic ceremonies, school events and community outreach programs.
Comando is an exception in a National Guard canine force of about 350 dogs, mostly traditional working breeds such as German shepherds and Labrador retrievers.
Chihuahuas, known for their large, erect ears, large personalities and expressive eyes, can be alert and energetic, but they are rarely considered candidates for serious operational work.
Comando once appeared in Mexico’s Independence Day parade and inspired “his own animated image as well as a growing crop of memes on social media.”
Gn world
