In short
- Comando is a 13-month-old chihuahua that stands 21cm (8in) tall and is the smallest canine member of Mexico’s national guard.
- Mexico’s national guard canine force has about 350 dogs, most of them traditional working breeds such as German shepherds and labrador retrievers.
- The force adopted Comando about six months ago in the northern state of Chihuahua after his elderly owners became unable to care for him.
- Lt Debora Hernandez said Comando’s presence reminds people that “beneath the uniform, we are human beings”.
- Comando has appeared in Mexico’s Independence Day parade and has inspired an animated likeness and a growing crop of social media memes.
Mexico’s national guard has added a 13-month-old chihuahua named Comando to its canine unit. The dog stands 21cm (8in) tall and is being trained both as a mascot and for search-and-rescue work, officers said. The force adopted him about six months ago in the northern state of Chihuahua.
How big is Comando, Mexico’s newest national guard recruit?
Comando stands 21cm (8in) tall and is 13 months old. During a training session in Mexico City last week, the chihuahua climbed stairs and crossed obstacles while a larger, fully trained dog named Roko looked on. He wears miniature goggles, a fitted tactical vest, a helmet and a small head-mounted camera.
What will Comando do in the national guard?
Officers said the chihuahua, the smallest canine member of the force, is being trained not only as a crowd-pleasing mascot but also for search-and-rescue work. That is the kind of tasking severe weather in Mexico can require, as when category 3 Hurricane Polo neared Baja California Sur.
Why does an officer say Comando matters?
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 build a warmer connection with the public. His presence, she said, reminds people that “beneath the uniform, we are human beings”.
How many dogs serve in Mexico’s national guard canine force?
Comando is an outlier in a canine force of about 350 dogs, most of them traditional working breeds such as German shepherds and labrador retrievers. He is also far smaller than the dogs usually associated with military or police units. Chihuahuas, known for large, upright ears and expressive eyes, are rarely seen as candidates for serious operational work, although they are alert and energetic.
Where did Comando come from?
The national guard adopted Comando about six months ago in the state of Chihuahua, which gave the breed its name, after his elderly owners became unable to care for him. He now appears at civic ceremonies, school events and community outreach programmes, the public kind of event that in Mexico City recently included the display of the Aztec Codex Azcatitlán after 186 years abroad.
Has Comando appeared in Mexico’s Independence Day parade?
Comando has already appeared in Mexico’s Independence Day parade and has inspired his own animated likeness and a growing crop of memes on social media.
Frequently asked questions
How big is Comando, the chihuahua in Mexico’s national guard?
Comando is 13 months old and stands 21cm (8in) tall, making him the smallest canine member of Mexico’s national guard.
What will Comando do in Mexico’s national guard?
Officers said the 13-month-old dog is being trained not only as a crowd-pleasing mascot but also for search-and-rescue work.
Where did Mexico’s national guard get Comando?
The force adopted him about six months ago in the northern state of Chihuahua, after his elderly owners became unable to care for him.
How many dogs serve in Mexico’s national guard canine force?
About 350 dogs serve in the force, most of them traditional working breeds such as German shepherds and labrador retrievers.
With reporting from The Guardian.
Stock image, not from the events described. City Skyline — Joe deSousa / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)
