Raised Like Family, Belgian Malinois Dogs From A Karnataka Home Are Joining India’s Security Forces
Far from the battlefields, an Ankola couple in North Karnataka is raising dogs with care and discipline that now stand guard for the nation.
Published : January 6, 2026 at 11:56 AM IST
Karwar (Uttara Kannada): At 75 days, this Belgian Malinois still plays like a child, with hardly any idea that it is already selected to serve India’s security forces. But till then, it plays with its siblings, chases shadows across the courtyard, and responds to voices of the couple who have tended it since birth. Soon, the same puppy will be serving the nation obeying commands, sniffing out explosives, and walking fearlessly into hostile terrains.
Welcome to the home of Raghavendra Bhat and Rajeshwari Bhat in Ankola’s Bavikeri village, where dogs are raised as family, only to serve a bigger purpose. Recently, nine Belgian Shepherd Malinois puppies raised by the couple were officially inducted into the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). The puppies were handed over to the CRPF dog training centre on Kanakapura Road in Bengaluru.
Of them, four will be deployed directly for CRPF operations, while five will join the West Bengal Police after completing advanced training at the same facility.
For the Bhats, it was a moment of mixed feelings - familiar but difficult. “Every time the puppies leave, the house feels empty. But when we think of the purpose we understand and get back to raising another lot," says Raghavendra.
For more than 25 years now, Raghavendra and Rajeshwari have been raising dogs with utmost care and discipline, well realising that their work is directed towards India’s security ecosystem. In 2023, they supplied 17 puppies to the Assam Rifles, in 2024 two puppies joined the CRPF. So far they have provided around 45 dogs to various police and defence forces across the country.
Raghavendra Bhat, who works in the Women and Child Welfare Department, accepts the training as a responsibility. "Maybe this is how we serve the country, a small effort from our side,” he says.
Selection into police and military dog units is rigorous. Expert officials evaluate the dogs on various parameters. First, the health and lineage of the mother, then birth history, weight, height, and finally physical development besides the temperament, alertness, and intelligence.
The 75-day-old puppies born to ‘Klia’ and ‘Tiny’ cleared these tests with good scores and were selected for the national training centre. But a small fraction of puppies make it through the tests.
Why Belgian Malinois? The Belgian Shepherd Malinois is considered one among the most trusted breeds in elite security forces worldwide. Known for sharp intelligence, extreme sensitivity, endurance, and loyalty, the breed is widely used for explosive and narcotics detection, jungle and counter-insurgency operations besides high-risk anti-terror missions. This breed has a reputation of working well in major counter-terror operations by international forces, and today, they form the backbone of canine units in India as well.
Apart from Belgian Malinois, the Bhats raise German Shepherds, Dobermans, Labradors, Boxers, Great Danes, and indigenous dogs like the Mudhol Hound and Tibetan Mastiff. “We raise them as our own, like children. So when we let them go, it is never easy. But our only solace is they will be a part of the armed forces. In fact, this makes us feel proud,” says Rajeshwari.
As people in uniform carry the puppies in a vehicle, the Bhats bid them adieu while getting ready to take care of the rest.
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