A deaf Dogo Argentino surrendered to a shelter as a puppy is preparing to deploy with the Michigan National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment, outfitted in his own military fatigues and working gear.
Three-year-old Axel serves as the battalion’s official ministry dog alongside his handler, Sergeant Mollie Karazim, a religious affairs specialist. Because Axel can’t hear standard verbal commands, Karazim built him a custom training system using visual cues, hand signals, and American Sign Language. Axel has mastered more than 50 individual commands.
Karazim joined the Guard seven years ago hoping to become a canine handler, only to learn that specialty wasn’t available in Michigan. She went ahead and personally financed much of Axel’s specialized training herself. Today he rides in Humvees, trains in the field, and works as an icebreaker during counseling sessions for hundreds of infantry soldiers as the unit gets ready to ship out.
“It (training a deaf dog) is very different from a dog who can hear,” Karazim said. “He has to trust me, and we have built that trust from a puppy.”
“Axel is loyal, loving, and made for an active lifestyle, so I thought he would be a good fit for the infantry,” Karazim said. “When I first adopted him, I began training him but with the understanding that I would have to wait and see if he would integrate well with the unit when he grew up.”
Karazim started by bringing Axel to the Guard’s weekend drill activities. According to National Guard officials, he grew into a regular part of the 125th Infantry Regiment’s routine, joining Humvee rides and field operations and interacting with soldiers across the battalion.
“He did great,” Karazim said. “My command team has been outstanding about having Axel in the unit and seeing the value of him.”
Axel wears a specialized vest and collar signaling he’s “on duty.” “When he sees those, he knows he’s going to drill,” Karazim said.
Getting Axel ready for deployment took countless additional hours of training. Michigan National Guard officials said that as the 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment prepares for its next mission, Axel will be there with the unit, ready to work and support his soldiers.
The Dogo Argentino is a powerful, athletic big-game hunting breed in the Molosser family, bred in Argentina to hunt wild boar and cougars. Despite that history, the breed is known for a calm temperament and fierce loyalty to its family.
