Breeders Battle for Right to Claim Hero Navy SEAL Dog

It's been reported that a military dog accompanied the Navy SEAL team that took out Osama bin Laden . But what kind of dog? What kind of dog ? Well, it was probably a German shepherd or a Belgian Malinois, breeds that boast "the best overall combination of keen sense ofsmell, endurance, speed, strength, courage, intelligence and adaptability to almost any climatic condition," according to a military fact sheet cited in The New York Times . The dogwas no doubt awesome, but knowing the exact breed is very important to breeders who are eager to claim the hero canine as one of their own:
Suzanne Belger, president of the American Belgian Malinois Club , said she was hoping the dog was one of her breed “and that it did its job and came home safe.” But Laura Gilbert, corresponding secretary for the German Shepherd Dog Club of America , said she wassure the dog was her breed “because we’re the best!”
The identity of the dog, like those of the 79 SEALs, has not been made public, but that hasn't stopped everyone from wondering about it. The Times points out that military dogs can sniff out explosives and booby-traps, and that "a shepherd or a Malinois runs twice as fast as a human"--meaning that if bin Laden had tried to escape on foot, the dog could have prevented his getaway.
read more at http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2011/05/breeders-battle-right-claim-hero-navy-seal-dog/37376/