Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C. -- Running around with a bone, getting doggy treats and playing fetch may not sound like a day's worth of discipline training, but Hummer knows the drill.
Hummer, the Depot mascot, spent the last few days training with the K-9 unit from Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort and his handler to improve his obedience.
"Hummer needs some discipline, said Cpl. Scott Brasfield, a travel clerk with Dispersing, and Hummer's handler. "I think he is a good dog, but he needs some training."
That's exactly what he got.
"His biggest problem right now is he doesn't listen," said Sgt. Christopher Moultin, the kennel master for the Provost Marshals Office on MCAS Beaufort. "He's hard-headed."
That's usually a respected trait among Marines, but not so for the Depot's dog on display. Moultin took on the challenge of besting the bulldog.
"Sit!" Moultin said. Hummer sat. "Stay!" Hummer stayed. Within minutes, Moultin had Hummer obeying every command.
"He just needs to learn what is expected of him," Moultin said. "He doesn't know." "Any dog is trainable," Sgt. Robert Murray, the assistant kennel master for the Provost Marshal's Office on MCAS Beaufort said. "We just have to find his drive."
They found it. It was dog bones.
Every time he obeyed, he received a delicious, mouth-watering treat. Well, mouth-watering for Hummer anyway.
Hummer's training was finished. It was his handler's turn.
"You have to train Hummer everyday," Moultin told Brasfield. "It's the only way he will learn."
Moultin went over the commands with Brasfield. However, the attention quickly shifted back to Hummer. But it wasn't training; it was playtime.
"A dog's attention span is only 15 to 20 minutes," Moultin explained. "You've got to give them a break, and always end training on a good note."
Hummer ran around the softball field several times, chasing his rubber toy.
"It's like training a Marine," Murray said while throwing Hummer's toy. "You don't break them down day-after-day without building them back up."
Hummer returned with the toy. His training was complete for the day.
"He's a smart dog," Moultin said. "I don't think it will take too long to train him."