Chaak was a military working dog who spent 11 years in the Marine Corps.
According to the Yuma Sun, Chaak performed heroically during his service, sniffing out 20 improvised explosive devices and saving the lives of the Marines who could have been injured by those IEDs.
Sgt. Daniel Cornier was Chaak's handler. He adopted the Belgian Malinois when the Chaak retired at Camp Pendleton in 2011.
(Cornier and Chaak were featured two years ago in a NPR story about military dog handlers adopting their dogs when the canines retire. To listen to that story, click here.)
On Veterans Day, Chaak passed away after a brief illness.
Cornier's girlfriend, Heather Donovan, told the Yuma Sun that Chaak was a member of the family:
"Danny wanted to pay Chaak back and give him the happy retirement he deserved. Chaak lived most of his military life in a kennel with about 50 other dogs, so when we brought him home, he didn't know what to do. He had a nice comfy bed and the complete run of the house."
Yuma television station KYMA-TV covered the story of Chaak's passing, and I've posted that video below:
