A deaf Dogo Argentino who was surrendered to a shelter as a puppy is now geared up in military fatigues and preparing to deploy with the Michigan National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment.
Three-year-old Axel serves as the battalion’s official ministry dog alongside his handler, Sergeant Mollie Karazim, a religious affairs specialist. Unable to hear standard verbal commands, Axel was trained with a custom system of visual cues, hand signals, and American Sign Language (ASL), mastering over 50 individual commands.
Sgt. Karazim, who joined the Guard seven years ago hoping to be a canine handler before learning the specialty wasn’t available in Michigan, personally financed much of Axel’s specialized training. Outfitted in his own working vest and collar, Axel regularly rides in Humvees, trains in the field, and acts as a crucial icebreaker during counseling sessions for hundreds of infantry soldiers as the unit prepares 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,” the Michigan National Guard sergeant explained. “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 began by bringing Axel along to the Guard’s weekend drill activities. National Guard officials said Axel eventually became a regular part of the 125th Infantry Regiment’s routine. He joined Humvee rides and field operations, where he interacted with Soldiers across the battalion.
“He did great,” the sergeant stated. “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 that signals he is “on duty.”
“When he sees those, he knows he’s going to drill,” Karazim explained.
Axel is now preparing for deployment with the unit. This required countless additional hours of training for the deaf Molosser.
“As the 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment prepares for its next mission, Axel will be right there with the unit, ready to work, support his Soldiers, and put his best paw forward,” Michigan National Guard officials concluded.
The Dogo Argentino is a powerful, athletic big-game hunting breed within the Molosser family, renowned for its imposing strength, boundless endurance, and striking all-white short coat. While fiercely courageous and tenacious in the field—originally developed in Argentina to hunt wild boar and cougars—the Dogo is equally celebrated for its calm temperament, intense loyalty, and affectionate devotion to its human family.
Bob Price is the Breitbart Texas-Border team’s associate editor and senior news contributor. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday morning talk show. He also serves as president of Blue Wonder Gun Care Products.