WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Axel, a deaf Dogo Argentino rescued as a puppy, is preparing to deploy with a Michigan National Guard infantry battalion.
- Sgt. Mollie Karazim trained Axel as a ministry therapy dog to provide comfort and connect soldiers with the unit ministry team.
- Axel knows more than 50 visual commands incorporating American Sign Language, and soldiers have begun learning ASL to communicate with him.
- Karazim integrated Axel into the unit for a year so his presence could provide soldiers with a familiar piece of home downrange.
Axel, a deaf Dogo Argentino once surrendered and placed in foster care, is preparing for a mission few rescue dogs ever reach.
The three year old therapy dog is set to deploy with Sgt. Mollie Karazim and the Michigan National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment.
His journey began in Florida before leading to work as a ministry dog with the Michigan National Guard unit.
For Karazim, a religious affairs specialist who owns and handles Axel, his calm and cheerful demeanor made the role a natural fit.
“Axel is not a tactical asset; he is a force multiplier by means of mental health and soldier readiness,” Karazim said.
“He helps soldiers who are fighting wars sometimes silent and in their own heads by offering comfort to them.”
Axel also helps break the ice between soldiers and the unit ministry team, giving chaplains and religious affairs personnel an opening to provide support.
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Karazim said watching him work and bring smiles to soldiers makes her proud.
His deafness is not viewed as a limitation. Karazim considers it his superpower and believes it has helped create a different kind of bond between them.
“I love how willing he is to learn. He always wants to learn. He always wants to be doing new things, experience new things,” she said.
Karazim specifically wanted to rescue a deaf dog before adopting Axel as a puppy from DC DOGO Rescue. She had previously owned a dog without hearing and valued the bond created through that experience.
Training began immediately, with Karazim teaching Axel the behaviors he would need and exposing him to the environments he could encounter.
Although he cannot hear fireworks or banging, he can feel them, making trust and preparation important.
His deafness also provides an unusual advantage in a busy military workplace.
Axel can sleep through loud offices, banging and surrounding activity, sometimes ending up snoring on the floor while everything continues around him.
Karazim knew she wanted Axel to become a ministry therapy dog, but she waited to ensure he was suited for the job.
She maintained a regimented training schedule for two years, hoping that the preparation would allow him to blend smoothly into the unit.
That patience paid off earlier this year when Axel began working alongside Karazim.
He rode in Humvees, traveled in airplanes and joined battalion soldiers while they ran or rucked during physical training tests.
“He ran the two-mile right with everyone, and I can 100% confidently say that everyone ran faster because of him. I know I did,” Karazim laughed.
Axel now recognizes the signals that mean it is time to work.
He associates Karazim’s uniform with duty and has a special collar displaying his name and rank that he wears only while working.
Within the unit, his black nose, broad smile and habit of resting his head on soldiers have become familiar sights.
Karazim said soldiers have told her that Axel entering an office made their entire day and provided comfort when they needed it.
If Axel senses that someone needs more time, he will remain with that person while being petted.
That simple interaction supports his larger mission of helping soldiers facing struggles that may not be visible to others.
Communication between Axel and Karazim relies on visual cues and hand signals.
His training includes more than 50 commands and incorporates American Sign Language, while soldiers in the unit have also started learning ASL so they can communicate with him.
“If you watched me interact with him, you would have no idea that he’s deaf at all. And most people are shocked when I introduce him to people,” Karazim said.
She believes his deafness makes him more attentive to emotions and especially suited for therapy work.
Axel is now preparing to deploy with Karazim and the unit. He will circulate with Karazim and other chaplains, traveling to meet soldiers across the battalion as they request support or time with him.
Karazim wanted Axel integrated into the unit for a full year before the deployment so he understood the soldiers, the routine and his job.
Once downrange, she hopes his familiar presence will give troops a welcome piece of home.
“He’ll circulate with us, and he’ll travel wherever we go. People can request to talk to us; people request him all the time,” Karazim said.
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