The weapon if there was one, or whatever was hanging off, arms, legs, dangly bits if there was no weapon.
We had full suits for multiple dog attacks, bomb helmet head protection was worn then.
Most demos were put on with just the sleeve under a greatcoat.
Note for non Dog Handlers. The dogs HATE the sleeve. You get that split second where you have the dog hitting you at 30 to 40 kph where he tries to go under, around , or over the damn sleeve.
Your job in that split second is to move the sleeve into his mouth even when he tries to fake you out.
Oh, and get your arm horizontal to his mouth, a well trained German Shepard attack dog can generate up to 5,000 pound pressure over his jaws, so if your arm is sideways to the bite it will bend the arm bones inwards. You WILL carry those bruises for a couple of weeks.
It is doing this job when you realize adrenalin is brown, lumpy, and runs down your legs.
I got a bigger adrenalin rush from playing the criminal than doing Para drops (even night jumps).
As for tracking, what a mind job. Working the dog when wind drift, moisture content, surface etc must be taken into account, learning to read every move the dog makes with his body and what it means.
Now do it in the bush, middle of the night feeling all that down a 12 foot tracking lead where 1/2 the time you can only just make out where the dog is.
The trust and understanding with the dog is an amazing and humbling experience. The reward when you get your first operational job achieved is a highlight that stays with you for life.
Later on when I was working security patrols in a very hard part of the city I had another dog that I trained up.
12 on 12 off for 7 days, then 7 days off. When I got home the dog was sorted even before my boots came off, fed quick run and tucked into his kennel.
My live in girlfriend of the time accused me one morning "You love that dog more than me"
Well me and the dog had had a bad week with some down right scary moments, I was tired and sore. I replied simply...
"You save my @ss as much as that dog has and I will love you just as much."
When I woke up that afternoon she was gone.
Boy I miss that dog.