Retired Secret Service K9 to be first dog to receive Distinguished Service Medal

VIENNA, Va. (7News) — One night as the Obamas were in the White House enjoying a movie, a guy jumped the fence and tried crashing their family get-together.

He never made it. He was quickly cornered by a Secret Service Belgian Malinois named Hurricane.

RELATED | U.S. Army Caisson horse named Minnie up for adoption after mate dies

“Hurricane met him halfway on the lawn and engaged the individual and he and him got into an intense battle," said Hurricane's handler Marshall Mirarchi.

Mirarchi was standing close by letting his partner do what he was trained to do. In the end, they arrested the man, but Hurricane did suffer some injuries. The kind that forced early retirement.

When people say the dog did his job of protecting the First Family, Mirarchi says that’s not really what happened.

“People say that’s because he’s protecting the President. I say, he doesn’t know the President is back there that's me, he’s not going to let that guy get to Dad," he said.

When Hurricane retired, Mirarchi quickly adopted him and he still keeps him active because Hurricane loves to work and keep busy.

“I tell him I love him all the time, he’s my partner, he’s my best friend. We’ve been through so much together," Mirarchi said.

From all of his training early on, Hurricane's teeth were getting cracked and worn down.

Mirarchi says an incredible dog dentist in Vienna, Virginia, took care of that, giving Hurricane his signature look of having his fangs capped with titanium.

His 15 seconds of fame didn’t end that night on the White House lawn either. Now, he along with five other dogs, are getting national recognition from Congress as heroes.

Hurricane will actually become the very first dog in America to receive brand new recognition.

“He will be the first dog to receive the Distinguished Service Medal, pretty cool,” Mirarchi said.

The nonprofit groups Animals in War and Peace, The Livingood Group, along with U.S. War Dogs Association, helped lobby congressional lawmakers to recognize K9’s who put their lives on the line to protect others.

While six dogs are being honored, three of them will be getting their recognition posthumously. Other Countries have for years given this kind of recognition, but for the U.S. this is new.

As for Mirarchi, he’s excited for his partner and best friend, but he knows Hurricane will enjoy getting the medal, but he smiles knowing that a game of tug of war or a belly rub is probably more of Hurricane's speed.