Unfortunately, the dog was described as “aggressive” and he was cautioned to be careful. Understandably, Walensten felt nervous about meeting the eight-month-old Belgian Malinois named Loki.
“I remember still feeling scared when I first saw him. We looked at each other and I slowly approached him. But for some reason, he did not jump on me,” the 37-year-old told FMT.
Taking that as a positive sign, Walensten began playing with him, all the while cautious about his every move. “Then, he started wagging his tail, and I felt better,” he recalled.
It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship between the two.
A unique relationship
Over the next week, Walensten spent time getting to know Loki and they took long walks together around the base in Ulu Tiram, Johor Bahru. Then, the real work began as Walensten started training the canine to detect explosives.
“We would first put explosives inside a vehicle, for example. Then, we will bring the dog over. Once the dog has detected the explosive, the dog will sit down,” he explained.
“And every time Loki successfully detects the explosive during his training, he gets a reward from me. He likes meat,” Walensten added.
When not in training, Walensten and Loki spend time playing catch with a tennis ball – a favourite activity of Loki’s, Walensten revealed. He would also take Loki on walks around the base whenever he was free.
Part of being a handler meant Walensten was responsible for feeding and bathing Loki. “He usually eats dog pellets twice a day, but his favourite treat is actually canned tuna,” he shared, adding that Loki also loved his weekly bath as he loved playing with the water.
Over time, they formed a close relationship and one memory that remains special to Walensten is when they went to the beach together last year, where they swam in the water and later played catch. “Loki was very, very happy as he likes to swim,” he recalled.
But while Loki shares a warm relationship with his handler, Walensten revealed that the canine is not as friendly with other humans.
“He will not allow anyone else to touch him. When someone else tries to hold him, he will bite them,” he revealed.
Walensten revealed that Loki is also very protective of him and every time he spots a stranger approaching his beloved human, he would bark.
“He loves me a lot and he is like a very best friend to me,” he shared.
Saying goodbye
However, a farewell is on the horizon for the duo as Walensten will be leaving the army next year. According to him, army rules prohibit him from bringing Loki with him.
“I have been in the army since I was 18 years old. Now, I plan to start a business in my hometown in Serian, Sarawak,” the father of two children aged seven and five revealed.
“However, at the same time, I feel very sad when I think about leaving Loki.”
Recently, a heartwarming TikTok video capturing the duo at the National Day parade gained the attention of many social media users when it was revealed that the two will be parting ways soon.
In the video, the duo was seen cuddling together on a staircase, clearly happy being in each other’s company.
“That was actually our first and last Merdeka parade, and I told him, ‘Let’s give it our best’, although I felt like crying,” he recalled.
Knowing how Loki feels about other humans and his deep attachment to his handler, Walensten has started preparing for his departure by looking for a suitable person to replace him. “I have introduced someone to him, but Loki didn’t like him and started barking.”
One can’t help but imagine how sad the final farewell would be for the duo. “I will certainly miss all the times we spent together.”
Although he has been an animal lover since young and has owned other dogs before, he shared that Loki is the most special one. “I really love him and even if I have other dogs after this, Loki will always be in my heart.”