dan-1383, this is my guess on that scene (I haven't heard Schlöndorff's commentary either):
Erwin says "they couldn't make this dog into a fighter." Which means - in their weird administrative minds - that they had to find another "purpose" to use the dog.
To write this most unusual test of the weapon correctly down in their books, they use the dog as a living guinea pig and declare the whole thing as a security test for the car (Erwin says: "We're driving important people, too."). Now the "department for personal security pays for it" and (in their minds) everything is correct by the rules and expectations of their administration (they kinda justify their actions).
In my opinion this scene shows that despite all their pretended humanity the system itself didn't care about the life of a dog - or a living being in general. People who follow only rules are indifferent towards emotions, they're cold-blooded bureaucrats, they have no heart at all. You recognise in Ritas face the disappointment about this stupidity - she is obviously against it. But nevertheless she stayed in East-Germany - like so many others who thought they were the better humans ...
janar
For relaxing times, you know.
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