A war dog is a dog trained for war. The dog has been used in wars since ancient times. Their jobs have varied over the years, from being trained to track with their acute sense of smell, to bringing down infantry or even horses by biting into the hamstrings of their targets.
The history of war dogs is long and detailed, stretching up to conflicts as recent as Vietnam. In ancient times, they disrupted battlelines and frightened soldiers. They were not rendered useless as the ages drew on, however. Stubby, a war dog of World War I, was promoted to the rank of sergeant. Chips, a German Shepherd mix, served in World War II and was awarded the Silver Star.
Gifts of wardog breeding stock between European royalty were seen as suitable presents. Wardogs were used by England against the Celts in Ireland and by many European forces, such as Spanish Conquistadors, in the New World.
History
Wild wolves were domesticated around 10,000 B.C. in Southwest Asia, China, and North America. Wolves’ highly structured pack behavior made them ideal for domestication because they were eager to please. Eventually, domestication greatly changed the appearance and behavior of the animals, making them what we know today as dogs.
Their first responsibilities were primarily as hunting companions, bed warmers, and food sources. Over the years, breeds became specialized for more complicated tasks, giving us the breeds we know today.
Dogs have been used in war for a very long time. Some ancient civilizations that used war dogs included the Egyptians, the Greeks, and the Romans. Romans had attack formations made entirely of dogs. These proved to be effective machines of war at the time. Native Americans also used dogs, though not on this scale.
Dogs were also used for military purpose during the Middle Ages. Atilla the Hun used giant Molossian dogs in his campaigns. Other civilizations used armored dogs to defend caravans or attack enemies. Spaniards used dogs when they invaded the land controlled by South American natives. The English used dogs when they attacked the Celts. War dog breeding stock was also given as gifts, and was highly prized.
Later on, Frederick the Great used dogs as messengers during the Seven Years War in Russia. Napoleon would also use dogs during his campaigns. Dogs were also used up until 1770 to guard naval installations in France.
The first official use of dogs for military purposes in the United States was during the Seminole war. They were also used to track runaway slaves. Dogs were used in the American Civil War to protect, send messages, and as mascots.
Uses
Dogs have been used for many different purposes. Different breeds were used for different things, but always met the demands of the handlers.
Sentry dogs
Sentry dogs were used to defend camps at night. They would bark or growl to alert civilian or military guards of a stranger.
Scout dogs
These dogs were trained to silently locate hiding enemies such as snipers. The dog’s keen sense of smell and hearing would make them far more effective than humans.
Mine dogs
These dogs were used to locate mines. They did not prove to be very effective under combat conditions.
Messenger dogs
These dogs were used to carry messages in battle. They would be turned loose to move silently to a second handler. This required a dog which was very loyal to two masters, otherwise the dog would not deliver the message on time, or at all.
A Russian war dog was sent to deliver a message during the battle of Stalingrad. The dog travelled for about 10 kilometres and was wounded nine times during the trip.
Some messenger dogs also did other information jobs, such as pulling radio lines from one station to another.
Anti-Tank Dogs
During World War II, the Soviet Union trained dogs with anti-tank roles in mind. These dogs were taught to seek food under tanks. They were then starved until a battle occurred, during which they would be released to seek food. When they ducked under a tank, a set of explosives on the dog’s back was set off, destroying the tank. These dogs were successful at disabling a reported three hundred German tanks. They were dangerous enough that that Panzergrenadiers were ordered to shoot all dogs in sight. However, the dogs were unable to distinguish ally tanks from enemy tanks, and were easily scared away from battle despite the hunger. The project was eventually abandoned.
Attack Dogs
In ancient times, dogs, usually large ancient mastiff and rottweiler type breeds, would be strapped with armor and spiked collars, and sent into battle to attack the enemy. This strategy was used by various civilizations, such as the Romans and the Greeks. This type of military dog is not in use today because modern weapons would allow soldiers to destroy them before they could do any harm to the enemy force.
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