Dogs in Warfare

Last Friday was Remembrance day, November 11th. This is a day set aside for the British and Commonwealth countries to pay our respects to the brave women and men that fought and died for our freedom in both World Wars. This got me thinking about the brave dogs that have also fought in battle. Below is a little background knowledge about dogs in warfare.



  • Believe it or not, dogs have been used in battle as far back as the mid 7th century B.C.  Since then they have been used by dozens of civilizations.  Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Russians and Americans are just a few of the civilizations that used canines for various roles in warfare.



  • They have been used for several purposes, some relatively safe such as sending messages back and forth between battalions. Some purposes were much more cruel and heartless such as  having bombs strapped to their backs and sending them into enemy territory. Sadly, approximately one million dogs were killed in action during WWI alone. 



  • Nowadays dogs are still used in warfare, however in a more humane manner. Some are used for mascots, patrol dogs, search and rescue missions, and trackers. 

  • Common breeds used in warfare include: German Shepherds (most common), Belgium Malinois, Belgian Sheep Dogs, Doberman Pinschers, Farm Collies (short coat), Retrievers, and Giant Schnauzers. 


I ask you to take one  minute today to pay respects to the courageous dogs that worked tirelessly to save and protect their best friends- mankind. They knew not what they were fighting for (or against) but only that their owner/trainer told them that this was what they were supposed to do. Dogs (always wanting to be people pleasers) did what they were asked without fame, glory, or even recognition. Here's to our fallen canine heroes, large and small.





Honoring Real Warfare Dogs From WWI

Comments

  1. Unknown16 November 2016 at 08:10

    very nice blog Mrs.B
    You've included some really nice pictures
    :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Gamer's Paradise16 November 2016 at 08:12

    I don't like that people used dogs in war and in WWI they shouldn't have been used as bomb carriers! :(

    ReplyDelete
  3. GSDtrio16 November 2016 at 08:17

    Thats sad what they did to the smaller dogs

    ReplyDelete
  4. Regular Vibes16 November 2016 at 08:17

    We often forget how useful a dog can be and I didn't realize they were so effective in the first world war!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Unknown16 November 2016 at 08:28

    Poor smaller dogs, I would take them all in and look after them. However, dogs have helped mankind a lot.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Unknown16 November 2016 at 08:33

    I love that you shined light on the brave service dogs! Thats terrible what they did with the small dogs though :(

    ReplyDelete
  7. Unknown16 November 2016 at 09:51

    i like this reminder of there are not just troops there are dogs as well

    ReplyDelete

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