To the British the term " dog-cart" designated a trap with a box arrangement behind, but in Belgium the real dog-cart was in common use, though a British soldier driving one was a novelty. Public Domain

Animals in the Great War

The Belgian soldiers were very attached to the dogs which drew their mitrailleuse guns. Here is shown the sole remaining animal with the 14th Company, which helped in the defence of the coast. Public Domain

Many animals played an important and invaluable part in the First World War.

War-horses, carrier pigeons, mules, donkeys, camels and many other species were utilised to their best advantage. But it was, perhaps, the war-dog which was deployed in the most diverse ways.

Dogs had been used from time immemorial as draught animals in Flanders, Belgium. Many of these solidly built dogs, which until then had dragged milk and other light carts through the streets on their daily chores, were requisitioned for military service, and harnessed to the quick-firing Maxim guns of the Belgian Army, and utilised for carrying messages.

It was therefore imperative that such faithful servitors should receive kindness and protection from danger. Many of them survived all the reverses of the Belgian Army.

Improvised kennels were made for them in the Belgian dunes. These generally consisted of a large hole dug in the sand, over which a wood covering of some kind was erected to shield them from stray shot and shellfire.

All other belligerents in the war made use of dogs in some way. Such a position of honour had its dangers, and the loss among these dogs was unfortunately severe, though not so drastic as that inflicted on the German spy-dogs.

The Germans trained dogs to approach opposing trenches and bark a warning if they were occupied. At first Allied soldiers imagined this to be friendliness and petted them.

They soon realised the true reason for their appearance, and any dogs seen on the battlefield were shot.

The Germans also employed dogs for the purpose of scenting the wounded. Others were attached to regiments, and were used to draw larger equipment placed on a small cart.

In the French army the animals were found not only effective for draught purposes, but were entrusted with such responsible work as sentinel duty and message carrying, and delivering tobacco to the front line. They even had their own trenches for some of these tasks.

When going into the danger zone, the dogs were provided with respirators, as many of them were lost to poison gas.

The French had a special training centre behind their lines where these dogs of war learnt their crafts to assist towards an eventual victory.

Late in the war, war-dogs were trained in England at Shoeburyness by Major Richardson whose breed of war-dogs was well known, and he supplied about thirty British battalions with animals for work on the Continent.

E. H. RICHARDSON The Founder of The First British Dog Training School

Dog guard in a German trench. Public Domain

Historical Use of War-Dogs

It had been known that dogs could be usefully employed as auxiliaries in the prosecution of war, for millennia. Both Greeks and Romans used them for offensive and defensive purposes and for maintaining battlefield communication.

Plutarch and Pliny told of war-dogs, and Strabo noted how dogs were armed with coats of mail, in Gaul. Camerarius, told that guard-dogs could discriminate Christians from Turks (not surprising considering their sense of smell).

In the Middle Ages and in early modern history there have been many stories, some apocryphal, of the participation of dogs in war.

In the Crimean War, dogs were employed on sentry duty; in the American Civil War they were used both as sentries and guards.

The British Army used Collies or Scottish shepherds in the War of the Transvaal, around 1900.

Dog sentinels were also an interesting feature of the Russian Army. They were used in the war with Japan in 1904, with much success in guarding railways.

In 1908 Lieutenant Jupin re-introduced war-dogs to the French Army. Germany, Russia and Italy soon followed.

In manoeuvres from 1911 to 1913, Belgium experimented with the use of dogs in simulated combat situations, with excellent results; and in 1914 utilised them in the First World War as draft animals and load carriers.

A common form of organization was the military dog squadron. France also used war-dogs as hunter troops.

Belgian dog-drawn machine-gun waiting tor its regiment. The mortality among these dogs was extremely high. Public Domain

Belgian soldiers placing a Maxim gun-carriage drawn some by dogs under some long grass on the sand-dunes. Public Domain

First Uses For War-Dogs In World War One

About the time World War One broke out, several European armies adapted the prevailing use of dogs to pull small carts for milk deliveries and similar purposes, for military use.

In August 1914, the Belgian Army used dogs to pull their Maxim Guns on wheeled carriages, and for the transport of supplies. They also used them to carry their wounded, although this ceased as trench warfare took hold, after the first two months of the conflict.

The French had 250 dogs at the start of World War One. The Dutch army had hundreds of dogs trained and ready for use, should they be needed, by the end of the war (although the Netherlands remained neutral throughout the Great War).

WWI saw the first large scale use of war-dogs for military use, and this time it was organised, and concentrated on specialised operations.

Austro-Hungarian dog-team bringing up supplies to an entrenchment on the Rumanian front. Public Domain

Numbers of Major Richardson's famous Airedales were on active service with the Army, and, as shown in this photograph of a dog on sentry duty by the graves of two soldiers, were provided with gas-masks. Public Domain

An Airedale on duty in a church destroyed by the Germans. Public Domain

Dogs in War

Contemporary authorities stated that dogs employed during the war of 1914-1918 could even detect soldiers from unfamiliar regiments. Instinctive fidelity and keen scenting power made the dog particularly suitable for training as an auxiliary in war, but it was necessary that the right sort of dogs were used.

Further, dogs quickly acquired a sense of danger; and, if unable to reach their destination, they made their way back to their kennels. They would never cross no-man's-land to the enemy. Stray horses and mules also exhibited this instinct for hurrying to the rear. One which, no doubt, was in every soldiers' mind, but had been trained out of them.

Dogs had a vital part to play as the complexes of trenches spread throughout the Western Front. Despite their suitability, no 'modern' system of war-dog training began until the latter part of the 19th century.

About that time Germany began to consider the possibilities of using dogs for war purposes, and began training them, mainly due to the championship of the animal-painter, Jean Bugartz.

France, too, made some progress and some official encouragement came forward; but in England, apart from the private efforts of Lieutenant Colonel E. H. Richardson, no serious undertaking took place, and it was not until 1917 that a British war-dog training school was established at Shoeburyness, Essex.

Britain Started with Just One War-Dog

Types of Dog Suitable for War Training

In determining suitability for war training, a particular dog's physical condition was the first to be considered.

Preferred dogs were / had:

good temperament,

good disposition,

medium build,

greyish or black in colour; white dogs and those of “check” colouring were obviously unsuitable for war purposes, constituting too conspicuous a target,

good eyesight,

keen sense of smell,

intelligent,

strong; chest needed to be broad, the legs sinewy and the paws of firm construction, and

agile.

Sex played a part. A bitch in heat could, at any time, throw a pack into excited confusion. Although trials proved them to be more apt at learning and more trustworthy, they were not suitable for war purposes.

Castrated dogs lacked courage and temperament and were useless for work in the field.

Dogs chosen for war training were usually less than one year old and not more than four years old.

Deutsche und Hunde

Puppy mascot of the Artist's Battalion Public Domain

"Gibby," the mascot of a Canadian regiment, and his C.O. The dog had been gassed twice, but still went into action. Public Domain

Dog Breeds Suitable for War Training

Lots of dog breeds were used across the various belligerent countries. The most popular type of dog were medium-sized, intelligent and trainable breeds.

Two native German dog breeds, in particular, were used, due to their superior strength, agility, territorial nature and train-ability;

Doberman Pinscher were used because they were both highly intelligent and easily trainable, and possessed excellent guarding abilities. Being of slight frame and extremely agile, their dark coat allowed them to slip undetected through terrain without alerting the enemy. They were employed most frequently in Germany.

German Shepherd Dog (GSD) were used also because of their strength, intelligence and train-ability, being eager to please their masters.

In Germany there was, at first, a great difference of opinion as to the most suitable breed for training:

Poodles were originally decided upon, because of their high degree of intelligence. However, poodles were prone to the excesses of weather, and though they had sharp scent, they were extremely short-sighted.

The St. Bernard was considered; the record of its ancestors at the Hospice was known and distinguished; but that breed was lighter in build than the St. Bernard of the day.

The Pointer was next; but although it was intelligent and physically strong, its hunting instinct was so deep-rooted that it proved unsuitable.

The German authorities, from the outset, had insisted that:

“a military dog cannot be produced from cross-breeds”.

Many different breeds saw active duty, depending on the job at hand.

Bulldog, Bloodhound, Collie, Retriever, Doberman, Airedale, Jack Russell, Wire-haired Fox Terrier, Sheep-dog and German Shepherd were all used in various ways best suited to each breed characteristic.

Purebreds did seem to have any advantage over mixed breeds; what was important was that they displayed their true character.

The Collie, pure-bred for centuries, was, in the late 19th century, regarded highly in Germany for war purposes. Jean Bugartz, in his book on the subject ["Der Kriegshund und seine Dressur" Twietmeyer, Leipzig, 1892; "The war-dog and his dressage (training)"], champions the qualities of the Collie.

Later, however, Collie's fell out of favour. The largest proportion of dogs employed with the German army were GSD's. Some contemporary accounts stated that the Germans placed some 6,000 war-dogs in the field, at the outbreak of war; however, according to the German Society for Ambulance Doges (Oldenburg), of 1,678 dogs sent to the front up to the end of May 1915:

1,274 were GSD's,

142 Airedale terriers,

239 Dobermans and

13 Rottweilers.

These proportions were reported to have remained constant throughout the war.

Belgians used dogs to drag their guns. Public Domain

Nurses attending the wounds of their mascot, a present from an officer-patient. Public Domain

A dog of war. Airedale terrier trained to carry a load of shells for the use of the light field artillery. Public Domain

Dog Breeds Utilised by Allied Forces

Many types of dogs were used. Thus, of a total of 340 dogs sent to France from the British training school within a certain period:

74 were collies,

70 lurchers,

66 Airdales,

36 sheep-dogs, and

33 retrievers,

the remainder made up of 13 different breeds.

During the First World War (and Second) the following breeds were used:

Collie, Airedale, German Shepherd, Doberman, Boxer, Mastiff, Irish Wolfhound, Rottweiler, Poodle, Saint Bernard, Great Dane, Mastiff Abruzzo, Pyrenean Mountain Dog, Bouvier des Flandres, Riesenschnauzer, Bulldog, Newfoundland, Briard, Beauceron, Belgian Mastiff, Dogue de Bordeaux, Belgian Shepherds, Bloodhounds, Amstaff, Pitbull, Vizla, Malamute, Husky, Hovawart, Caucasus shepherd, Dhepherd dogs and hunting dogs of various breeds.

Other breeds associated with WWI were smaller terrier breeds, that were most often employed as 'ratters'; dogs trained to hunt and kill rats in the trenches.

It was estimated that by 1918:

Germany had employed 30,000 dogs,

Britain, France and Belgian over 20,000,

Italy 3,000, and

Russia had used thousands also.

The mascot dog of a regiment at the front listening attentively to a recruitIng appeal on the gramophone. Public Domain

"Biddy," a mascot which went through Heligoland and Dogger Bank fights. Public Domain

War-Dog Training Facilities

A central kennel and training centre was established in France at Étaples. The training course lasted about 5 or 6 weeks.

From Étaples the dogs were posted to sectional kennels behind the front line, each sectional kennel consisted of about 48 dogs and 16 men. From these kennels the dogs and their keepers in the proportion of one man to three dogs were sent up for duty in the trenches.

British war-dogs, which were placed under the signal section of the Royal Engineers, were employed principally in maintaining communications, though sentry-dogs did valuable work, especially in Salonika; but a British war-dog school was not established until 1917.

The French army war-dog training school was established at Satory about the same time as the English school was set up at Shoeburyness. Shepherd-dogs of various kinds, Airdale terriers and Scotch collies were mainly employed. Each French infantry battalion was allotted six dogs, the allotment being made from the Army Headquarters kennels.

War-Dogs of World War One

"Kitchener" was the proud nickname given to this pet of one of the Army Service Corps (A.S.C.) transport sections at the front. Public Domain

Transporting food and sometimes ammunition, with the help of a small cart. Public Domain

Roles and Functions of Military Dogs

Military dogs in World War One were positioned in a variety of roles, depending on their size, intelligence and training. Generally, the roles fell into the category of

sentry dogs,

scout dogs,

casualty dogs,

explosives dogs,

ratters, and

mascots.

During the Great War vast numbers of dogs were employed as:

sentries;

messengers;

ammunition carriers;

food carriers;

scouts;

sled dogs;

draught dogs;

guard dogs;

ambulance dogs;

ratters;

mascots;

Red Cross casualty dogs; and, even

cigarette dogs.

A German infantry regiment was allotted a maximum of 12 dogs, while a battalion might have six, the allotment being made by the Messenger Dog Section.

'Dogs as Messengers': Prophetic Article From 'Chums' 1892

"The experiment of training dogs to carry messages and to act as sentinels in the army has been made in Germany, and , it is said, with very encouraging results. The dogs have now been in training for some time, and have made really wonderful progress." "The kind found to be most suitable for this work is the shepherd's dog. The plan adopted is to accustom each dog to regard one of the soldiers as his master, the conduct of his training being in this man's hands." "When on duty the animals are kept with the sentinels." ... ... ... "When it is considered how much smaller an object a dog is than a man for an enemy's fire, and how close to the ground he can run, it seems not unlikely that dogs may yet become of great service in military operations." - 'Chums' 1892.

Trained dogs were used extensively in the French Army as companions to sentries on night duty, and they proved very valuable. Public Domain

War-Dogs as Sentry dogs

According to Lt. Colonel E. H. Richardson, commandant of the World War One British War Dog School, the qualities necessary in a sentry dog were:

"... acute hearing and scent, sagacity, fidelity, and a strong sense of duty."

Although the sentry's mission was less spectacular than many wartime canine functions, it saved the most human life.

These dogs patrolled on a short leash and with a firm hand. They were usually trained to accompany one specific handler (guard) and were taught to growl, bark or snarl as a warning signal to indicate unauthorised presence in a secure area, such as a camp or military base.

Dobermans were traditionally used as sentry dogs and are still widely used today as guard dogs.

While in the front trenches, it was sentinel dogs, that gave the soldiers advance warning of approaching patrols, preventing the enemy from getting close enough to use hand grenades.

War-Dogs on Two Fronts

War-Dogs as Scout dogs

Scout dogs had to be quiet and disciplined. For this reason they had to be highly trained. Their role was to work with soldiers on foot patrol, scouting the terrain, and detecting enemy troop patrols.

They could achieve this sooner than any man, being capable of detecting the scent of the enemy up to 1000 yards away, .

They were trained not to bark, which would have drawn attention to the squad, but to stiffen, raise their shackles, and to point the tail. This would indicate that the enemy was in the vicinity.

Scout dogs were widely used because they were highly efficient in saving a patrol from detection.

Public Domain

Caption: French Red Cross dog having his wounded paw dressed by an Army doctor. This dog, struck by a stray bullet while searching for wounded behind the firing-line, wears an expression of patient optimism, almost as though aware that he had suffered in his country's cause.

Dogs played useful parts with the French Army, some as sentries and others as Red Cross helpers. In this latter capacity it was their duty to search for wounded men who might have been overlooked, possibly through having crawled into undergrowth. When the dogs found a soldier they took his kepi or something else belonging to him, and hurried back with it to the ambulance workers.

A Red Cross dog upon the battlefield carrying in his mouth the cap of a wounded Zouave as proof to the stretcher-bearers that he has found someone in need of help, to whom he will guide them forthwith. Public Domain

One of the four-footed friends of the French soldiers approaching a wounded man with a bandage in its mouth. Like the famous dogs of St. Bernard, these Red Cross animals have proved of infinite benefit to wounded and suffering humanity. Public Domain

A French Red Cross ambulance being drawn by dogs through a deserted town. Public Domain

Dog taking a kepi from a wounded soldier back to get the stretcher-bearer. Public Domain

War-Dogs as Ambulance Dogs

Countless 'Red Cross Casualty Dogs', also known as 'Ambulance' or 'Mercy' dogs took part, and were vital in, World War One.

Originally trained in the late 1800's by the Germans, they were later utilised across Europe. Known as 'Sanitatshunde' ('sanitary hounds') in Germany, these dogs were equipped with their saddlebags of medical supplies, and trained to find the wounded and dying on battlefields.

Those soldiers who could help themselves with the supplies would tend to their own wounds. Those more gravely wounded would be accompanied by a 'Mercy' dog whilst they waited to die.

Ambulance dogs were able to distinguish between the dead and those that looked dead. They left the dead untouched, even passing by them with signs of disgust. The wounded they rescued.

The English and French armies found it impossible to employ casualty dogs on the Western Front later in the war. The German army, however, employed them successfully, especially on the Eastern Front, during the Russian retreat. It was officially recorded that thousands of German soldiers owed their lives to ambulance dogs.

Thousands of soldiers, on both sides, not just Germans, owe their lives to these ambulance dogs, yet they only helped a small fraction of the casualties. Trench warfare ended with the Great War and with it the necessity to use the Red Cross casualty dogs ever again.

Trench Messenger

The French war-dog "Prusco", was employed in carrying messages from a motor-cycle scout to headquarters. This dog and his companions penetrated the enemy's lines on many occasions. Public Domain

War-Dogs as Messenger Dogs

The breeds chiefly employed for message-carrying work were:

German shepherd-dogs,

Dobermans,

Airedale terriers, and

Rottweilers.

The Germans, unlike the British, employed dogs on a double-journey - the “liaison” principle - that is, with two keepers. Under this principle, the dog would travel backwards and forwards between his two handlers. In the British army the messenger-dog was trained to make the journey to one keeper alone.

These messenger dogs proved to be as reliable as soldiers in the dangerous job of running messages. In the trenches communication was always a problem. Field communication systems were crude. There was always the very real possibility that vital messages from the front would never reach headquarters or vice versa.

Human runners, the fielders of a most dangerous endeavour, were potentially large targets. Weighed down by uniforms and equipment there was every chance that they would not get through. In the heat of a battle, there was even less chance that a runner would get through. The enemy artillery was likely to be pounding the front line and beyond.

Vehicles were also problematic in accomplishing this vital task. They could break down. The 'roads' could be impassable. Dogs were the obvious solution.

A trained dog:

was faster than a human runner,

presented less of a target to a sniper, and

could travel over any terrain, and

proved to be extremely reliable if they were well trained.

A recruit from a British dog training school traveled over 4,000 metres (2 1/2 miles) on the Western Front in less than an hour, with an important message to a brigade's headquarters, over "very difficult" terrain. All other methods of communicating with them had failed - but the dog had got through.

Some messenger dogs also performed other communication jobs, such as pulling telephone lines from one location to another.

German messenger dogs would be turned loose to move silently to a second handler. This required a dog that was very loyal to two masters.

The messenger dogs, considered by some as the real heroes of the war, were credited with indirectly saving thousands of lives, by delivering vital despatches when phone lines broke down, in between units at the front and headquarters behind.

Barbed wire, slit trenches, shell holes and chemical gases were among the many obstacles faced by these capable dogs.

This dog followed some British soldiers for five miles while they were marching in France, so they adopted him. Public Domain

Mascot Dogs

Dogs also had another role to play on the Western Front, for all belligerents.

For men undertaking the ignoble perpetration of trench warfare, a dog (pet, mascot, or otherwise) in the trenches was a psychological comfort that reduced, even if only a little, the horrors they lived through. It has been reported that Adolf Hitler kept a dog with him in the German trenches.

A dog must have reminded soldiers, of both sides, of home comforts.

Many dogs were adopted as mascots by soldiers of whatever persuasion fighting during the Great War. Mascots helped to relieve the overwhelming mental strains of war, by their very nature; their keen interest in everything that was going on; their readiness to respond to every kind word, and to every friendly act; and by their courage, loyalty and everlasting good nature. They kept up the morale of the men in the trenches when nothing else could.

A pet of a Belgian hospital ship. A little refugee griffon that was adopted by the ship's officers. Public Domain

The war on the trench pest. Rat-hunter with a bag of rodents killed by the dog. These vermin infested some of the first-line positions in swarms, and were a source of great annoyance to the soldiers. Public Domain

Other War-Dog Functions

Two of the more unusual functions utilising dogs, used during the Great War, were:

France used sled-dogs, in the Upper Vosges, to supply the mountain regions; and, America had some sled-dogs kept in Alaska.

Draught dogs - were used for distribution of food, and for the delivery of ammunition. They were employed best where the terrain was difficult; the journey hazardous; or, there were limited human resources for the task (or all three). They were more agile, and quicker, than their human counterparts - they essentially took the place of the children that undertook the task in wars of the 18th and 19th centuries and before. They were most appropriate where small munitions needed to be delivered.

See Dogs carry ammunition to WWI fighters (Shutterstock).

See Dogs carry ammunition to WWI fighters (Shutterstock). Ratters - the terriers, whose natural instincts helped to keep the rat infested muddy trenches clear.

YMCA cigarette dogs - small dogs, sponsored by the YMCA, with the task of delivering cartons of cigarettes to the troops, stationed on the front lines.

Canine heroes about to be decorated with gold collars. Public Domain

War-Dogs of the USA

The U.S. Army, at first, did not use their own dogs, instead utilising a few hundred from the Allies for specific missions.

The United States (except those sled-dogs in Alaska) had no organized dog units, but borrowed a limited number of dogs from the French and British forces for casualty, messenger and guard duty.

Sergeant "Stubby"

The Bravest Pitbull

"Rags", Mascot & War Hero

The Story of Rin Tin Tin

"Laustic", one of the splendid war dogs which won the " Collier d'Honneur." Public Domain

Famous War-Dogs

The USA produced the most decorated and highly-ranked service dog in military history - 'Sergeant Stubby'. He was a stray Pitbull puppy adopted by a regiment of infantry heading to France.

Stubby turned out to be an invaluable guard and friend:

he could differentiate American troops from German (tell friend from foe) as they smelled different.

His military action saw him:

alert his 'pack' when he smelled trench raiders,

warn of gas attacks,

capture a spy,

go from wounded man to wounded man, in the thick of battle, to give them each a few moments of succour,

wounded in battle,

sent to a French Military hospital where French nurses knitted him a blanket, and

receive medals from American Dough Boys.

After the war he was:

made a lifetime member of the YMCA,

similarly of American Red Cross,

similarly the American Legion, and

taken to visit the White House and President three times.

Sgt. Stubby, an American Pit Bull Terrier mix, was the most decorated dog of World War One. He became the first dog to be given a rank (for discovering, capturing, and alerting the Allies to the presence of a German spy).

Rags was another notable World War One dog. He, having been found in Paris, fought alongside the U.S. 1st Infantry division, both as a mascot and a messenger dog. Having been evacuated to the United States after being gassed, he went on to become a lieutenant colonel and a celebrity.

Another war-dog that became a celebrity was Rin Tin Tin. Originally this was a puppy from a German mascot litter, found on a scouting patrol by a Corporal Lee Duncan, of the 136th Aero Division, when an abandoned German war-dog station was discovered. Rinty grew up to be a moving picture idol of the 1920s and 1930's.

Some of the French war dogs that were mentioned in despatches for their services in finding the wounded and acting as scouts and publicly decorated with gold collars. Public Domain

© 2013 Chaz

Jennifer on December 15, 2019:

What is the name of the Great Dane who flew next to his master to accompany him on his missions during World War 1?

dirk danschutter on January 24, 2018:

Hi Chaz, Leland Duncan was a gunnery corporal in the 135th Aero Squadron, not the 136... Also, it is highly debatable whether Rintintin (and Nénette) were actually found in the St Mihiel sector, september 18th, 1918. This is the story Duncan told after Rintintin became a motion picture star. Before that, he told the 135th found a wounded male dog in Flirey, whom they named "Fritz" and whom they mated in Toul with "Betty", a dog that Duncan's captain (C. Bryant) had retrieved in Belgium.

Many greetz

Dirk

Gary Tameling from Islip, NY on December 15, 2013:

Great hub. I am a dog-admirer, and I love to see articles like these about the animals that serve so loyally in wars that are not their own. I hope to see other such hubs in the future.

Chaz (author) from UK on December 12, 2013:

Thank you everyone, including those I have not replied to individually, for your time reading and commenting upon "War-Dogs".

It was a pleasure to research and a pleasure to write.

My hopes are that it is a pleasure to read - or at least informative and interesting.

Thanks again, all interaction is appreciated.

blake4d on December 12, 2013:

Incredibly detailed and well written piece. Let us love and remember the dogs of war. Keep on hubbing. Blake4d

Hui (蕙) on December 12, 2013:

Know much knowledge about dogs in a specific time, and furthermore know about the relationship between the animal and humans. And "Oh, my god, any dogs seen on the battlefield were shot." Congratulations on this hub. It is great!

Barbara Purvis Hunter from Florida on December 12, 2013:

Hi,

I voted up+++ for this amazing hub. Informative and interesting about dogs being used in war. I cannot say I am over joyed to learn about man's best friend being used where they are at great risk, but now I know a little more about their history.

Thanks and have a great December.

Bobbi Purvis

Chaz (author) from UK on December 12, 2013:

@Paradise7 - but don't forget about ants, wasps and hornets which fight as if in a war with each other, to take territory and captives to be used as slaves.

Perhaps we are just a throwback.

Paradise7 from Upstate New York on December 12, 2013:

Very, very informative hub. You wrote about war dogs exhaustively here! I don't think you left anything out. Very good job. "Let loose the dogs of war", eh? Still I think it's a pity to use animals to make war. I just do.

We'd be better off taking an example from the animals and refraining from war, ourselves.

anndango on December 12, 2013:

A fascinating topic. Dogs truly are man's best friend, and are smart and wonderful creatures. Voted up and shared, pinned. Congratulations of HOTD - well-deserved.

Buildreps from Europe on December 12, 2013:

A true masterpiece, your article. I kept my breath too long while reading. Your Hub is definitely my most favourite. I'll come later to reread it again. I went with friends along the trenches of WWI, but was were never aware of this part of the war history.

Amie Butchko from Warwick, NY on December 12, 2013:

Extremely impressive and interesting hub. Your information about the use of dogs in war is comprehensive and shows the potential that dogs have for being of great value to people. I love the topic; original and attention keeping.

Chaz (author) from UK on December 12, 2013:

@CMHypno - the handlers love, and had faith in, their charges. They were there, just as their animals, because of the inhumanity of others.

The powerful always have the need to hang on to power - and they will do, literally, everything in their power to keep it, or to enhance it. They have no compunction as to how they achieve it. Men, dogs, horses, and many other animals were their pawns in a horrific game of chess, where the taking of a piece amounted to hundreds of thousands of lives - many times just to gain a few yards of territory that was of no use to man nor beast - mainly due to what had gone before.

CMHypno from Other Side of the Sun on December 12, 2013:

Thank you for such an interesting hub and congratulations on HOTD. Unfortunately, we humans seem to have no compunction in dragging animals into our wars, where many dogs, horses etc have served faithfully and often endured great suffering

Joshua Patrick from Texas on December 12, 2013:

Great job all around - content, research, layout. Voted up and across!

Chaz (author) from UK on November 13, 2013:

Glad to have added to your knowledge Sneaks77

Aaron, on November 12, 2013:

Very good reading, highly researched, and gave me some information I hadn't already... Nice!

Chaz (author) from UK on November 04, 2013:

Thanks Solaras

Barbara Fitzgerald from Georgia on November 03, 2013:

Thumbs up and Interesting - Shared!

Chaz (author) from UK on November 02, 2013:

The unsung (almost) "heroes", all!

We place human attributes upon animals (anthropomorphism), giving them 'bravery' and 'gallantry', but that is only to deflect us from realising the inhumanity of our actions. No animal is either 'brave' nor 'gallant'; they are just doing what comes naturally, or that which has been trained into them.

It is the same for man. 'Bravery' is usually just the manifestation of an instinct for survival. Gallantry though is much more powerful than an instinct, it is the conscious thought the consequence of which assists others, even at the expense of one's own life. Soldiers awarded bravery medals will tell you the same; "I was not brave, I just did what was necessary at the time."

Those with power, influence, and money, with no conscience concerning other 'lesser' men, sent millions to their death, 'over the top' to oblivion - those such as Haig. It was the soldier citizens of the colonies - such as Currie - that, at least, had some compassion for those under his command.

But there was no compassion for the faithful animals of the war - as you rightly point out.

Thanks for your input - your comment shows me that this article has gone some way to show how man utilises animals to perpetrate war, without real consideration for their welfare.

Thanks again - it is appreciated.

David Hunt from Cedar Rapids, Iowa on November 01, 2013:

Ah war. Nothing escapes war. Countries spend millions of dollars a day to prosecute the war, sign a piece of paper and promptly forget their soldiers. The animals had it even worse. Of the hundreds of thousands of horses sent to Europe during ww1, most ended up, those that survived the bullets, shelling and exposure to the elements to end up as meat on French tables. Great article, humahistory.