Dogs have served alongside humans in every aspect either in farms, households, as a companionship or even in wars. Either in the muddy trenches or in the roads of Afghanistan which are (Intermittent Explosive Device) IED- ridden roads. They’ve performed several duties which were very critical and also saved many lives. These loyal animals have been medics, scouts, messengers, rescue and what not.
⛑️ The Beginning: Dogs in World War I
When Germany entered the second World War, they had over 6,000 trained dogs with them.
(Source: Julius-K9 – War Dogs in WW1)
In comparison to that Britain had none which was devastating. First official war dog training center was established in 1914 in Essex by Lt. Col. Edwin Hautenville Richardson and his wife Blanche.
(Source: BBC – Dogs of War Documentary)
7,000 dogs were ready and deployed in the war by the British Military.
(Source: National WWI Museum and Memorial – Dogs in WWI)
🔧 Roles and Responsibilities
During WWI, dogs had variety and important tasks:
📨 Messenger Dogs were trained to carry important and vital communications across all the battlefields. They were very effective because of their size and speed. They can easily pass through trenches, areas with barbed wire and active gunfire.
(Source: Julius-K9 – War Dogs in WW1)
🩹 Mercy Dogs were used in battle zones to look for the wounded or the dead bodies. The main aim was to guide the medics to assist them to look for the wounded or to find the dead body. They also carried medical supplies.
(Source: Julius-K9 – War Dogs in WW1)
👀 Sentry Dogs were basically the guard dogs at night when the soldiers were resting or asleep. They were trained to alert soldiers silently if they detected any unusual activity.
(Source: National WWI Museum and Memorial)
🔊 Alarm and Patrol Dogs were trained to sniff gases and give alerts about the gas attacks or any other types of attack like artillery, shells and military advances. They were mostly placed in sentries to react as quickly as possible of any unusual activity, noise or smell.
(Source: National WWI Museum and Memorial)
🦮 Scout Dogs were basically first line of defense for soldiers before they enter any new place. They could detect foot patrols, hidden objects or enemies or any wires which were used to tap any activity. They were highly trained to stay quiet and signal their handlers using body language rather than making any noise.
(Source: National WWI Museum and Memorial)
🧺 Supply Dogs were comparatively large size. As the name suggests they were used to transport small supply bags with food or water or even ammunations. They were very useful in some cases where big vehicles or horses couldn’t reach. They were very useful in the case where the troops were surrounded by enemy forces and cut off their supplies.
(Source: Julius-K9 – War Dogs in WW1)
These roles have saved thousands of human lives in the war.
💣 World War II and Expanding Duties
Following the success of dogs in World War I, the British army embraced dogs in World War II as well. Families were requested by the government to donate their dogs to help the military.
Roles expanded to include:
🧭 Mine Detection Dogs were extremely trained to detect bombs, landmines or any explosives by their smell. Some of them were also able to find mines which were deeply buried. These dogs were used predominantly by the infantry and sappers. They were used mostly in Italy, France and Northern Africa.
(Source: Forces News – Canine Courage)
🦮 Scout Dogs were very useful like in the World War I. They were trained extensively during World War II for similar roles like before. They would go before soldiers to find any hidden ambush or snipers and alert the soldiers.
(Source: Forces News – Canine Courage)
🦺 Search and Rescue Dogs were very important during the Blitz. Many people were trapped in the buildings , so these dogs found and saved a lot of human lives. Rip, a rescue dog in London located over 100 people alone.
(Source: BBC News – Search Dog Memorial Unveiled)
📨 Messenger Dogs were very useful like in the WWI. They delivered post letters and vital communications in the places where the communications were cut off or vulnerable.
(Source: Forces News – Canine Courage)
🐀 Rat Catching and Vermin Control dogs were very important as there were a lot of dead bodies and lack of cleanliness in the war. These rats carried diseases and spread to the other soldiers so the dogs were used to catch them as well. They were mostly used in ships, camps and especially in the trenches.
(Source: BBC – Dogs of War Documentary)
🧺 Pack and Sled Dogs were very useful in mountainous or any region where it snowed. They were predominantly used in Scandinavia, Italy or in the eastern parts of europe. Dogs transported all the supplies including medicines, foods, gears, and ammunations. They could easily pass through places where vehicles got stuck so they were handy.
(Source: Forces News – Canine Courage)
🚧 Guard and Prisoner Escort Dogs were used in the prisoner camps where there were POW (Prisoner of War). They prevented POW from escaping. They guarded the perimeters and even guarded the ammunition depot from unauthorized personnel.
(Source: Forces News – Canine Courage)
Globally, Allied forces used around 250,000 dogs in WWII. They did a wide range of roles and responsibilities.
(Source: Forces News – Canine Courage)
🎖️ The Canine Medal of Honor: Dickin Medal
The PDSA Dickin Medal was introduced in 1943 as an award for animals for their bravery.
🐶 Notable War Dogs
Rip was a stray dog adopted by an air raid warden. Rip located around 100 people during the Blitz.
(Source: BBC News – Search Dog Memorial Unveiled)
Fig: Rip
Sasha served in Helmand Province in Afghanistan. Sasha helped in detecting IEDs and caches. Sasha died alongside her handler (Lance Corporal Kenneth Rowe) in an ambush.
(Source: PDSA – Sasha’s Story)
“For a deeper look at the broader heritage of dogs in the United Kingdom, check out From Wolves to Royal Friends: The Wonderful Heritage of Dogs in the United Kingdom.”
Theo and his handler found 14 IEDs. This is the record by any British team in Afghanistan. Theo died of shock-induced seizure just after his handler L/Cpl Liam Tasker was killed in action.
(Source: Forces News – Canine Courage)
Rifleman Khan, a German shepherd, saved his handler from drowning. During an assault on the island of Walcheren, Netherlands, Khan and Lance Corporal James Muldoon were on a landing craft when it came under heavy gunfire. Muldoon was struggling to swim because of the weight of heavy equipment. Khan brought back Muldoon to safety by dragging him from mud and water.
(Source: PDSA – Dickin Medal Archive)
🎓 Training, Pay & Retirement
War dogs are trained as early as 5-7 months old. They are taught to be obedient, detecting things, and reacting in a certain way to noise, gunfire or smell.
(Source: Forces News – Canine Courage)
Dogs don’t directly receive a salary but their handlers get special allowances to take care of dogs for their food and other needs. The dogs are provided with food, healthcare and shelter.
(Source: Forces News – Canine Courage)
Most of the dogs are adopted and looked after by their handlers or veterans when they retire. In cases where the handler is dead or can’t take care for some reason dogs are placed in charities such as Service Dogs Uk or Bravehound.
(Source: Bravehound Official Website)
🏛️ Honoring Their Legacy
The Animals in War memorial was unveiled in 2004 in Hyde Park, London by Anne, Princess Royal in respect for the thousands of animals which served and lost their lives under the British Military. David Blackhouse was the designer.
(Source: Animals in War Memorial Trust)
📝 Final Thoughts
Dogs are the unsung heroes in many historic events. They have been loyal and brave. They should be remembered as a soldier in their own right, not just as a helper. They gave everything they could.
