Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-10-05
GENUINE DOGS OF WAR.
THE ARMY'S PROPOSED CANINE
MILITARY CONTINGENT,
How Dogs Are Taught to Carry
Messages, Warn Sentinals and
Find Wounded Men.

peeu iouuu mOSU Valuable IN cam
paigning, and many German regi-
ments already have canine contin-
gents. In fact, the animals are con-
sidered an essential part of the fight
ing organization and are as carefully
drilled as the men. Before long all
of the great foreign military estab-
lishments will have troops of four
legged soldiers, and it will not do for
this country to lag behind.
Dogs, properly selected and edu.
Gated, make the best sort of scout and
the most capable carriers of orders in
the field. They are particularly USE
full tor transmitting information, for
conveying messages from advanced
patrols, and in maintaining communi-
cation between posts and pickets.
Also they do excellent work in hunt
ing up missing men. Their natural
qualities of docility, watchfulness,
speed, acuteness of senses, and affcc-
tlon for man render them conspicu-
ously adaptable for military service.
No regiment ought to be without o
squad.
The business of training war dogs
has been reduced to perfect system.
There is a complete course of canine
pedagogy, with lessons as carefully
formulated as those of grammar and
arithmetic for children. The dogs
intelligence, like the child's, is de-
veloped step by step. The lessons
pass gradually from the simple to the
Il = - Al
demand more of the animal than is
Ineligible to him. When he under
stands what is expected of him, the
next thing is to fix in his mind what
he has learned by constant practice
before passing to another subject.
Imperfect learning OF an exercise is
apt to lead to Misunderstanding on
the part of the dog which are difficult
to eradicate.
The fewer punishments the better.
Only disobedience is to be punished.
To punish the dog for failure to COM
prehend is not only unreasonable on
the trainers part, but calculated to
mar the results aimed at. Beating
must not be resorted to when scold-
given sparingly. 1t is not advisable
habitually to give the animal tidbits,
since they distract his attention. In
most cases words of praise and afiec-
tion are q sufficient reward. A GER
tain amount of training goes naturally
with the early bringingup of the pup,
but the; ;education proper should not
be begun before he is at least six
months old. 1t may be remarked
here that the war dog is always of the
male persuasion; females are kept
only for breeding purposes.
The Germans consider the efficiency
OF their war dogs of such Importance
that an immense amount of labor is
expended in training them. They re-
ceive instruction at night as well as IN
the day time. One important thing
they learn is to growl and not to bark
when stranger is near, and this is
taught them by practice in the dark.
The hearing of dog is more accurate
and its alertness greater at night than
by day. An animal that can be counted
on to growl on the approach of r
stranger without giving an alarm is
calculated to be particularly useful to
the sentinel. Watchfulness is inborn
in the dog and may easily be culti-
waited. The beast must be taught not
to bito under any circumstances,
Fierce dogs are unsuitable for military
service.
The war dog wears collar that has
metal plate bearing the name OF the
company to which he is attached, as,
for example, "Rife Battery s, .
Comp" Ae carries small canvas
pouch, which is closed by button or
buckle. These articles, with a chain
for fastening him when required, con-
stitute the whole of his equipment.
The canvas receptacle is called ere
port pouch" An idea of its purpose
is communicated to the dog by putting
written messages into it in his pr essence
when he departs on mission aud
taking them out on his arrival. He
soon learns that he is carrying some
thing from one end of the trip that is
wanted at the other. This business of
conveying messages is the most i'm
portant thing that the animal has to
learn. He ought to be able after a
while to go distance of two miles or
more and return.
1t is important that the dog shall go
straight to his destination, taking the
shortest practicable route. During
the process of training, therefore,
men are stationed along the track
which he is to pursue, az they call to
him and try to divert him from his
object. If he pays any attention to
them he is scolded or punished. The
distance traversed is very short at the
beginning and is gradually increased.
The dog is taught to cross water by
swimming. He is made accustomed
to the firing of guns by taking him to
the target range, and his first actual
service may be in carrying messages
between the firing stand and the
markers. The final test of the aui-
mails capableness is his willingness
and ability to do the same work when
led by somebody else than his instruc-
tor. He must be taught that he is not
to Obey his master nlonp Intelliuenoe