The Portland daily press., 1898-07-29
DOGS IN MILITARY SERVICE.
They Deliver Cartridges and Hunt up the
Wounded.


News comes from Washington that the
war managers have been considering a
proposition concerning the introduction
of dogs into the military service. 1t is
pointed out that the SO very useful and
intelligent animals are being used in all
the European countries except England,
and that their services could not we'll be
dispensed with, SO firmly have they estab'
lished themselves as part and parcel OF
the fighting equipment of the land forces.
The war dogs are taught to carry dis
patches, to deliver cartridges to the men
in action. and to search out and find
wounded soldiers. When disabled man
is discovered, the mandog is trained to
bark until aid comes If the animal can
not attract attention by his barking he
seizes the mans cap or some other article
of clothing and carries it to the nearest
comrade of the disabled fighter. The rest
is easy. Another trick to which the war
dog is put is to give an alarm at thu ap-
proach of an enemy. The animal Is
trained to do this BY being given to I'M
derstand that any uniform but the one
worn by the men he sees every day is
covering a foe So a dummy figure is
rugged up and the dog is taught to leap
on this and mangle and worry it until
the guard comes After a little work,
as all who know dogs will easily under
stand, the dog will attack any man who
wears strange uniform. In some cases
postInen have been seriously hurt by the
German dogs, solder not being handy
when the letter deliverer hove in sight of
the trained four-footed warrior In teach
ing the dogs to carry dispatches, the
handlers assistant takes the canine
soldier to distance from the camp,
places dummy dispatch in the pouch
worn on the animals neck, and tells him
to go and seek his master. The creature
is delighted, hunts out the handler, and
as soon as the latter is found the most
important part of the lesson is learned.
The Europeans say that the dogs are
very fond of this part Of the work given
them. They appear to realize the i'm
portanee of their position, much in the
fashion of the dog who is so elated and
pleased when his master allows him to
carry home the evening paper or cane.
During fight the dog of war is trained
to carry ammunition to the men on the
outskirts The handler takes his place
near the ammunition wagon, and as
soon as he finds that cartridges are needed
in certain part OF the field he loads the
dog and starts the animal off toward the
sharpshooters. The dog has been trained
for just this kind Of work and seldom
fails to deliver the goods. Then he comes
back and is sent of with another load.
The cartridges are loaded on hi back, 1C
,if 20 n ta h1c
burden. 1t has been found out, however,
that if dog is wounded during his work
he never can be induced to pay another
visit to the neighborhood in which he
was shot Also woe unto any soldier
who tries to take the ammunition from
the dog unless the man belongs to the
particular corps to which the animal is
attached. Sometimes even the dogs will
allow only the men of their own company
to get the cartridges 80 faithful are they
to the training they have been given.
After the battle the dog does duty in
searching for the wounded. He finds the
helpless soldier, barks as long and as loud
rs he can, and then, if he fails to attrac
attention, the animal seizes something
probably the mans cap-and hurries to
the nearest hospital tent. The training
for this duty is done with men who &c
some distance from camp, pretend to be
wounded, and drop in bitches The dog
is sent out, finds the man and is encour-
aged to bark loudly. The handlers pay
no heed to this, and then the soldier in
the ditch gives the dog his cap, tells the
creature to take it home, and awaits re.
suits. Very few lessons are required tc
bring the dogs to keen point of appre-
citation, and 1T is said that they appear to
understand the situation and realize
what is required of them. When going
out in search of wounded men the dogs
carry TASKS of brandy strapped to thei1
harness. much after the fashion of the ST.
Demands of the Alps.