The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1915-04-08
DOGS OF WAR.
Those Clever Trained CANNES Are In
comparable Sentrie>.

Major E. H. Richardson has an in
teresting article in the London Army
and Navy Gazette of January 9, 1913,
SAYS the Army and Navy Journal,
from which we quote the following:
Several years ago when trying to
stir up similar efforts in this coun-
try, | pointed out that an efficient
scheme of mobilization was in exist
ence in Germany. whereby everyone
of these thousands OF police dogs
would be modified. and would give
the troops immense assistance and
protection. This mobilization has
now taken place, and on all fronts
there must be about 10000 dogs
working with German troops. For
tunately the same. to great extent,
NAV be said about Russia. In June
last. was invited to judge the mill
tary and police dog trials in st. Pet
ersburg. and was greatly struck with
the importance which the army and
police attached TO tie whole subject.
Trained dogs were brought from all
parts of Russia and Siberia to the
trials. and in fact. | believe the va
rious towns and districts from which
they emanated amounted to ESQ. The
crack Russian regiments-such as
the Ismailovsky, Semenovsky, Paw
lovsky, Guard Russars, etc.-all have
numbers of dogs attached to them.
France has given a certain amount
Of attention to the subject, but not
along the most practical lines.
There are three different duties
for which dogs are being utilized. AS
aids to the searcher and ambulance
bearers, as messengers. and to ac-
company the sentries and patrols at
night. In my opinion there is no
question, but that the last named
duty takes immensely superior pre-
cedence of the other two duties.
The drawback to the ambulance
dog is that the handler Of the dog
requires to thoroughly understand
how to work him. In fact, he re-
quires to be trained in peace time as
well as the dog.
The messenger dog l have always
maintained, would be apt. in actual
warfare to- make mistakes, and run
into the enemy's lines. This has, as
a matter of fact. happened in this
war. On several occasions the Ger
man messenger dogs have run into
our trenches. At first our soldiers
did not realize they were carrying
messages, and they were allowed to
pass unmolested. Since the real use
was discovered, the dogs are imme-
diately shot.
The night sentry and patrol dog,
however, cannot be too highly prais-
ed and advocated. The invaluable
use of these is being demonstrated
on all fronts.
Now in. the French army the lat
ter service has been neglected. One
or two French officers tried to bring
it up within the last two years but
any attention the government gave
at all, before the war. to the SUBJ
iect was diverted to ambulance dogs.
This has been found to be a mis-
take
ITO refer again to sentry dogs in
the French army, it was suggested by
one or two officers in the defensive
zone at one of the great fortresses,
during the early stages of the war,
that a few trained sentry dogs should
be obtained to assist the sentries in
detecting the approach of the enemy
at night, and thus prevent night sur
prises. These few dogs turned out
very useful, and no night attacks af-
ter their arrival were successful on the
part of the enemy. The consequence
of this has been that the French
army are now endeavoring to secure
as many trained dogs as they can
for their front.
The work Of selecting, testing
and training these dogs is consider
able as it must not be supposed that
anv ordinary watch dog is suitable.
It is a curious fact that very often
a dog that has proved itself to be
irst-rate houseguard and watch is OF
no use at all when away from that
particular environment. The sentry
dog has to start with a peculiar tenn
rerament. He must act on the de-
fens;ve in any SPOT and with any
person to whom he may be attached.
OF course, in effect after dog mas
been some time with particular
regiment he begins to recognize all
the men of that regiment as IN MS
charge. and can even distinguish be-
tween them and those Of other regl-