Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-01-20
WOUNDED ARE CARED FOR
Red cros. With German Army Has
Record Of Leaving No Wounded on
Battlefield Since Beginning Of Hos
tiIities.

Correspondence Of Associated Press.1
Aix-la- Chapelle Dec 28-The records
Of the German Red Cross department
show that SO far, after nearly four
months OF warfare. not single
wounded man has been overlooked on
a battlefield searched by RED Cross
Dogs" AS a result Of this the term
mans best friend" which Is often ap-
piled to dogs. has real Significance to
the German soldier today. Many a
wounded soldier. French. German and
English alike, has to thank one Of
these dogs for the preservation Of his
life. Had Il not been that the dog had
found him and summoned assistance
he might have persisted.
It has been shown that all breeds OF
dogs may be trained for this service.
The majority employed by the German
Red Cross are Dobermanns, German
shepherds. Rottweilers. and Airedale
terriers. There are Representatives of
other canine families. however. and not
a few would be classed as "curs" In
fact some OF the mixed breeds have
distinguished themselves for the rap
idity with which they have learned
their business. A breed known in Bel
GUM as the police dog" has also done
well.
Many Red Cross dogs had been
trained by the German army before
the war broke out. In this case train
ing had started when the animal was
about six months old. For about six
months after the dog has been taken
in hand he Is taught no more than to
obey his master implicitly. After that
his professional" education begins.
1,a
been necessary to train dogs in a
shorter period. and in many cases this
has been done with the aid Of another
dog, who in addition to being an ex-
pert Red Cross worker had also the
quality Of not being mislead by his
apprentice. When dog is trained in
this manner he is paired with veteran
and soon begins to understand what
is expect0 OF him. Nevertheless the
schooling Of the animal requires much
attention on the part of the master
The dogs are trained under system
in which patience and kind treatment
are the principal elements. Again and
again the master Of the dog will take
the animal to q man who Stimulates be-
ing wounded, or who, nowadays ac-
tually is slightly wounded.
Whether or not the scent helps the
animal to find the wounded is/an UNI
answered question. 1t Is believed that
such is the case, but in training the
dog this is not taken into considera-
ton. The dog is taught to search the
field by inspecting every bush and
ditch.
The dogs are brought on the ground
by a man from the Red Cross COM
pany. who, as q rule, has from two to
four Of them on a leash. When the
man considers the field safe for the
dogs he turns them loose with an ap-
propriate command, and then attends
ito such wounded as he can find him.
self.
After while the dogs return to re-
port. The manner in which the ami
mails do this depends upon their own
traits. So far It has been found very
difficult TO keep the dog from barking
when he has found wounded man and
instead teach q signal that would in
dicate that he had found one. This is
hardly needed. however. AS rule
the dog which has not found wound
ed man returns to his master with
sauntering gait and shows neither ex-
element nor eagerness to leave again.
His action Is different when his search
has been successful. In that case the
dog generally comes tearing across the
field, circles about his master and runs
back and forth In the direction OF
where the wounded man has been
found. The Red Cross man then fol-
lows the dog. gives the wounded man.
flrst aid and makes arrangements for
his removal to the field dressing station
or ambulance.
Where the ground is difficult and tho
area to be searched small, or when
.he lines of the enemy are still too
near, the Red Cross man keeps one
Of his dogs on a long line and searches
AhA field In this manner.