The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-19
WAR DOGS CONTINUE
TO DO THEIR SHARE
Collection Of Wounded Is Their
Principal Task and They
Do It Well.
ARE VARIOUSLY EQUIPPED

During the present war there have
been many articles written about Dogs
in Warfare and the latest Ia from
Dogs OF all Nations" by w. E. Mason,
who has the following to a OF the
ambulance dogs used in the war:
Not until the history of the present
war ONE to be written will It be
known Just how great have been the
services OF the dog for ambulance work.
Shortly after the outbreak of this. the
worlds greatest war, an association in
Germany formed about the year 1898.
known as the Ambulance Dogs Asso-
cation, greatly increased It's activities.
II has been found by experience that
the best breeds for ambulance work are
%collies. retrievers. ~bloodhounds. Airedale
terriers. Gernhn shepherd dogs and
Doberman Pinschers. II IL absolutely
essential that ambulance dogs should
be extremely why and hardy, and capa-
bic Of great hardship and endurance,
otherwise they are OF very little use.
The manner in which ambulance dogs
are employed is TO help the Red Cross
men and doctors to search for wounded
within a given area on the battlefield.
\ dogs sense of scent and acute hear
ing enable him frequently to detect the
sound OF the breathing of n wounded
man when insudible to the human ear.
Moreover. a pun OF wind often ~sufTlces
to carry To the dogs nose the scent OF
a man lying, possibly unconscious, in
some concealed place. Fields OF battle
nowadays arc widely extended. and
soldiers have TO take advantage OF
every possible bit Of natural cover. The
instinct of the wounded Is to use their
last strength in seeking protection from
the artillery fire, cavalry charges, the
wheels OF the gum and the other hor-
rors to which they are exposed. They
crawl away into the most hidden and
safest pbaces. The collection OF the
wounded IL at night. This accounts FOR
the very large numbers that are after
each battle reported missing. In some
instances the missing have been more
than half as many as the known total
OF killed and wounded.
The dogs are differently equipped In
the armies OF different countries. The
Germans provide their ambulance dogs
with a saddle with pockets, in which
are bandages and dressings, while
around the neck IL a wooden flask OF
stimulants. The Italians and French
put the flask in a pocket OF the saddle,
British experts consider bandages and
stimulant unnecessary. as every man
has TO carry his own first aid dressing.
and the extra weight binders the dogs
In action. In the English army the
dogs wear a very light saddle. with the
Geneva cross on each side and. a loud
he'll hangs from n lenther collar. The
Russians provide their ambulance dogs
with small lanterns and attach the bells
elsewhere on the collar.
In some European armies the anbu-
lance dogs are trained to return TO their
masters n guide them TO the wounded
men in others they are taught to bark
and give the news out in that way.
Still another method Is to ave the dog
on a long leash and a him lead the
| searcher in the right direction, The
Japanese also use scouting dogs in this
way. and SO do many OF the European
armies. They are trained to grOwl al
sudden surprise, their natural tempta-
ton to bark being thwartcd BY muzZling
with a leather strap. In sentry duty
the muZzle Is removed. With an W
wind blowing these sentry dogs are able
20 detect the approach OF men and horses
an extraordinary distance away. or
the whole I, Is found that the speediest
and best method to use the dogs Is fo'
the dog to stay beside his quarry wher
found and bark until the ambulance
! arrives, but there IL 4 dra wback that
II several dogs are being employed in a
restricted area and several bark stimuli
~taneOusly il is not always easy t. To-
cate whence the barking comes.
The Germans. unlike the French. dc
not permit their dogs ven to wear q
collar. as il is thought this may hinder
them in pushing their way through tn
thicket or hedges. II has often hap
pened that the wounded are found ad,
jacent to some hedge or cover not cas-,
to search by human aid alone. On tn,
other hand, the French fasten waite,
bottles around the neck OF the dog and
train him to search for wounded, whC
II still conscious eagerly grasps the wei
come and oftentimes life saving bever
age. Constant practice In this as II
other kinds of dog training Is an ahso
lutte essential. As the war proceeds NOR
and more use will be made of the specia
functions and gifts Of dogs, a Resume
of which when peace again reiGns vii
surely prove n of the most interesting
phases OF the hostilitles now taking place
in Europe.
III lHb dilildiS VI Alt iAtll'l NJ VI
Mustache is still a celebrity. Mustach'
was one OF the dogs used In the Italian
campaign when Napoleon was FRS
Consul. He saved the French arm,
from a night surprise and annih!lation
Later he tracked and captured a sp!
who had secured valuable information
But this dogs browning achievement
was at the battle Of Austerlitz. n,
standard bearer OF the regiment hat
Just fallen dead. Mustache's teeth an
an Austrian soldiers hand grasped tn,
tattered banner simultaneously. Mus
tache few at his enemy's throat an,
bore him down. Then Selling the fa,
he carried II back to the regiment
Napoleon gave Mustache the highes
decoration for his valor. He met
soldiers death not long after this racini
forward beside the flag. leading tine regi
ment in a furious charge,
LEXINGTON RACING RESULTS.