Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-08-02
DOG SENTTNE[S
USE EXTENDING
HEROIC WAR ANIMALS AFTER DAILY
LOT IN FRONT TRENCHES ENTER
REST CAMPS ALONG WITH MEN.
,Associated Press Corrcspondence.)

his4sNh h,AN mug. -DtH-~ tu
l%tinels of the French army take their reg
ular turn of repose together with thei
human comrades in the ..rest-camps' o
the second line, where they are relieve.
for n time from the nerve racking thunde
of the cannon which is their daily lot il
the front trenches.
The Associated Press correspondent To-
day saw a number of these animals frisk
|ing about with their soldier friends in tn.
waters of q canal running through the ter
.ritory Of the Somme whence recently ia,
Germans were driven. The dogs appeare,
TO enjoy their relaxation just as much a.
the men, with whom they had just marched
back from the trenches after a spell OF
duty lasting twelve days.
These dogs, mostly of the ~shepdog spe-
cies, do most valuable service, at night
more especially, in company with the look
outs who have the task of keeping an IN
failing guard on the front lines. The dogs
have become quite accustomed TO the roar
and bursting of shells, which when the
animals were first sent to the fighting
line caused them 10 run off with their tails
dropping.
Now when the human sentinels are post :
ed right in face of the enemy the dogs
take up their position quite naturally be-
side them and keep a sharp watch out over
mo mans land Their ears perk up ut
the slightest rustic in the darkness in
front Of them. hut the dogs do nos bark
or growl. Instead they call the attention
the soldier sentry by wagging their tails
and moving about nervouSly. Tn many oc-
ca~ions they have given notice IN this way
of IN emey patrol moving aboui stealthIly
in front and have perceived the approach
of raiding parties OF Germans long before
their human companions had any idea that
amy hosiil, movement was in progress.
In fact. a considerable part ~ the
French success IN beating oil German
has been due 20 the dog-seniincls'
acute vision and hearing. One battalion Of
the famous Alpine Chaus~eurS which pos
scsScs Il number of these animals has. ow-
ing to their alertne~s. been enabled 10 pre-
pare timely defence on xix occasions last
month against German night attacks. When
the Germans arrived at the French wire
they found The rlflemen waiting for them
aud they were driven back with heavvy
while the ChasSeurs themselves
never lost q man killed.
All the soldiers nj the front have learn
"a to have very strong confidence IN the
.natsp.f 80 thasr l.1 .npnnnpt.nE xrhn saur
tlcipate in all their perils and often save
them from death or capture.
Efforts were made at one time 10 use the
dogs a companions If the French night
patrols which creep out between the lines
to try 10 see what j. going on IN the en-
emy's trenches. The experiment. however
was not entirely successful. a sometimes
two French patrols would meet and the
dogs accompanying one party would ATTACK
the men composing the other. In the sam.
men always went out On patrol duty It
would he different, a. the dogs would learn
to recognize them even IN the dark, but
this i not possible.
The dogs are placed on the regimental
in the same way a the soldiers and
they also draw regular ration~. In the
front trenches they share with the sol
all the dlscomforts of underground
life. and when the men are relieved they 20
with them 10 ENJOY the comforts of can
tonmen's. Then they are %cleanly housed
In kennels. are washed and brushed and
regularly fed. and they are nj all times
peited by the men. who regard them n true
comrades.
The utilization Of dogs for war work n