The Washington herald., 1917-05-10
Army and Navy News
Best Service Column in City.

SO valuable has been the war dog TO
the French army that officials of the War
Department here are seriously considering
the Use of dogs by the American army.
The uses to which war dogs are put by
the French and other European bel
ligerents are numerous.
The cOmmonest service which is re-
quired of the dog is to be an auxiliary
of our advanced sentinels. This dog
every night occupies more or less long
position in a poste d'eCoute. listening
point in a hole made by shells behind
a rock or a tree, in a ditch. etc. The
night is dark. the fog thick and the SEN
tinel. whatever be his power of attention,
whatever be his power of vision, cannot
see or near the enemy patrols who sd-
vance. The dog. on the contrary, when
he has passed through proper training.
will hear, for the dogs power Of hear
ing is effective at a distance of 100 to 10
yards, and he hears the smallest sound
He will not bark. for then he would be
come dangerous for our posts, for oul
sentinels.
He will only growl deeply. or he will
overWise, by scratching the ground, bv
moving his tail, by pricking up his cars,
show that something IS taking place.
and tho sentinel will then be on his guard.
his attention will be awakened, and he
will have time TO send for re-enfoTce-
ments. After few days of work in the
first lines the sentinel dog, who will have
understood his new occupation. becomes 5
impa ssioned. and he shows this in many
joyful ways, exactly like a gun dog when
the shooting man takes down his gun.
AS to the dispatch dog Cchien de liaisonl,
his training is more delicate and requires
more work; it is necessary that the dog
have certain natural qualities. such as a
very well developed intelligence and a
very powerful nose. The dispatch dog
works day and night. He may rest five
or six consecutive days, and then have
to work two days and two nights with
out cessation. resting very little anc
eating only when he has time. The dis
patch dog must carry the dispatches
rapidly between the corps commanders.
An intelligent and fast courier replaces
the "agent de liaison," and even the ap-
petizing smell of the "soupe'' would be
unable to make him deviate from his
route.
As to the patrol dog. he searches about
the ground and lets the patrol Chiel
know that there is nothing suspicious
about, or, on the contrary, that the
ground is well guarded by the enemy
The patrol dog must be able to take the
| Offensive" and also know how to be or
the defensive" he must know how tc
| throw himself on an enemy patrol, on an
isolated sentlmen, whom he must hOlC
with his teeth until the arrival Of his OWL
patrol
The ambulance dog (chien sanitaire
searches on the field of battle after the
ambulance men have picked up all the
visible wounded.
We also possess draught dogs (chien de
trait. which have come from Alaska and
| Labrador, and which are being used fol
| bringing up munitions, food, etc. wheI
| the snow in Alsace and in the Vosgei
| allows only the passage of sleighs.
We shall pass in silence the question Of
| training. The French methods are su
| perior to the German: they are swifter
| not brutal, by addressing themselve!
rather to the instinct or the intelligence
of the dog. and TO his appetite
The sheepdogs of Beauce, or Brie o.
of Alsace had been trained for patro
ind sentinel services, also as ambulance
dogs The Dobermann-Pinseher a purel,
German dog. did not give me the salts
| faction one could expect from him. Hi
| intelligence is an average one, as ar,
also his olfactory qualities, and although
' he is game enough. which Is useful In I