I am an unabashed dog lover, and while I won’t get into a philosophical discussion on which animal makes the best pet, in my house, dogs are number one.  They are some of the most loyal companions anyone could ever have. I can’t make a move without my English bulldog appearing at my side (especially when it involves food). 

 

‘Dogs Do Speak, but Only to Those Who Know How to Listen’

The above quote by novelist Orhan Pamuk encapsulates the animal. Dogs, due to their loyalty, trainability, and courage, make for great teammates in our military, police, and emergency services. They have been used by armies for thousands of years. Greeks and Romans used dogs as sentries or in scouting patrols. Their earliest recorded use of dogs in warfare is in about 600 B.C. 

During World War I, arguably the most famous war dog was Sgt. Stubby, a Boston Terrier who was adopted by the 102nd Infantry Regiment, part of the famous 26th Infantry (the Yankee Division). In 18 months of trench warfare, Sgt. Stubby was wounded by grenade fragments and suffered from a mustard gas attack. He once caught a German spy by the seat of his pants and held him until help arrived. 

He was promoted to sergeant, awarded medals by both the French and Americans, and was the guest of honor of three different U.S. presidents. 

Today’s military working dogs are doing an incredible job. They have saved countless lives of troops in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and several other places. They risk their lives to protect the lives of our troops. 

Police and first responders have largely adopted dogs that provide a variety of roles including, drug and explosives detection, location and neutralization of suspects.