DOGS OF WAR???? Military working dogs over seas!!!

[zimas_mommie]

I was JUST watching the news.... has anyone heard of the dogs of war? I didnt know this but there are over 200 working dogs over seas with our soldiers!!! They just held a fund raiser for the dogs because I guess 4 dogs were sharing a bowl!! The heat burns their pads of their feet! The sand gets in their eyes!!!  One guy didnt even have a dog a donated 1000.00 I thought that was neat!!! Just thought I would share!!

[shangrila]

Yeah, I  have heard of war dogs. Well, anyone who saw the infamous prison pictures with the dogs has heard of war dogs... And the other week I was watching 'dogs with jobs' (one of my fav shows) and they had a segment about ww2 war dogs, and there was this guy telling the story of him and his partner dog and how much he loved the dog and wanted to bring it home after the war. But the government didn't let him - they euthanized all of the war dogs after they had saved so many soldiers lives. I was so angry and ashamed of our country I shut the show off.

But on the upside, I have also read some nice articles in the news about companion animals making life bearable for troops and  soldiers today being able to adopt and bring home the dogs that they have grown attached to overseas.

[Joji]

Dogs in the military isn't anything new, and not just for the US.  Many other countries use dogs in military action. Just read up on the breed history of many workings dogs and undoubtedly you'll see some sort of military or related duty.

RE: euthanizing military dogs ... that's no long in practice. You have to understand that dog training in the military during WWII and later isn't what it is today. Dogs were trained to be vicious - no ifs, ands or buts about it. They were trained to perform under the harshest of situations: war. Even the handlers could be subject to an attack if they weren't careful. I knew a military dog handler who was attacked by a rottie for no other reason other than touching the dog's ears. My husband, a 20-year veteran, knew of handlers being attacked for dropping their guard around the dogs. These dogs were not companion animals. The military has changed their training technique and today's dogs are not trained to be vicious. It is only recently - as in the last year or so - that the military is allowing their working dogs to be adopted. So, as the saying goes, times are a-changing, and hopefully, for the better. :-)

[Nicole]

Joji,
Good update. I've always wondered about that. Well, since I watched a show on the subject about a guy and his dog in Vietnam. I cried for a long time after I watched the whole thing, fell in love with the bond that he had with the dog, and then at the end found out that the dog was euthanized. SAD! However....as sad as the whole thing is, its really heartening to know that the military recognizes dogs unique abilities and skills and intelligence!

[Joji]

I suppose I should back-peddle a bit on saying that today's military dogs aren't vicious ... because it would be misleading to say that. They can be vicious.  Just like today's police dogs, they are trained to attack people, but it's not quite like it was 10+ years ago.  I did a photo-essay on police dogs about a year ago and on military police, which included their dogs, about 9 years ago and the military dog was intimidating to say the least. I'm glad there was an 8' chain link fence between me and Eddie, the military dog. All I wanted was his photo but he wanted nothing less than to show me the "teeth end" of his business.  ;-)

[mastiffmommy]

I have heard of them and seen some old shows of war dogs during ww2 and also I think it was vietnam. I cant say I know a lot about them though. Does anyone have a link to more info about them, it would be real neat to read more about the hero dogs.

Marit

[SPIKESMOMMY]

http://www.war-dogs.com/

http://www.war-dogs.com/

So far these are the 2 best sites I could find.

Rachael and Spike

[zimas_mommie]

awww that was tooo cute.... so jenn they let him keep the dog? I think that is too cute! I know alot of the dogs are over there to sniff bombs and stuff  like that!!! I think it was sad that our government didnt take care of our dogs better though!! Four dogs drinking out of the same bowl? They deserve the best treatment too!! I know from the fund raiser they just sent over doggles... boots....toys. ..treats....co oling pads! The weather is soo harsh over there!

[mastiffmommy]

spikesmommy... .. thanks a lot for the sites, I have saved them and will go read them when I am done on here.

I agree that these dogs should receive the same treatment as the human soldiers, boots to protect their feet, their own water bowl, and doggles are a wonderful idea, the sun there is horrible, and for the time off, toys, bones and what have you. I am sure all the soldiers working with these dogs agree, they know how much they have to thank the dogs for.

Marit