AMBULANCE DOGS AT WORK

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2712, 6 March 1916, Page 7

AMBULANCE DOGS AT WORK

FEARLESS UNDER HEAVY FIRE. One of the most interesting of the fltbsidiary establishments of the French Army is that of the French sheepdogs which aro being employed in ambulance and patrol work. The establishment is quite small, only about 25 of theso dogs In all having been used up to date. The original idea was that the dogs should be employed only on ambulance work, but owing to their great intelligenco it was found possible to use them for falsing,, back messages from advanced parties'to the rear. The system of training is said tp be rather complicated, and, has to be begun when the dogs are still very young. The first thing, of course, that, they havo to learn is implicit ohedionco, and after that it is a question of training them not to fear gun-fire, and to bring back any article. When once they are trained these dogs show themselves absolutely fearless under the heaviest fire, and so far from recoiling, from a phell-burst, they usually rush forward and bark furiously at it. In the circumstances, therefore, their casualty list of five 1 wounded may be regarded as fairly light. \ , When employed on ambulance work the dogs perform much tho same duties as those of St. Bernards. They aro sent out to scour the ground, and when they havo found a wounded man they bring back some article of his apparel. A doctor and two orderlies arc then detailed to follow the dog, who brings them to-the place where tho wounded man is lying. The conditions of trench Warfare which obtain along the major part of the front make it" impossible for the dogs to do much real patrol work, hit' a certain nmoiint is being done by (hem in a district whero they live in dugouts with tho men who arc in chargo of them.