MILITARY DOGS.

Mataura Ensign, 27 January 1911, Page 4

MILITARY DOGS.

RED CROSS TRAINING. WOXDKRtTL l-'KATS. Military men in l-'r.-uir h.n■<• liocfi ■:' - cussing tlie wonderful teats perforin*-.! by the trained Rett C'■■.»•> dogs. Utrmany, as in everything v!-e pertaining to war, was, accordin ■; t ■ the 'Da:;;. .\!iii),' i!ig first nation in recent times introduce dogs as a regular part of the j military establishment. That was about I two years ago. Fiance, quickly graspling the fact that these trained docs j would facilitate greatly the quick aid I necessary for wounded soldi, is. adopted the example set hy Cermany witli -•- suits that have gone far .'leyond tie j expectations of even tlie most sangiii.ic. j Dr. Derinnd. who is in charge of ti;«' j experiments, says that f-w people iv ;: ;. ise what an iinportatit i.etur th.-, trained dogs will he 0:1 a ::, ii of battle, where after a skirmish *!. y w iH hav 'strapped on them siimui r.::s. etc.. to I revive fallen soldi. ... ■,•:,., otheiuisf [might escape tlie atienii... : ,| tlie lne.ii- ' eal corps. "The Red Cross dogs."' said Dr. Deriiind. •'recognise no authority except that of a uniformed doctor with ;i red cross on his arm. They will not ohev a command that is given even hy an officer in uniform if the rod cross is not on his .sleeve. A stranger can put en the doctor's uniform wirii the hand, and instantly the dog meets him as a m iter. "'Hip dogs are trained in two different ways. ()i„> set is taunlit never to hark \\],on a wounded soldier is discovered, for fear of exciting the sick or draw inn; the attention of an eiieinv who might slaughter even the fallen." The dog will wrestle or pull until he gets the solditr's cap in his mouth. Then he rushes hack to the camp, giving up his capture as a sign that a soldier in distress has heen found. Another set, however, giv.s the alarm hy short hut legular howls, sounds v.luoh guide the modical corps to the spot where the wounded lie. "In manoeuvres the wounded soldier hides in tall grass or deep down in a lavine far from the tetupor:irv ea\ • One of the dogs is brought out for -..'.. test of finding him. He •nil'.-. the •istens to the wind, and then sndd.'idv" goes forward, first this way air! ti.< ■'■ that, swinging from sid. t,, M 'de like .:„ unsteady ship at s.a. i..-;i!-, onivc i. c. rnd eyes diluted, .\ft"r ~ mnmcni.nv hesitation he is off. an'! alter :l 5),,,,'t. wait the astute little animal is seen afar off hearing >he ~.,> e:,p in his mouth. He singles out the doctor and .places the cap at his feci. The doctor j attaches a leash to him a;,,j ,|, e dog I leads him to the hidden man. j "The dogs are taught never to scent out the dead. It is their dutv to i>i,d I the living, hut if a soldier is ah].. t.> stand erect no amount of coaxing will bring the dog within reach for the purpose of securing the liquor that mav he strapped on him. The soldiers must i r flat on the ground to nil appearance[unable to rise before the d.v „j]) ~,l v an.v attention to him." Military writers recall the | : , ( . t tf,. t war dogs were used in remote times, hut instead of acting as "nnr-.-- - ' they v.. Ie enlisted as fighters. | n the chronic],, ;of Pliny one learns of the dogs used i:i jw.tr three centuries h.fo,e Christ. V~v ;Ciinbrians and Teutons >,,, v ,esv. d t!v::'.led dogs whose ferocity <ya> dreaded j even by the Roman invaders. i lr. the middle ages the fighting <V-.s 'wore spiked co-iK of ir.ai! armor, and t!>ey phiyeci an impertanr part in r"t:e battles of Cranoon and Meiirten h.tween the Hiiriiuiidian . : ."! ;>e '-'v , s jin U7G. Charles \ \....\ ,„ .„.,.'„. „, ithes, fhditing dogs numb.-ring ",,v< :■ : '''''i!. which served in !, : . ...'".., :„ 'France. f' is a modern iiinev.t : . u ~, t ..__;,, '■!.\-> tc ji.sj,t tli« « u!'de.\ France at :■• ■—. i!t !':•■ over MO of i! ..... K, ,| (Y.-.s .-.••.- which arc the! en.:''v efficient in -;• ' : - •■•.■ -! . -hi' ■« is . ' ~.eT . .d ,],. t ;,' ■■'''■ r ] ■ ..t t'-ree ■ ■ ' . ft, ,•„ -, ,1| ' '•' ■■'• : ' ;i, ' n <•:••„;., 1,.:',.;-,:.,,] i