Military Working Dogs – Interesting Facts!

Did you know that dogs have fought alongside man since ancient times? Interestingly, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, and others used dogs as scouts while bringing them into combat. In modern times, Germany created military dog-training programs in the late 19th century. Europeans used dogs during World War I to find wounded soldiers and carry supplies. We wanted to list some interesting facts about military working dogs. Continue reading our article to learn more!

1.The earliest recorded use of dogs in combat was by Alyattes of Lydia against the Cimmerians around 600 BC.

2.All military working dogs and their handlers are trained at the 341st Training Squadron at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

3.Holmdel, New Jersey, is home to the United States War Dogs Memorial, which pays tribute to all of America’s war dogs in history.

4.About 10 percent of military working dogs for the Department of Defence are bred at Lackland. The rest of the dogs are purchased from approximately 30 vendors stateside and overseas.

5.An AKC Detection Dog Task Force was established to raise awareness and alert U.S. breeders, citizens, and research organizations about the organization’s involvement.

6.Federal and local government agencies and private vendors seek puppies 10-12 months of age.

As you can see, there are interesting facts about military working dogs. The United States military uses dogs in all branches of service. Dogs are trained for specific jobs such as explosive detection, patrol, search and rescue, and tracking. To no surprise, a dog’s work is invaluable!