[September 24, 2017] During my first assignment with the 1st Cavalry Division in the Iraqi War, one of our early engineer tasks was to design and build a military dog facility. Dog handlers and their canine friends were part of our unit and were responsible for local security. The Iraqi insurgents we captured called them the dogs of war.
The name stuck. Dogs of war was a popular catchphrase among “First Team” members all through our combat area of responsibility. The Iraqi prisoners greatly feared the dogs; they seemed to have an unusual fear than exceeded the typical fright a few Americans have of dogs. Our military dogs were large, aggressive, and fearless; perhaps it was their reputation that had spread throughout Iraq that drove that fear.
Of course, dogs have been a part of warfare since the beginning of recorded history. Archeologists suspect that humans have been using dogs in war since the animals were first domesticated nearly 15,000 years ago.1 They are used in security, as pack animals, messengers, human rescue, drug and bomb detection, stretcher-bearers, and standalone sentries. Dogs are particularly effective at night.
The most famous dog of war from World War I was named Stubby; a mixed breed. He was part of the U.S. 26th “Yankee” Division and sent to France in 1917. After 18 months of trench warfare, Stubby was credited with alerting the unit to a poison gas attack and to German infiltrators. He was also a great morale booster. After the war he was a national sensation and became the Georgetown Hoyas football team mascot. Today, his remains are part of the Smithsonian Institute.
A key ingredient to good leadership is effective use of every resource available and to maximize its effectiveness. While other animals have been part of the history of warfare, dogs are the most flexible while providing tremendous value. The U.S. military, as many militaries across the globe, have used dogs in warfare. Those responsible leaders I’ve encountered have ensured that their dogs are well trained, cared for, and protected.
Americans love dogs. More money is spent on them than any other species of pet. Yes, I have a dog; a Yellow Labrador so I do have a bias but also a practical understanding of what dogs can do for humans. In the U.S. we even make movies with dogs as the central theme. For example, the 2015 movie Max is about a Malinois dog that helped American Marines in Afghanistan (see link here for the trailer).2
I’ve written about dogs before and how we can learn from them but also that it is the duty of everyone to care for dogs (see links here, here, and here). The bond between humans and dogs begins millennia ago and will continue as an elemental relationship. Leaders who understand this are better placed to be better leaders.
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- http://militaryhistorynow.com/2012/11/08/the-dogs-of-war-a-short-history-of-canines-in-combat/
- Other movies about war dogs are: The Dogs of War (1980) and Dogs of War (1923). I’m sure there are more. Movies and shows about dogs as the central theme are many.