Messenger Dogs: Soldiers in the Great War

An Australian officer saw one for the first time on the Aisne in June 1918: “He was coming from the front-line trenches—a little Welsh terrier. The ground was in a terrible condition and absolutely waterlogged. The little creature was running for all he was worth, hopping, jumping, plunging, all with the most obvious concentration of purpose. I could not imagine what he was doing until he came near and I saw the bulging collar. I had heard about...

Read More

Why Did Mine Dogs Work for the Brits but Not for the Yanks in World War II?

The British deployed over 60 mine detecting dogs to the European theater, Holland in particular, and were very successful at uncovering mines along rail lines and at transport locations. The Americans used dogs in Italy, but quickly labeled the program a failure. The British primarily used a reward method of training, while the Americans primarily used a “repulsive” electric shock. Suspicions have been raised that the two approaches might explain...

Read More

Did Kings Kissing Greyhounds Give Us Hepatitis C? Perhaps, but It Doesn’t Mean Service and Therapy Dogs Should Be Kept Out of Hospitals

When the popular media reported that hepatitis C may have originally come from dogs, I got several emails asking if this was going to have an effect on whether therapy dogs should be admitted to hospital settings. I read the scientific paper, and tracked down some related research regarding viruses, and am happy to say that this kind of interspecies transfer should not affect our ability to take dogs into hospitals. Since this is something I do on a regular basis (at Benedictine Hospital in Kingston, NY), I am personally relieved as well. At...

Read More

Some Cadaver Dogs Are Good at Finding Teeth Separated from Bodies in Difficult Terrain (Some Are Not)

Finding teeth that have separated from a body can be important in solving a crime. The separation may happen from a physical blow or from disarticulation by animals, and it can be very difficult to locate them, particularly in wilderness settings. Forensic odontology is a significant subfield of forensics, which even the Department of Justice has been funding. A researcher at the Desert Research Institute in Reno, Nevada, and another at the University...

Read More

Legislators Focus on Autism Service Dogs, Service Animal Trainers, and Service Dogs for Veterans

Some recent legislative efforts will, if enacted, make changes to service animal law, particularly with regard to autism service dogs, service dog trainers, veterans using service animals, and emergency rescues where pets and service animals need to be taken care of. Most of these efforts are federal, but a significant statutory change is expected to be signed into law in Alabama. Other proposals would require or authorize funding so their chances in the current climate are not great. Nevertheless, it is time to take stock of what our elected...

Read More

War Dogs in Ancient Military Strategy

Dogs accompanied the armies of antiquity. If you ever get to Thessalonica, look at the top panel of the Arch of Galerius. On the left is a dog looking up at the horse and rider above it. Perhaps no more than a camp follower, but perhaps a dog that guarded the camp of his master once the army stopped for the night. In an Attic Black Figure vase from 540 to 520 BC, a dog stands amidst the warriors departing. Saying goodbye? Just as likely going...

Read More