Dogs of war

[tedkaw]

Were dogs ever used in battle? Police forces now use German Shepards to run down fleeing criminals. Dogs have a way of scaring the crap out of people. Did any army have a whole corp of just dogs that they would send in to attack the enemy?

May be a stupid question... I don't know..

[CelticBard]

There is no such thing as a stupid question.

The Spanish when they conquered the Mexicas in Tenochtilan had great big dogs, mastiffs, which really did scare the crap out of the Mexican warriors. The Aztecs, as they were later called, bred small dogs which were used as delicacies for the Mexican pallet, so they were unused to these big animals which were bred to be large and mean. A Mexican warrior faced with Spanish soldiers in heavy steel comb morion helmets and stiffly forged steel cuirasses would have seen fleeing as a good option and then the dogs of war were let slip.

Someone will have to assist you with other examples though.

[Komrade]

The Soviets trained "mine dogs" to attack German tanks. They would starve the dogs and teach them to find food under tanks. The idea was to release them in battle so they would run under German Panzers with a mine strapped to their backs, which would detonate. The problem was, the Russians trained the dogs with Russian tanks (which used a different fuel than panzers and therefore smelled different) so the dogs would sometimes run the wrong way.

[Breth]

Werent they used in medieval times as like defenses? Like dogs in cage, and when people would attack, they would be let use.

Btw, on the Russian thing, maybe they also used dogs to run across minefields :a

[shozi]

i think dog should not use :twisted:

[hisstory]

This raises another question. What other breeds of animals were used in battle? Elephants and horses were used for mobility and strength... but what animals were used for attacking?

Did anyone unleash tigers or lions against their foes?

What about a bomb, and when it exploded thousands of angry bees come flying out to take care of the enemy?

[CelticBard]

Snake venom was used on arrows and spears.

Bees and wasps nests were actually lobbed at enemies, this practice started in the Neolithic Age.

Mice and rats were used to spread plague amongst enemies.

Scorpions were put into jars and dropped on the Roman besiegers of Hatra in late 2nd century CE.

Sumerians and Greeks also used war dogs.

Camels were used as a counter to horses because horses so detest the scent of camels.

Pigs were sent at elephants because elephants panic when something small is by their feet.

In 1610 a Chinese general is said to have trained monkeys in the use of firearms. These primate soldiers struck terror into the hearts of a band of Japanese raiders, but the Japanese were ambushed and slain by Chinese Homo sapiens.

[Amergin]

I like this thread.

[Komrade]

Don't forget pigeons being used as messengers in the two world wars.

Many animals, usually dogs, were mascots of certain units in many wars (like "Old Abe" the war eagle in the Civ War)

[Belisarius]

Didn't Hannibal use cattle with flaming torches attached to their horns to spook theRomans during a night attack?

I also read somewhere that pigs were set on fire and sent against Pyrrus' elephants. Oxen pulled wagons loaded with fire pots and assorted "anti-elephant" devices in the same war.

[Commander]

Don't forget pigeons being used as messengers in the two world wars.

Many animals, usually dogs, were mascots of certain units in many wars (like "Old Abe" the war eagle in the Civ War)

Can you really train a pigeon to deliver messages?

[Komrade]

Can you really train a pigeon to deliver messages?

Sure, didn't you see Disney's "Valiant''? :)

In all seriousness, Messenger pigeons are trained to fly back to a certain point. All you have to do is tie the message around their leg...granted I have no experience with them whatsover...but I think thats how it goes.

[88-Scharführer Nordwinter]

I honestly doubt dogs have not been deployed alongside armies in large-scale battles... although I've never really thought about it. An interesting concept, and would indeed give new meaning to the term "dogs of war".

[pietimport]

yes they use dogs in the military.

for security of the bases.
but also in the field.

in the past they used them for security and to search.
and attack.

there are dogs who are trained for explosives.
they will find them where ever they are hidded.

they are of great use inmagine to find a boobytrap.
i dont like to search a car in the middle east now.
if you make contact it will be you last.

so the send a dog.

there are many other fields they are operating in.

[PADDYBOY]

Does anyone know anything about dogs being used in ancient times as weapons of warfare. I know the celts used them, but that's as little as I know.

[Dr Realism]

In the Book of Judges in the Bible, I believe Sampson, who is supposed to have had superhuman strength, set the tails of foxes on fire so they would run through the Phillistine's fields and burn their crops.

[Lucius]

Weren't they loosed by the ancient Greeks and Romans just as the formed bodies of troops were about to clash, in order to break up that solid wall of pointy things?

The Roman god of war, Mars, was said to have two war dogs, Phobos and Deimos, meaning fear and panic (I've also seen Deimos translated as dread, which is not precisely the same thing as panic - anyone speak Latin?)

[Belisarius]

The Roman god of war, Mars, was said to have two war dogs, Phobos and Deimos, meaning fear and panic (I've also seen Deimos translated as dread, which is not precisely the same thing as panic - anyone speak Latin?)

Yes, but Latin does me no good as "Phobos" and "Diemos" are Greek words.:D

From phobos we get "phobia" which is fear, Diemos, I'm not so sure. my dictionary says dread, but it could equally mean panic. I think this is one for NikD. :(

[Lucius]

Thank-you Belisarius

[Nikd]

In Greek is not Mars but Aris, the word Deimos means awe, terror, is an ancient Greek word not used in New Greek Language, the corresponding word used in New Greek is Deos -> "The -eos" and Tromos for Terror.

[PADDYBOY]

Why couldn't he just have given them normal names, like Butch & Tyson ?
GAWD ! It's all bloody Greek to me ? :D

[Nikd]

Why couldn't he just have given them normal names, like Butch & Tyson ?
GAWD ! It's all bloody Greek to me ? :D
:eek:
Baah ! Better Kris & john :D
Yo want believe it it's Greek for me 2. :D

[Belisarius]

Here's a site you might find interesting.

http://community-2.webtv.net/Hahn-50thAP-K9/K9History

[PADDYBOY]

Thanks for that Belisarius
Interesting to note that the Romans found the British Canis Pugnaces (origin of the Bulldog) to be far superior to the, then used, ancient Greek Molossus.
Hey, back then, there was someting we did better than the Greeks :D

[Cunedda]

In fact the Rottweiler (my favorite breed of dog) was introduced to Central Europe by the Romans who used it as a work dog during peacetime and during wartime they would usually fight alongside their master in the ranks.
My opinion is, why not? Dogs are vary loyal, intelligent and equally visious when they or their master is in danger.

[PADDYBOY]

Many types of animals have been used on the battlefield, so why not dogs.
I can think of, horse, camel, and elephants, but I'm sure there's a lot more than that ? Perhaps I should have titled this thread, Beasts of war.
I wonder what the most peculiar examples are?

[Dr Realism]

The US Navy takes the cake with their anti-swimmer dolphins.

[Lucius]

Do bacteria count as animals? Didn't the Russians use tularemia at Stalingrad?

http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:GwHxi--CLhIJ:arapaho.nsuok.edu/~woodss/BW%26CW%255CHistory%2520of%2520Biological%2520Warf are%2520and%2520Use%2520of%2520Biological%2520Agen ts%2520with%2520Terrorism%2520-summary.doc+Germans+Russians+tularemia&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=12&gl=us

[PADDYBOY]

The US Navy takes the cake with their anti-swimmer dolphins.


Do you mean, frogmen? :confused:

[Dr Realism]

No. They really use dolphins. They train them to attack saboteurs that might try and plant a bomb on the ship, so as to prevent another USS COLE disaster.

[Bloodhound]

It depends on whether you class hunting, with the aims of supplying a scouting party, as part of war. There is also record of dogs being used in a guarding/patroling role (though I cannot remember the exact source).

E.S. Forster says in his Journal Greece & Rome, Vol. 10, No. 30 (May, 1941), pp. 114-117, that the first recorded use of Dogs being used in Ancient warfare was between Alyattes (King of Lydia) and the Cimmerians about 600 B.C. The Warriors were acompanied by feirce dogs which fell upon the enemy and tore them apart.

Also, in a campaign against Egypt, Cambyses placed Dogs, Cats, Sheep and other animals that the Egyptians held sacred, in the front line...the Egyptians ceased using their war engines for fear of hitting the animals.

[Edgewaters]

Britons were also using wolfhounds (basically, the Irish wolfhound) which they called Cú Faoil (in Ireland at least).

[PADDYBOY]

Scottish Deerhound, akin to the Irish Wolfhound, were probably used by the Picts

[Richard Stanbery]

We know a little of Viking War hounds, though I wish someone would educate me more on the subject. But what ancient dog breeds were developed specifically for war, and how were they trained or bred?

Did the Romans, for example, use war dogs?

[Salah ad-Din]

The Romans used war dogs - supposedly a few rottweilers were attached to each legionary cohort to use as attack dogs. Dogs were used to guard the houses of rich men, and were undoubtedly put to use in prisons.

The Picts and Celtic peoples in general used several kinds of hunting dog - including the greyhound - for the pursuit of human victims. Pictish stones depict greyhounds running alongside Pictish cavalry.

[Kampfringen]

According to Bernal Diaz, Cortez unleashed the dogs of war on the Aztecs often. The 3 things that saved the 500 spainards from being wiped out most often was the horses, the dogs, and the spainish swordplay(according to Diaz's first hand accounts).

I didn't know the war dogs were used so early as the Romans. Cool! I'll have to check that out. I bet they go even farther back considering the greyhound comes from Egypt.

[Nick]

Who let the dogs out?

[sylla1]

Among the Conquistadores, presumably their most famous dog was Leoncico, an Alano molosser property of the distinguished Vasco Nuñez de Balboa and reportedly an extraordinary killer of Caribbean natives.

[Son of Cathal]

Dogs were also used to carry messages during the First World War, something I think is horrid as they became targets for the enemy.

Of course dogs are being used in warzones now, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan to detect improvised explosive devices.

[Edgewaters]

The Romans used war dogs - supposedly a few rottweilers were attached to each legionary cohort to use as attack dogs. Dogs were used to guard the houses of rich men, and were undoubtedly put to use in prisons.

The Picts and Celtic peoples in general used several kinds of hunting dog - including the greyhound - for the pursuit of human victims. Pictish stones depict greyhounds running alongside Pictish cavalry.

IIRC, the Romans were using a Molossian breed of war-dog, up until the invasion of Britain, where the Britons were using a very large and powerful breed in battle. It utterly outclassed the Molossians, and was afterwards exported from Britain all across the empire. The exact breed is uncertain. Writers described this dog as being very ugly and graceless, but extremely powerful. One writer even claims it could break a bull's back.

[Heidi XX]

I do know at the home front,dogs were used to find bomb victims,also,the British had a cheetah mascot,But I do not know if she was used against the enemy.
I have seen Images of snipers with there sniper war dogs right beside them,i don't have any more info on this topic about sniper dogs.