| Humans and dogs share a long history together. Of | | | | of messenger-dogs during the Seven Years' War, |
| course, as much as human history has had it's | | | | guard dogs for the French navy during the 1770s, and |
| gruesome moments, the history of dogs has shared | | | | the increased use of canine abilities to hunt and track |
| those moments with us. Some of the first roles of | | | | snipers has led to a focus on intelligence and dexterity |
| dogs in the military were as attack dogs in the armies | | | | over raw power. While descendants of the original |
| of the ancient empires. The Huns trained giant | | | | Mastiff breeds used by ancient Britons still perform |
| Molossian dogs for use in battle, the Britons outfitted | | | | guard and tracking duties in military and police roles |
| their mastiffs in spiked collars and chain mail, and the | | | | today, the German Shepherd has enjoyed it's place |
| Romans formed platoons of attack dogs to use | | | | among the top breeds for military working dogs since |
| against infantry and cavalry. From the Egyptians, to the | | | | the early 1900s. Originally bred in Germany for their |
| Greeks, to the Persians, it could be said that every | | | | intelligence, they quickly gained popularity throughout |
| great empire of the ancient world included dogs in their | | | | Europe, and even in America. However, the Germans |
| armies. Of course, as technology improved, and | | | | continued to not only breed more intelligent and |
| firearms become common-place on the battlefield, the | | | | capable German Shepherds, but also German |
| role of dogs as attackers in the military became | | | | Shepherd puppies who were more capable of |
| obsolete. Since then, countries have made attempts to | | | | beginning training at a young age. Throughout the |
| include dogs in offensive military roles with limited | | | | course of the Second World War, German military |
| success. The Soviet Union made attempts to train | | | | dogs, trained as early as five or six months old, easily |
| dogs to deliver explosive payloads to the under-sides | | | | outclassed dogs used by the allies. The reputation of |
| of German tanks. Of course, the chaos of the modern | | | | German military dogs was so great that it prompted |
| battlefield, the inability for their dogs to distinguish | | | | the US to begin what was known as the "Million-Dollar |
| between German and Russian tanks, and the ultimate | | | | Dog Program" in an attempt to match the superiority |
| demise of the dog upon detonation of the explosives | | | | of the military dogs used by the Germans. Soon after, |
| all contributed to the end of this practice. | | | | the war ended, as did the Million-Dollar Dog program. |
| The roles of modern military working dogs, as well as | | | | However, both the German breeds as well as the |
| the breeds used, lend themselves to the emergence | | | | practice of beginning training at five to six months has |
| of dogs as messengers, sentries and scouts. The use | | | | continued on in today's military working dogs. |