Dog Breeds Used in the Military

For more than 10,000 years, we’ve been joined by what we refer to as “man’s best friend.”

Dogs have been employed in battle from the beginning of time. In addition to being trained in combat, they have served in the military as scouts, sentinels, couriers, compassion dogs, and trackers, among other roles.

Military dogs do a wide range of tasks as well. Several service members have been saved as a result of the actions of these animals. German Shepards may be the most well-known military dogs, but as this list will reveal, we have a considerably larger spectrum of canine partners on the front lines.

Airedale Terrier

Even though the British military no longer uses Airedale Terriers as working dogs, they were one of the most common breeds used in World War I.

As communication dogs, these tough, loyal dogs were trained to carry messages back and forth across the battlefield. They did this by being trained to work with two handlers, one of whom would go to the front lines while the other stayed behind to give orders. When a message needed to be sent, it was tied to the dog’s collar and taken to the second handler by the Airedale Terrier.

These dogs were known for their speed, their ability to stay low and out of sight, and their loyalty to their jobs. Before mobile radio was reliable, they were an important part of the British military’s system for command and communication.

Belgian Malinois

The Belgian Malinois is one of four types of Belgian Shepherds and one of the most popular dogs used by the military today. At first glance, they look like their close relative, the German Shepherd. Like the German Shepherd, they are brave, loyal, and very smart. The Belgian Malinois is a little bit smaller than the German Shepherd. This makes them better for riding in military vehicles and parachuting or rappelling with their handlers into operational areas.

The Belgian Malinois is also known for being very quick to react, working without fear, and having a strong instinct to protect.

They collaborate with the Navy SEALs. Belgian Malinois has an important part in the military of the United States. As part of their mission to kill Osama bin Laden in 2011, the SEAL Team 6 called on their brave Malinois, particularly Cairo, for assistance.

Labrador Retriever

Not only is Ol’ Yeller a legendary American character on the big screen, but he also battles alongside the military forces of the United States of America. Most of the time, they are employed by “Combat Tracker Teams” (CTT). When searching for wounded colleagues or discovering enemy forces, their sense of smell can be a very useful tool.

The emotional bond that troops have with their canine service members is being increasingly recognized. Labrador retrievers are currently being used in “Combat Stress Control Units” to assist soldiers in coping with the stress of combat.

German Shepherd

The German Shepherd must be included on any list of military canines. Since the 1940s, the United States military has made substantial use of these dogs. They were largely used as messengers during World War II, and they were bred specifically for that purpose. Scout dogs were used in both the Korean and Vietnam wars, accompanying wounded soldiers off the battlefield and sniffing out potential attackers on the lookout.

Over 600 German Shepherd dog teams are now employed by the United States military. They are, without a doubt, an important part of our armed forces and a proud symbol of our commitment to duty.

Siberian Husky

During World War II, the U.S. military used Siberian Huskies as sled dogs. They were used to get important military supplies and equipment to troops even when it was snowy and icy outside.

Even though the US military does not use them as working dogs, the Russian military still uses them in this way.

Doberman Pinscher

The friendly Doberman Pinscher is another big dog that is easy to train and has done a lot of work for the military. Over the years, the U.S. military has used Dobermans in both World Wars I and II.

Dobermans were mostly used as guard dogs, but they were also taught to find and help injured soldiers, deliver messages, and patrol to find enemy positions and mines.

In modern times, the Doberman isn’t used as much as a military dog because they aren’t as good in all kinds of weather as the German Shepherd, Belgian Malinois, and Dutch Shepherd.

Rottweiler

Since World War I, Rottweilers have been used in law enforcement and the military to protect the public. They are intelligent and loyal, and they have frightening appearances. During World War I, they were deployed as night watchdogs to notify the troops of the arrival of any invading force at any time of the night. They may also be used for intimidation and interrogation purposes.

Bloodhound

When it comes to scent recognition and tracking, bloodhounds are unrivaled in their abilities. It is common practice in the military to employ bloodhounds to sniff out enemy soldiers, drugs, and weapons stores, and their powers are actively exploited. It has been discovered that they have a 1,000-fold higher sense of smell than humans do, according to scientists.

Boxer

During World War II, boxers were assigned to a wide range of specialized assignments. They were impromptu messengers, with notes affixed to their collars and dispatched to deliver messages to various locations. In order to move military equipment and supplies, they were commanded to do so. During the Berlin airlift, a boxer dubbed “Vittles” was dropped with Allied forces, complete with harness and parachute.

Mastiff

Historically, the Mastiff has had an extensive and storied military career that dates back to well before the modern period of combat. The employment of mastiffs for military purposes existed prior to the industrialization of the world. This dog was used in battle by the ancient Persians, Babylonians, Greeks, and Romans, to name a few.

Yorkshire Terrier

Beyond being the prettiest dog on this list, the Yorkshire Terrier is also a military dog who is trained to carry out a variety of jobs for the military. As a result of the breed’s background in the United Kingdom, Yorkshire Terriers played a crucial part in assisting the Allied forces during World War II. A Yorkshire dog named Smoky dug for three days before he was successful in extracting critical cables from extremely tight ducts.