20 British War Dogs 



to the shippon. . . . Such is the every-day work of the 

 farm dog, and he is almost always a collie now." 



In writing of the change of employment of the dogs 

 working with the sheep, and change also of both disposition 

 and appearance, it is of interest to point out that the War 

 Dogs of the present day are types, to a certain extent, of both 

 those sheep dogs of the early centuries, and of the milder 

 and intelligent assistant of more peaceful times. The 

 guard dogs, which were trained for our Army during the 

 war, in many cases much resembled the indomitable 

 guardians of old. In a later chapter of this book, I describe 

 the method of recruiting the dogs for the Army, and the 

 many splendid animals that were presented by the public. 

 Some of these — mastiffs, St. Bernards, Danes, bull-mastiffs — ■ 

 would have been highly appreciated by Caesar's legions, 

 for guarding their camps, and in the twentieth century they 

 performed valuable service, by presenting an absolutely 

 incorruptible obstacle to those with felonious intent on all 

 sorts of valuable military property and positions. 



The sentry dogs of the trenches, on the other hand, are 

 a link between the large and powerful guardians just 

 described, and the more mild and entirely non-aggressive 

 working sheep dog, which was, however, equally useful 

 in its way, and whose wonderfully intelligent independence 

 of thought, was adapted to, and utilized with, the messenger 

 service of our Army. 



The modern sentry dog (as distinguished from the guard 

 dog, which should certainly be of a distinctly aggressive 

 character for certain very responsible guard duties) must 

 be of an alert but not savage disposition. His duty is to 

 give warning more than to attack, and a medium size is all 

 that is necessary. 



To return to earlier times once more. 



