128 British War Dogs 



I here give an extract from the instructions laid down by 

 the British Army for the management of the messenger 

 dogs in the field : 



Training and Employment of Messenger Dogs 



5. By the use of trained dogs as message carriers, runners 

 can be saved and better communication obtained. 



The messenger dog is trained to return to his keeper from 

 any point to which he may have been led. 



A dog will not return to any keeper except his own. 



A dog can travel by day or night fairly rapidly over 

 ground where a man cannot go at all, or only very slowly ; 

 and because he travels faster, and is a smaller target, a 

 dog has a much better chance of getting through a barrage 

 than a man. 



The reliability of the dog as a message carrier depends 

 on his being trained to go with certainty to his destination 

 without paying any attention to bombardment, rifle fire, 

 etc. 



The best trained dogs will, however, be quickly rendered 

 unreliable by injudicious handling when sent up for work 

 in the front line, and it is essential that the instructions for 

 their use should be strictly adhered to. 



6. The procedure as regards the employment of mes- 

 senger dogs is for the keeper to go up with his three dogs 

 to, say, a Battalion Headquarters, where the keeper remains. 

 This point is called the " Back Station." The three dogs 

 are then led away by any soldier, from the keeper to, say, 

 Company Headquarters. This point is called the " For- 

 ward Station." Then when a message has to be sent 

 back, it is put in the carrier on the dog's collar and the dog 

 released. It is advisable to train a dog on a particular 



