CHAPTER VIII 



SENTRY DOGS 



" The unwearied watch their list'ning leaders keep, 

 And couching close repel invading sleep, 

 So faithful dogs their . . . charge maintain. . . . 



They start, they gaze around, watch every side, and turn to every 

 sound." Homer's Iliad. 



THERE should be a great future for the Sentry Dog, 

 which must be understood as quite apart from the 

 Guard or Defence Dog. The duties of the two dogs differ, 

 in that the guard dog is required to defend a certain area, 

 while the sentry dog has to take up its duties with any 

 soldier and at any spot. This is more difficult work, and 

 calls for increased intelligence, hearing and scent on the 

 part of the dog. 



During the first few months of the war, before any official 

 action had been taken in the direction of training military 

 dogs, I had supplied a good many to the armies on the 

 Western Front, and also to the expeditionary forces in 

 Egypt and Mesopotamia. 



An Airedale I supplied to an officer of the Berkshire 

 Regiment was taken on patrol one night. It suddenly 

 stopped and began to growl. The party heard and saw 

 nothing suspicious, but the officer ordered the men to lie 

 flat. Immediately afterwards, an enemy patrol passed 

 by, close to them, without noticing. Our patrols then rose 

 noiselessly, and captured them all. 



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