218 British War Dogs 



The Saving of Man-Power 



Sentry dogs can also be the means of greatly reducing 

 the sentries, and are thus a valuable asset for the reduction 

 of man-power. 



The Type of Dog 



The qualities required in these dogs are, acute hearing 

 and scent, sagacity, fidelity, and a strong sense of duty. 

 Any dog showing these attributes can be developed into a 

 good sentry dog, provided it is the right size, which must 

 be that of a collie or Airedale, or large Irish terrier — in 

 fact, middle size. Anything smaller is not so able to stand 

 long marches, nor would be sufficiently powerful in other 

 respects. 



White dogs should be avoided, and, as a whole, dogs are 

 better than bitches. There are exceptions to every rule, 

 but I find that dogs are rather more aggressive, and less 

 self-centred than bitches, which are of a milder and less 

 alert disposition. 



It seems to be supposed that Airedales are essentially 

 the best for this work, but this is not necessarily the case, 

 as many other breeds of this size are equally good. The 

 Airedale standard is certainly a good one, as the hardiness 

 and fondness for the master exhibited by this breed are 

 excellent qualities on which to start work. But many 

 collies and retrievers, of the rugged sort, are first-rate, as 

 well as crosses of all these breeds. A good weather- 

 resisting coat is necessary, even if the dogs are for service 

 in a hot climate, as during the hot weather it is easy to clip 

 them, and the hair can be allowed to grow again as the cold 

 weather approaches. 



