PRECIS 
AND 
T EANSLATION • 
REVUE MILITAIRE DE L’ETRANGER, JULY, 1898. 
“COMPETITION OF WAR-DOGS.” 
BY 
COLONEL J. H. G . BROWNE, late R . A . 
ON the 12th of June a competition of war-dogs toot place at Oels, in Prussian 
Silesia, on the occasion of a dog show arranged by a society of civilians. 
According to the newspaper La Post , from which this account is taken, the 
Emperor continued to show the interest which he takes in this branch of military 
organization by defraying the expense of the competition, and by requiring a 
special report of the result. It took place in very fine weather in the presence of 
Colonel von Arnim, the Inspector of “ Chasseurs.” The judges were composed 
of officers of different battalions of “ Chasseurs.” The trials included being led 
in leash, fetching, carrying despatches for distances of two or three miles, with 
obstacles for the old dogs, without obstacles for the young ones, and the return 
of the dogs to the places from which they started, following on the trail of the 
master, behaviour as watch-dogs, and, lastly, searching for the wounded and 
indicating the success of the search by giving tongue. The ground chosen 
intentionally presented great difficulties. In order to carry their despatches, the 
dogs had to traverse marshy bottoms, prairies covered with high and humid 
vegetation, and populous villages, in which music and dancing was going on, 
without allowing themselves to be diverted from their mission. On the average 
they traversed a kilometre in minutes (a speed of about ten miles an hour). 
Of the twenty-three dogs which took part in this competition, prizes were given 
to Jive. The first prize was carried off by the dog of the 4th company of the 5 th 
battalion of “ Chasseurs,” a yellow-coated sheep-dog, excellent in every respect. 
The other prizes and some supplementary awards, with the diplomas of honour 
for the soldiers who acted as trainers, were carried off by dogs attached to other 
battalions of “ Chasseurs.” 
The first prize awarded to the soldier in charge of the dog consisted of a 
carbine and of sixty marks. The society had given about 200 marks to be 
divided amongst the five prizes. 
Next year another similar competition is to take place at Hirschberg. 
