Skip to content

Just added to your cart

    Qty:
    View cart ()
    Logo
    Log in Cart
    0 items
    • Shop
      Heartbeat Animals Accessories Supplies Gender Reveal Supplies Ultrasound Gifts Bargain Cave Sponsorship
    • About Us
      Our History FAQs Videos
    • Pregnancy Blog
    • Find Retailers
    • Become a Wholesaler
    • Sponsorship
    • Contact Us
    Access Denied
    IMPORTANT! If you’re a store owner, please make sure you have Customer accounts enabled in your Store Admin, as you have customer based locks set up with EasyLockdown app. Enable Customer Accounts
    Home My Baby's Heartbeat Bear Remembering the Four-Legged Fighters

    Remembering the Four-Legged Fighters

    Elizabeth MacDonald
    May 24, 2023
    Remembering the Four-Legged Fighters

    This Memorial Day, we honor those who have given their lives for our freedoms:  Heroes who have fought in battle, crossed oceans, respected and raised our flag until their death. We also honor the four-legged heroes who died.

    While there is a K-9 Veteran’s Day, we often forget to honor the lost lives of the furry soldiers who dedicated their days to serving and protecting.

    History of the War Dog

    March 13, 1942 was marked in history as the private organization ‘Dogs For Defense’ was established. Over a million dogs had previously been an unofficial presence in WWI, but the U.S Military’s War Dog ‘K-9 Corps’ Program granted the animals the respect they deserved; it also allowed to recruit and grow the division with the help of the American Kennel Club.

    The public was asked to volunteer specific breeds under the age of 5 if they were physically fit and showed ‘watchdog’ personality traits. While there was a large source of animals bred for the military, most war dogs were originally family pets sent into battle. 18,000 of the 20,000 war dogs in WWII were originally ‘the dog next door.’

    “Members of the K-9 Corps were trained for a total of 8 to 12 weeks. After basic obedience training, they were sent through one of four specialized programs to prepare them for work as sentry dogs, scout or patrol dogs, messenger dogs or mine-detection dogs. In active combat duty, scout dogs proved especially essential by alerting patrols to the approach of the enemy and preventing surprise attacks.” Read more about the history of war dogs here. 

    A Few Breeds of Our Military

    Doberman

    The Doberman Pinscher Club of America quickly joined in the movement. It didn’t take long for Dobermans to become the face of the Marine War Dog. The Marines understood the dogs’ value and respected the animals by giving them the starting ranking of privates. 

    Mastiff

    Arguably the original dog of battle, prior to the Industrial Revolution this breed was known to suit up in full armor and spiked collars – as it was trained to kill.

    Labrador Retriever

    Most commonly utilized in ‘Combat Stress Control Units” today, these emotionally-attached animals play a huge role in finding wounded and tracking missing soldiers. They never leave the side of their unit. 

    German Shepherd

    The breed that almost everyone recognizes as a partner to the military, German Shepherds have played every role from tracking soldiers to carrying messages in battle. Over 600 units currently are made up of solely German Shepherds.

    Bloodhound

    These pups have noses like no other, and they use them to sniff out enemy soldiers, weapons, drugs, bombs, and other threats. They can track just about anything, too.

    Rottweiler

    Their bite may be scarier than their bark, but rottweilers are also loyal and smart. Their dark coloring also allows them to work at night undetected. 

    This Memorial Day, remember to pause and thank all who gave their lives – including the furriest heroes.

    Previous Post
    Family Vacations: Driving with a Baby
    Family Vacations: Driving with a Baby
    5/22/2023
    Next Post
    The First Father’s Day
    The First Father’s Day
    5/24/2023
    Share
    Twitter
    Pinterest
    Share
    Email
    Comments
    Leave a comment
    Your Email Address Will Not Be Published. Required Fields Are Marked *
    Subscribe to our Newsletter
    Subscribe to our newsletter and receive our articles & discounts.

    Email have already subscribed!

    Vintage Giraffe

    Vintage Giraffe

    wholesale-cta_600x600_30ffe1f1-22dd-4d5c-9b4f-0fe47d46626e
    Featured Articles
    Why Babies Resemble Dads

    Why Babies Resemble Dads

    Jun 2, 2023
    Support Moms: Help Build Connections

    Support Moms: Help Build Connections

    May 31, 2023
    Why Skin to Skin Immediately After Birth is a Must

    Why Skin to Skin Immediately After Birth is a Must

    May 29, 2023
    The First Father’s Day

    The First Father’s Day

    May 24, 2023
    Invalid password
    Enter

    Featured On

    • Logo
    • Logo
    • Logo
    • Logo
    • Logo
    Badge
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    • YouTube

    Subscribe and Save!

    Receive updates, access to exclusive deals, and more!

    Shop
    • My Baby’s Heartbeat Bear
    • My Angel’s Heartbeat Bear
    • My Furbaby’s Heartbeat Bear
    • Gender Reveal Gifts
    Support
    • Contact Us
    • Shipping & Returns
    • FAQs
    • Search
    • Accessibility Statement
    Find Out More
    • Store Locator
    • Become a Wholesaler
    • Login
    • Blog
    • About Us
    Download the App

    Record your baby’s heartbeat with our app for safekeeping

    FIND OUT MORE
    © 2020 My Baby's Heartbeat Bear. Privacy Policy / Terms & Conditions
    Use left/right arrows to navigate the slideshow or swipe left/right if using a mobile device
    • Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
    • Press the space key then arrow keys to make a selection.
    • Blue Gender Reveal Shirt
    • Pink Gender Reveal Shirt
    • Camo Shirt
    • Gender Reveal Kit
    • Custom Logo Shirt
    • Gift Card
    • Product Catalog Digital Download
    • Graduation Bear