War Dogs Through the Ages Ancient Breeds for War

The ancient breeds used for war were incredibly skilled and versatile.

The Saluki, for example, was bred over 4,000 years ago in the Middle East for its exceptional speed and agility, making it a valuable asset on the battlefield.

These dogs were often used for hunting and messaging, but their speed and endurance also made them useful for running alongside soldiers to carry messages or retrieve items.

The Saluki's slender build and long legs allowed it to cover great distances at high speeds, making it an ideal choice for military use.

The use of war dogs dates back over 15,000 years to the time of dog domestication. Archeologists suspect that humans have been using dogs in warfare since then.

The first written record of war dogs comes from the ancient Kingdom of Lydia in modern-day Turkey, where Alyattes reportedly used his soldiers to turn packs of dogs loose on Cimmerian troops around 600 BCE. This tactic was particularly effective against enemy cavalry.

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In ancient times, war dogs were often used as sentries or patrols, and were sometimes taken into battle. The Greeks and Romans used dogs in this way, with the earliest recorded use of war dogs in a battle being by Alyattes of Lydia against the Cimmerians.

Attila the Hun used large war dogs in his campaigns during Late Antiquity, and gifts of war dog breeding stock were seen as suitable tokens for exchange throughout the Middle Ages. Armoured dogs were also used to defend caravans or attack enemies.

In the Far East, the 15th-century Vietnamese Emperor Lê Lợi raised a pack of over 100 hounds, tended and trained by Nguyễn Xí. Frederick the Great of Prussia used dogs as messengers during the Seven Years' War with Russia, and Napoleon also used dogs during his campaigns.

The Canis Molossus or Molossian was the Roman legion's preferred breed of fighting dog, and it was specially bred just for combat.

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Ancient dog breeds were used in battle, often with armor or spiked collars, by the Romans and Greeks. Their use continued in modern militaries, including the US military's SOCOM forces, which employ dogs in raids and searches.

Dogs were also used in World War II to attack Japanese soldiers, with the aim of releasing thousands of dogs against defenders on landing craft. This program, however, was abandoned due to the dogs' poor performance and high costs.

The Soviet Union used dogs for antitank purposes, training them to run beneath enemy tanks with tilt-rod mines. However, the dogs were more likely to be shot by soldiers as they ran beside moving tanks rather than beneath stationary ones.

War dogs have a long and storied history, with evidence of their use in combat dating back over 15,000 years.

The first written record of war dogs comes from the ancient Kingdom of Lydia in modern-day Turkey, where the ruler Alyattes used packs of dogs to attack Cimmerian troops around 600 BCE.

The Lydian dogs were particularly effective against enemy cavalry, making them a valuable asset on the battlefield.

In the 5th century BCE, the Romans deployed their own war dogs, known as the Canis Molossus or Molossian, which was a breed specifically bred for combat.

These dogs were used to soften up enemy formations before a cavalry charge, and were feared by their opponents.

The ancient Greeks and Romans also used dogs as sentries or patrols, and sometimes took them into battle.

Attila the Hun used large war dogs in his campaigns during the Late Antiquity, and gifts of war dog breeding stock were seen as suitable tokens of exchange between European royalty throughout the Middle Ages.

In the 15th century, the Vietnamese Emperor Lê Lợi raised a pack of over 100 hounds, which were used for military purposes.

Frederick the Great of Prussia and Napoleon also used dogs during their campaigns, and dogs were used to guard naval installations in France until 1770.

The ancient breeds used for war were surprisingly effective and efficient. The Canis Molossus, or Molossian, was the Roman army's preferred breed of fighting dog. It was specifically bred for combat.

These dogs were known for their ferocity and strength, making them a valuable asset on the battlefield. The Roman army would often deploy them to soften up enemy formations before a cavalry charge.

In the late Middle Ages, Spanish conquistadores favored a mixed breed of deerhound and mastif for their fighting dogs. They would festoon these canines with padded armor and spiked collars.

These dogs were truly terrifying to enemy forces, and the Spanish conquistadores would often release them to precipitate a total rout. The dogs were known to devour any enemy they could sink their teeth into.

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