Red Cross Or Casualty Dogs

Dogs are trained for Red Cross work for the purpose of aiding the stretcher-bearers to locate wounded combatants after and, if circumstances permit, during the battle. Searching in a given direction, the dogs are taught to report to their guides every person found in a sitting or lying-down position. Walking and standing persons must be ignored, sentries, patrols and marching groups included. Countless injured soldiers, seeking shelter and protection, find hiding places which cannot be reached or possibly arc overlooked by patrolling searchers. It is easy to realize, then, how many lives are saved when dogs, with their keen scent  and ability to find, are attached to Red Cross units.

Training of this type will require approximately three months, depending somewhat of course upon the character of the dog and the skill of the guide. Probably best suited to the work are German Shepherd Dogs and practically all medium-sized dogs of sound character. Of prime benefit, too, are good retrievers; dogs that are gun-sure and not nervous. Inasmuch as in this activity the dogs come in contact with so many people, vicious dogs cannot possibly be used; also, continuous barkers and dogs prone to fight must be considered unsuitable.

The guides, no less than the dogs themselves, must be of even temper and perfect emotional control at all times; and due to the fact that guides all have their own little mannerisms and special methods of giving commands and signs, they should not change dogs once they have begun to train them. The same dog must remain the especial responsibility of the same guide throughout the period of preparation for this schooling. This precaution looms particularly important in view of the large number of signs and commands used—they outnumber those of any related form of training.

PREPARATORY WORK

As a preliminary to Red Cross training , the various exercises comprising basic obedience work must be gone through; more, they must be repeated more often than when training for police work, for attack and protection , sentry or messenger dog duties.

The review of those exercises which arc to be considered preparatory to Red Cross training  include:

1—HEELING on and off the leash. Practice with the dog off the leash is especially important, not however that type of heeling free that may have been previously designed for show purposes.   By this I mean that it is unnecessary for the dog to stick too closely to the guide, because with the "sending " exercises the dog is expected to go his own way without the leash.

2—SIT. This exercise should be practiced especially in the "recall" exercise where the dog sits in front of the guide.

3-DOWN, STAY AND RECALL.

4—JUMPING. Here we must practice with natural obstacles such as barbed wire, low and deep trenches if possible filled with water. Under all circumstances avoid circus tricks such as narrow jumping boards painted white; also the so-called "broad jump" as described under that heading must be done away with. Instead, the dog will have to be prepared for more difficult tasks by using a hurdle with cut-off brush and branches for which, later, will be substituted barbed wire obstacles and dug trenches to a limit of six feet wide.

5—RETRIEVING. This is of highest importance. As retrieving  is vital to Red Cross work, many dogs have to be discarded if their retrieving  ability is in the slightest uncertain. The better natural retriever a dog is, the more skillful will be his performance along this line.

6—REPORTING . Here we have something quite different from the reporting as carried out by the messenger dog. In this exercise the dog reports by taking in his mouth the bringsel which is attached to his collar and which he trails about with him at all times. When he finds a wounded or helpless man lying on the ground, he picks up his own bringsel and retrieves it to his master or guide. This much can be taught the dog only after he has become an A-l retriever; after he learns to thoroughly enjoy such exercise.

The experimental wounded , or the soldier, who, during this training, simulates the helpless man on the field of battle, must be instructed in his duties as carefully as the dog, and he must be as dependable. Never while in practice should the experimental wounded  pet the dog or use any commands whatsoever. He must act perfectly the part he is supposed to play, that of a helpless, inert figure. The dog finds him; then, retrieving  with his bringsel in his mouth, the dog returns to his guide, sitting in front of him and holding the bringsel in his mouth until the guide fastens on him the long leash . Thereupon the dog leads back again to the wounded, followed by one or perhaps two stretcher-bearers.

7—TRAILING. This exercise approximates that of trailing in the seven fundamental trailing exercises, but it does not have to be as clean as in police work. Moreover, the free use of the dog's eyes is permissible because the chief purpose is to locate persons whoare helpless. Attention must be directed to see that the dog goes always in a given direction; that he does not return without the bringsel in his mouth merely to be near his guide and master.

8—GUN-Sureness.   This of necessity must be taught in connection with all exercises, and under the same conditions as in messenger dog training.

EQUIPMENT

It would lead our discussion too far astray at this point to mention the conflicting ideas about the equipment needed in this type of work; conflicting ideas, it might be said, among trainers themselves as well as among people in general. In the minds of laymen such equipment may take the form of a bottle of whiskey fastened to the dog's neck, and also a first aid kit strapped to the body. I have seen even, in front of the dog, a large sign bearing a red cross, and a briefcase containing much doubtful material. Worse than these things, I learned of a publicity stunt in which a Red Cross dog carried a homing pigeon!

The Casualty Dog is equipped with a white collar, a white blanket for night work and a bringsel for reporting.

This, it might be added by way of explanation, would be a violation of international law because the First Aid dog is absolutely neutral and is not employed in any type of belligerent activity. To the credit of all waring factions in the First World War it must be admitted that this law was strictly observed by all parties. Not a single violation was committed. The dogs, too, were true to the humanity of their calling: though trained in one language, many dogs which were captured by the enemy worked for the enemy in the same manner and with the same spirit as they did for their original owners or guides. Dogs later recaptured in troop movements worked again undisturbed provided the right commands and signs were used.

The equipment of Red Cross dog s consists of a white collar with Red Cross insignia on two sides: it is about 11/4 inches wide. A ring for the leash and the bringsel are permanently atttached to the collar. For night work is used a white blanket with a Red Cross not on the sides but on the top of the back so as to be easily recognized in the darkness by low-flyingplanes.

The bringsel is an adjustable piece of leather, with a snap hook for fastening to the collar when the dog is sent in search of the wounded. All persons found in sitting or lying down  position must be reported by the dog which, upon sighting such a person, takes in his mouth the bringsel hanging from his collar and returns immediately to his guide. Here he delivers in the accepted style of retrieving  by sitting in front of his master. The latter then leashes the dog and is led by him to the wounded man. Stretcher-bearers follow to take care of the casualty in the correct manner.

When ordered out, the dog often has to work his way over territory usually strewn with abandoned war material, demolished houses, barbed wire fences, guns, etc., until by means of his highly organized sense of smell he is directed toward the injured soldier. Working under such conditions is proof enough that the strange assortment of equipment mentioned earlier in this chapter would serve only to hinder the dog, even tangle him up perhaps in passing through the varied obstacles in his path. The standard equipment previously described for Red Cross dogs has proved its worth, mainlybecause the seriously wounded man is for the most part unconscious and therefore unable to help himself to anything the dog might bring to his side.

Beginners in Red Cross training , yes, and even some experts, have upon occasion doubted the value of the bringsel.  They have not realized its primary object.  Of course, it is admitted right here that the bringsel method of reporting required a little more time than the barking method. But barking often frightens a wounded man. I am convinced that the bringsel, in the long run, is the most effective, the most certain method of report thus far studied and used.

Reporting without the bringsel has been practiced for years but results "were unsatisfactory. During earlier uses of Red Cross dogs, the latter were trained to announce their find by jumping up on their guides. The guides then made the DOWN sign with their hands and so confused the dogs that they did not lead off toward their find because evidently theyexpected a second command.

Another erroneous and since discarded method consisted of teaching the dogs to retrieve an article belonging to the wounded—a cap or hat perhaps. This caused further injury, often displacing a head bandage; or frequently the helmet strap held the cap fast with the result that the dog retrieved anything found on the ground. This created undesired associations in the dog's mind and confused him in his work.

For this reason, any announcing or reporting with an article was eliminated and the bringsel method substituted with greater success. The dog now carries with him constantly the evidence of his find and no decoy can be used. Right at the scene of his find comes the dog's immediate reaction as, with the bringselin his mouth, he returns to his guide.

Once more let us repeat that all work in this exercise is practiced upon individuals in sitting or lying-down position, a great difference from the type of training employed for messenger dogs.

The question is often asked: What will a dog do when he finds a dead person? In all my practice with Red Cross dog work; in all of the reports with which I have had experience, and they are without number, I have never been able to fathom why a dog will not report a dead person. He merely ignores him. Whether his instinct tells him that human aid is now of no avail I do not know. Possibly it is because we train him for this work only with experimental wounded  who were alive. At any rate, no one to my knowledge, has thus far solved the riddle of the Red Cross dog's intelligence in deciding to report living wounded, and in not reporting those past human aid.

Now, go back for a moment and refer to page 53, where I have written: "Every single dog, irrespective of the kind of training given, whether for moving pictures, for stage, for Red Cross or for police work, starts off with the ground work of obedience." This consists of exercises 1 to 5, and 7 to 12. An explanation will follow as to the correct utilization of this work and also an enlarged version of it.

RETRIEVING

The foundation of Red Cross work is retrieving . A great asset is a dog which retrieves well, though it is not absolutely necessary that he retrieve in as correct a manner as may be demanded by obedience test standards. If the dog is taught merely to catch the bringsel, to lift it from the ground upon command, a great deal of work and time can be saved.

This section of the exercise had best be undertaken only by experienced trainers because a dog is easily ruined for this work by the guide prone to lose his temper. Suppose, however, it becomes necessary to employ the services of a high-strung guide for Red Cross training . Then it will be advisable to instill the correct manner of retrieving  by throwing the dumbbell away, letting the dog bring it to the guide. Thereafter, shorten the distance until the dog is picking up the dumbbell easily even though the guide throws it directly in front of himself, the dog in that case being close beside him in sitting position.

This much accomplished, the bringsel is next used, and at the slightest attempt on the part of the dog to catch it, he must be lavishly praised.

Never should the Red Cross dog be permitted to pick up any article near the wounded, or anywhere else. He must be trained strictly to the bringsel. That is all that concerns him.  Guide and trainer both must practice the handling of the long leash  in order to avoid any tangling which might connote punishment  in the dog's mind. At the very least, it would confuse him.

Left—Thedog retrieves the bringsel instead of the dumbell. The bringsel is NOT fastened to the collar but is thrown like the dumbell.

Right—The wounded is lying on his side, attracting the dog's attention to the bringsel by moving it back and forth on the ground.

The exercise starts with an experimental wounded  placed just a few steps off to the side of the guide, this so that the wounded may assist the dog during the initial stages of the lesson in picking up the bringsel. And, incidentally, the wounded man constantly changes his position, lying first on the one side, then on the other and finally on his back.

Now the dog is ordered off without the bringsel. The wounded man holds the bringsel in his hand and as the dog approaches he moves it back and forth on the ground to attract the dog's attention. It will be recalled that the dog already recognizes the bringsel which has become familiar to him as a result of previous retrieving  exercises in which the bringsel replaced the dumbbell.

At all times the guide faces the dog. He never turns his back on him. At the command FORWARD, in the direction of the wounded—right arm extended to direct the dog toward the right; left arm extended to motion him to the left—the guide takes a few steps in the indicated direction to encourage the dog along. At the exact moment when the dog reaches the wounded, is the second command FETCH  given.

As soon as the dog has learned to pick up the bringsel close beside the wounded, the bringsel is fastened to his collar, then the same procedure practiced again at short distance with the bringsel attached to him.

Let us repeat the lesson once more in greater detail. At the command FORWARD the dog is sent out toward the wounded. Upon arriving, he hears the command FETCH . Usually he will lower his head in order to pick up the bringsel which is now on the ground due to the lowering of his head. If the dog makes no move to pick it up, the wounded then proceeds to move it back and forth, or perhaps he slaps the ground with his hand close to the spot where the bringsel lies. The moment the dog makes the slightest attempt to nose the bringsel, the guide calls FETCH  in an encouraging voice until the dog gets the idea and picks it up. It will not be long before he understands and, when he does, that is, when he picks up the bringsel without command, the command FETCH  is eliminated entirely.

I might venture the opinion that in the mind of the dog there is no such thing as a wounded man or even an experimental wounded . His attention is centered upon persons sitting or lying down . All others he must ignore. Those standing upright must be neither announced nor reported.

Now this is important. From the beginning must be inculcated the act of picking up the bringsel only when close beside the wounded. Even though the dog may have spotted the wounded at fairly long distance, he must approach closely, otherwise he might be confused, especially in the darkness, by coats or other articles lying around.

It is likewise important to point out the necessity for placing the wounded near trees and houses for the dog will seek with greater attention these natural hiding places which, in trailing, he has always associated with the presence of people. However, if such hiding places are used as a matter of routine, the dog will accept them too much as a matter of course and refuse, or neglect, to seek further.

By this I mean that the territory over which this exercise is practiced must be changed constantly.

As soon as the dog has learned to pick up the bringsel close beside the wounded, the bringsel is fastened to his collar, then the same procedure is practised again a short distance with the bringsel attached to him.

In order to accustom the dog to work with the army, the man used in this type of training ought to be in uniform. At the same time they should vary their general appearance to this extent: they should be bandaged about the head, the body, the legs, lest the dogs become frightened in actual battle by such coverings. Too, they should at times be half hidden under coats or blankets to further simulate conditions on the battlefield. They should be lying down , sitting up, rolling around as if in pain; moaning, smoking, etc., if for no other reason than to attract the dog's attention as decoys.

Throughout the area employed during training for this exercise we must strew pieces of equipment; also coats, suits giving off the scent  of human beings, etc., and what is even more necessary, we must provide a certain amount of noise and confusion in order to condition the dogs to the atmosphere of war.

REPORTING

In the beginning this new exercise is practiced at short distance until it is associated in the dog's mind with trailing at longer distance. Therefore, what may be termed preparation for it must be followed exactly so as to avoid undue hardship, which might result in failure.

It is easily realized that barking by the dog would inevitably draw enemy fire, perhaps even cause a fresh attack, consequently the dog must not be allowed to give voice when he locates the wounded. Another reason for instilling the habit of complete silence on the part of the dog making the find is that the wounded soldier might become frightened at sight of the dog; might even attempt to strike him, whereupon the dog's natural sense of self preservation would prompt him to bark or bite. Moreover the dog's bark at the point of find might be so far distant from the guide, especially in or close to wooded areas, hills, etc., that it would set up echoes and thus cause confusion regarding the exact spot whence it had emanated. And if several dogs happened to announce finds at the same time by barking, the ensuing crossed signals would tend to nullify or at least hamper quick-following work by the guides and their stretcher bearers.

Insofar as this exercise is concerned, a very valuable command is the punish-order NO, issued whenever the dog attempts to take up the bringsel too far from the wounded, or when he picks it up on sighting people in upright position. If only the guide can catch the dog at the psychological moment when he makes such mistakes, he can correct them instantly by commanding NO. If the mistaken moment is passed, that is, if the dog already has in his mouth the bringsel picked up at the wrong time, or under the wrong circumstances, the command OUT is given and the entire exercise repeated.

The two commands NO and OUT are vastly different, and special attention must be paid by the guide in order to avoid error. For example, suppose the dog returning with the bringsel in his mouth stops to smell the ground. Here is the first opportunity to use the command NO.

This means that the dog must continue to hold the bringsel in his mouth without dropping it. Were the command OUT given under such circumstances the dog would drop the bringsel, which at this particular time is just the opposite of what is wanted. When he releases his hold on a bringsel he is expected to keep in his mouth, the command HOLD IT must be issued instantly.

Cases of the kind described in the foregoing paragraph will require correction by an experienced trainer: true, they arc faults of minor character but, even so, faults which must be corrected. In the case of the amateur or beginning trainer, it is best that he repeat the exercises several times, under the command, FORWARD sending the dog out again and again to the wounded until he learns to accomplish really clean reporting.

Once the dog has picked up the bringsel, he must return at once and deliver in the correct manner by sitting in front of his guide. Strict attention must be paid to the fine points of the delivery, one of these being that the dog hold the bringsel in his mouth until the command OUT is issued. This is to avoid having the dog drop the bringsel at the feet of the guide. In night work, when the use of no light is permitted, the guide could not know whether the dog had reported or not, hence the value of teaching him to hold the bringsel until ordered to release it. The command OUT is given not in a harsh or punishing tone but rather quietly, slowly and with friendliness.

Especially in the beginning when constant correction may be needed, practice must be systematic and done preferably in an open field. This will the more readily assure steady control.

The dog returns to the guide and sits, with the bringsel in his mouth to announce his find.

In work of this type, the dog does not actually trail; he merely walks to the wounded. It has been claimed that all too often he reverts to eye trailing as opposed to scent  trailing, meaning of course that he just looks around in order to detect the wounded. Such a claim, however, is without foundation in fact, if for no other reason than that the longer distances so frequently traversed in loeating the wounded compel the dog to use his power of scent . But, as in any other type of training, it is permissible to help the dog as far as possible and, in any way at all, familiarize him with his duties. Once he learns what is expected of him, the hardest part of his schooling is done.

It is customary to allocate the experimental wounded  sideways from the guide for the purpose of teaching the dog to walk in zig-zag direction. Starting with the short distance of, say, 15 yards, the wounded should lie to the right or left of the guide.

We begin, then withthe 15-yard stretch, marked the beginner's stage, and extend the distance to about 60 yards, gradually placing the wounded right and left until the dog gets the idea. However, throughout this practice, even the very short distance must be used occasionally to avoid automatic performance on the part of the dog. Perhaps at times the dog may seem to grow absent minded or disinterested—this is the time to return to the short distance again except in those cases where the disinterestedness may trace to overwork.

Now, the experimental wounded  should never be permitted to influence the dog. This is strictly the guide's job. Nor should the dog be petted by the wounded because this might tend to keep him by the wounded soldier's side at a rime when he should be returning promptly to his guide for the report.

Another reason for returning occasionally to the shorter distance even when the dog can negotiate the longer distance with more or less success is when the dog for some unknown cause shys off the wounded or otherwise shows sign of fear. In this emergency, the guide must immediately shorten the distance and definitely try to encourage the dog. This, however, the wounded must on no account do. The experimental wounded  must continuously act his part in simulating the man helpless, unconscious, or perhaps writhing in pain. It is not his place to encourage the dog.

It cannot be repeated too often that the guide or trainer must be lavish with his praise , especially when returning with the leashed dog to the wounded he has found. And never should the dog experience the slightest discomfort; yes, even the DOWN or STAY on cold or wet ground might be said to constitute discomfort or to signify punishment  in the dog's mind.

An important warning at this point concerns the area immediately surrounding the wounded. No other people, singly or in groups, should be allowed in sitting position anywhere near the wounded for this is bound to breed confusion in the dog's mind. The Red Cross dog, remember, is being trained to center his chief interest in people in this position, that is, in people sitting or lying down . These he is to report, but no others. Naturally then, groups of sitting persons, not wounded, can lead only to false reporting or absolute uncertainty on the part of the dog, and this above all things is to be guarded against.

Upon reporting his find to the guide, the dog is leashed with the long lead.  Now in this manner guide and dog start off in the direction from which the dog came, the guide giving the new command BACK-HOPP-HOPP. A supremely important moment has now arrived, one which requires the complete attention of the guide who must slow down to a pace giving the dog the opportunity to lead.

The dog must go as close as possible to the wounded when picking up the bringsel.

After the dog reported his find to the guide, he is leashed and leads to the wounded.

Giving out as much leash as possible and, in friendly voice, repeating the command as encouragement, the guide follows the dog. The more rapidly the dog walks the better the style of the whole exercise for the simple reason that a fast pace increases the dog's eagerness. And when he arrives at the side of the wounded, the dog should be petted and praised. The wounded should now get up and walk away for the special object of finishing off the exercise. The dog knows he has done his part and the particular job is done. Moreover, the fact that the wounded moves directly away from the spot at which the dog has found him prevents the dog thereafter from associating that one spot only with this phase of his work. Otherwise he would be tempted during his earlier training period to return again and again to the same place. He must not be permitted to get in a rut by associating certain places with particular parts of his duties.

When the dog has learned to work correctly in the 60-yard field, a systematic plan is made, and the territory marked off with inconspicuous posts or stakes, this for the purpose of having the dog work with two or more experimental wounded.

The following plan proved the most successful: it is so plain that all will understand it. The field is square, 120 yards on each side. The center is the direction line from which dog and guide start out, while the wounded lies 60 yards to the right from this line.

Sketch of the beginner's stage, the wounded placed at the points marked x.

Bear in mind that we are still working on the retrieving  and reporting exercise; we are still in the training phase of our work. Thus there is no ample reason for the comparatively small size of the training field. In too large a field, the guide might risk losing control of a dog unfamiliar with the exercise now to be explained.

The accompanying sketch, page 253, will give a good idea of the procedure. The direction line is the path of the guide and his dog. A is the starting point, while the encircled numbers 1 to 12 indicate positions of the wounded.

When the guide is familiar with the field and the markings arc made, the work begins. A wounded lies at point 1, five yards up from line A to the right. A second wounded lies at point 2, fifteen yards up from line A to the left. Both wounded are not visible to the dog but wounded 2 must pay attention as wounded 1 is escorted by the guide.

The dog is sent to the right to find wounded 1 as the guide advances slowly along the direction line, keeping his eyes to the right in order to observe the dog. If the dog succeeds in finding 1, he will meet the advancing guide at point B. The guide takes the bringsel out of the dog's mouth, attaches the long leash  and is thereupon led by the dog to the wounded whom he helps up and back to the starting point A.

Again the guide starts out from point B, sending the dog to the left this time to wounded 2, now visible from point B. The same procedure follows—sending, reporting by the dog, leading the guide back, etc. These tactics are repeated with wounded 3 and 4, after which the distance may be extended by skipping point 5 and 7 instead, always however starting from A.

If after a few days, in whichdifferent wounded are used, the dog grows quite certain in his work, the identical exercises are practiced for several nights. Then when that much of the work has been accomplished satisfactorily, it must be done still again with obstacles. Standing people, which of course must be ignored by the dog, are placed at various points on the field to serve as obstacles. Groups of people, too, may be employed for the same purpose: they pass back and forth over the field without paying the slightest attention to the dog. Remember the punishing-voiced command NO in case the dog does not ignore
them.

TRAILING

Thus far, guide and dog have been practicing regularly in the limited field in order to become accustomed to routine, zig-zag walks. The steady shifting from A to 1;by the dog at points B, C, D, etc., must become routine. When this is thoroughly grounded, then we may advance to trailing.

First, let us consider how trailing of Red Cross dogs differs from that of police dogs. In all police work, trainers concentrate their initial attention on wind direction, especially during the preliminary practice of training for trailing, whereas trainers of Red Cross dogs do not pay much attention to wind direction principally because the Red Cross dog derives no such assistance in actual battle. In other words, there are no rules governing sudden attacks by the enemy or ambushing patrols. For this reason the Red Cross dog must be trained without benefit of these natural aids. At the same time the dog is compelled to use his sense of smell more than his eyes, otherwise his work would become aimless, and this is exactly whatwe must avoid.

Again let us begin with the 120X100 yard area.  This time, though, the starting point is X which leads to 10 where the wounded lies covered completely out of sight. Up to now, in order to accustom the dog to zig-zag walking, we have practiced only with visible wounded.

If the wounded walks to his point without the dog's knowledge but at the same time marking the ground with his foot scent  as necessary in Companion Dog Training (see Trailing), it will not be long before the dog acquires the habit of using his nose. Even trailing with "high nose" —meaning with head up or with the aid of his eyes—cannot be considered faulty or careless trailing in this instance because the Red Cross dog depends more upon body perspiration than upon foot scent . This indicates that the dog understands what we arc after.

2OYDS
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20 YDS.
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20YDs.
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20YDs
15 YDS

Naturally in trailing of this sort we work with but one or two wounded—the close proximity of other persons must under all circumstances be avoided. Care must be exercised to see that not even walking people be in the area as this might interfere markedly with the dog's concentration at this stage.

When the dog understands this much of the idea, that is, the finding of sitting or recumbent people whom he cannot see, then the time is ripe to place decoys on the field. But again remember that no attention should be paid to, or report made of, those not in sitting or lying down position. Should the dog consider upright people for a moment, the guide must instantly correct the mistake with the command NO.

A certain amount of difficulty will be experienced in the beginning to keep the dog going in sidewise direction while the guide remains true to the center direction line. Steady practice however will lead finally to success. Many times the guide must traverse a part of the direction with the dog, but he must try to return to the direction line by 'walking backward. The instant the dog stops or makes even the slightest attempt to return to the guide, the latter must immediately advance toward the dog so as to encourage him in taking the given direction. Continued practice, repetition and more repetition willaccomplish the desired result.

There may be, probably will be, a certain amount of trouble in the return of the dog after he has reached the 60-yard distance. The idea is not to patrol an exact 60-yard beat in an open field and then call the dog back as soon as this 60-yard limit has been reached. Rather, the idea is to have the dog search any obstacles, which may lie within or beyond this 60-yard line. Bushes, shell-holes, trees and trenches should be used extensively and the wounded placed in them. If the dog, on his way out, cannot be seen finally, the guide must bring into use that sixth sense to determine whether or not the dog has reached his goal, and if he is not returning with a report, to whistle  or call him back by name.

Then, when the dog returns, he must be sent out again in the opposite direction, following exactly the same procedure.

The chief aim of the Red Cross dog is to assist the guide in finding wounded soldiers in places where it would require too much time to patrol the entire territory, and in battle areas where it would be dangerous or too difficult for men to search such territory. How valuable is the use of Red Cross dogs can now be appreciated.

Before thoroughly trained dogs are sent to the front to take part in actual warfare, they should pass an examination in entirely unfamiliar territory with several experimental wounded . Both the wounded and the area used for this test must be unknown to guide and dog, and the type or correctness of work performed should decide whether the dog is ready and able to serve on the battlefield or whether he must go back for additional training. It is needless to say that this final examination should be strict; that it is very much to the point to give the dog a few more weeks of intensive training than to send to the front dogs and guides not completely trained for this highly responsible work.

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