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By Peter Comatas

It probably comes as no surprise that the most famous of all German Shepherd Dogs, the original Rin Tin Tin, was found amongst the battlefields of France during World War One. It was the deeds performed by German Shepherds during this conflict that helped establish them as the worlds number one choice for service work. Found by United States Air Force Corporal Lee Duncan in an abandoned German Army Trench, Rin Tin Tin and his sister Nannette were rescued and eventually made their way back to the United States of America. Unfortunately the smarter Nannette contracted pneumonia and died. Rin Tin Tin, however, received a bit part in the 1922 movie "The Man From Hell’s River" and started the myth of the movie hero dog, a dog that could think and act like a human.

It is easy to believe that dogs do in fact have human qualities and virtues. Surely an animal that brings out feelings of love, companionship and joy in us, must have similar feelings? If dogs were not partly human, why would they bother to seek us out for companionship? How could two species that have had such a long and successful association not have some common desires and aspirations? In Western Civilisation the Dog is one of the few animals that is not eaten by mankind. In fact many dogs live far more luxurious lives than our lesser citizens. There can be no denying the special bond between man and dog, and nowhere is that bond more strongly tested than on the field of battle. It is on that field that the bond between man and his best friend is tested in a truly life and death struggle.

Many of our citizens have no idea of that special bond as modern armies today are relying further and further upon complex machinery and computerisation to engage the enemy on the battlefield. Soldiers are still required to kill or be killed on behalf of their various Nations and scientists still attempt to find newer and more efficient ways of removing one’s enemies. With more technology being applied to warfare it is easy to forget the long history of animals used in warfare. Australians probably remember the horses used by the 3^rd Light Horse Brigade at the climax of its famous charge at Beersheba in Palestine during the First World War. We were probably all taught about the Carthagian General Hannibal and his attempts to cross the Alps with elephants in our Roman History Class. Pigeons were used for carrying messages, Dolphins trained to attack enemy frogmen. The history of the use of animals in warfare is quite long and varied.

The use of animals in warfare probably goes back to when organised fighting units were first formed. Animals were able to provide greater speed, strength and other skills that humans possessed to a lesser degree or not at all. Most animals are being phased out of Armies these days as technology replaces them. The dog however is continuing to be utilised by modern Armies in greater numbers. In fact the use of canines is well recorded in ancient history with the Medes and Persians using large groups of attack dogs with spiked collars to attack whole formations of enemy troops. With advancement in the weaponry available to infantry the use of dogs in this way has become obsolete. Canines, however, are still used in warfare but they are now put to more sophisticated uses. The use of the dogs incredible nose has been recorded in writings since ancient Greece. It is his great scenting ability that is now utilised by Armies, and his ability to bite is now a secondary function.

Over the centuries many breeds of dogs have been used during warfare with varying degrees of success. The question of which breeds are most useful was covered in a recent article published in the June 2000 edition of Army Magazine (Published by the Australian Department of Defence) in which Sergeant Jason Logue writes in relation to Military Working Dogs the following;

This is quite a strong statement because the German Shepherd Dog has only been in existence for just over a century. The German Shepherd was developed from a number of varieties of sheep dog found in Germany during the last century. In the second half of the 19th century, dog breed fanciers began to fix the type of sheep dog found in Germany that would eventually form the basis of the modern German Shepherd Dog. Various attempts were made to form associations to develop the German Sheep Dogs such as the Phylax Club that was formed in the early 1890’s, but disbanded in a few short years. Not only were dog fanciers discussing the breeding of dogs, but also the training of dogs was becoming of great interest. A driving force at the time was Doctor Gerland who presented the world’s first trained police dogs just prior to the turn of the century. These events helped to bring the development of sheep dogs to the attention of many influential people in Germany.

During 1899 a German dog fancier and cavalry officer, Captain Max Von Stephanitz, purchased a dog named Hektor Linksrhein that greatly impressed him. Von Stephanitz subsequently renamed the dog Horand v Grafrath. On 22 April 1899 Von Stephanitz, Adolf Meyer, Ernst Von Otto and others, formed the Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunde (SV) in Germany. The translation of this name is roughly "The German Shepherd Dog Club of Germany". The SV started a registration book and Horand v Grafrath became the first registered German Shepherd Dog. On 20 September 1899, the SV adopted a breed standard based on the proposals of Meyer and Von Stephanitz and later held its first speciality show at Frankfurt-am-Main, using the titles Sieger and Siegerin. The development of the German Shepherd Dog had begun.

Von Stephanitz who became President of the SV, realised that increased industrialisation in Germany would reduce the demand for sheep dogs and, in co-operation with German authorities earlier this century, began training the German Shepherd in other roles to ensure its survival as a working breed. Through his firm guiding hand the SV became the largest single breed club in the world, and the breed became one of the most versatile breeds known to man.

German Shepherds slowly grew in popularity, and clubs for the development of the breed began to form in countries to which the breed had been exported. As early as 1904, it is believed unofficial imports of the breed had arrived in Western Australia. By 1910 the breed had a firm foot hold in Europe, and in Germany the service potential of the dogs was realised by helping to equip over 500 Police stations throughout Germany with trained Police Dogs. Still being used as a sheep dog, the German Shepherd was also finding popularity with the German military. Von Stephanitz was adamant that the breed should remain a working dog, and constantly looked for new tasks to keep the breed working.

The onset of the First World War saw the first real opportunity to utilise this new breed of dog and the various new training methods that had been developed. The German and French military used the German Shepherd extensively but also used a number of other existing breeds. During the conflict the German Army used around 30,000 dogs and the French around 20,000. The German Shepherd was the definite backbone of the German Army with well over 20,000 of the breed being pressed into service. These dogs, known as "war dogs", impressed soldiers on all sides who came into contact with them.

The breed’s great versatility enabled them to perform various functions, including search and rescue of casualties in 'no man’s land’, providing what was to become the basis for modern search and rescue dog teams. Dogs were also used to carry ammunition, messages, cables and first aid supplies between the trenches, often through heavy artillery and small arms fire. Many allied soldiers impressed by the bravery of the dogs, took captured German Shepherds home with them after the war. The most famous of these was Rin Tin Tin.

The end of the First World War also led to some significant developments for the breed. On a positive note the unfortunate blinding of many soldiers during the war led to German Shepherds being trained in large numbers by the German authorities as 'seeing eye' dogs for the blind. Other countries, including Great Britain, then attempted to train dogs based on this German program. The British dog trainers, however, experienced a great deal of negativity from the general public at first, and it took some time to gain public acceptance for the program. The success of guide dogs has since been proven worldwide. The United States also later formed a Seeing Eye Dog School using German Shepherds. This occurred in 1929 in the US State of New Jersey. Although the Labrador Retriever does the majority of guide dog work in Australia, the German Shepherd remains one of the most popular choices for this type of work worldwide.

Wars also lead to "War Stories" and heroic (sometimes exaggerated) claims of courage and loyalty under fire, led to a strong interest in the breed in various countries outside its native Germany. During the 1920's, canine movie stars such as Rin Tin Tin and Strong Heart, also led to the German Shepherd becoming extremely popular in other countries. Great harm was caused as unscrupulous breeders, keen to cash in on this newfound popularity, introduced poor breeding practices which, along with some irresponsible owners, worked against the founding principles of the breed.

Anti German sentiment following the first world war, caused the British to re-name the breed as the Alsatian Wolf-Dog. Although all dogs are thought to have evolved from wolves, the name Alsatian Wolf-Dog led some people to believe the German Shepherd had been directly bred from wolves. The truth is that the German Shepherd carries no more wolves blood than any other breed. It is interesting to note that the British, unlike the French, did not utilise the breed during the war and probably did not have the strong bond with the breed the French veterans may have had. The Australian Army did not use dogs during the war and the breed was a novelty in Australia in the initial post war period. The attitudes forming in Britain in relation to the breed, were eventually going to have more significant complications in Australia.

The year 1925 saw the breed's official Australian history begin with the importation of Crufts winner Ito of Fallowdale into Australia. Also on the same boat was Pinkerton Rhoda. As a number of further importations followed, graziers and pastoralists in Australia began to express concerns that the breed was dangerous. This was partly based on the British re-naming of the breed, Alsatian Wolf-Dog. Australian graziers and pastoralists started to express fears that German Shepherds would mate with dingos and produce a powerful and intelligent sheep killer. Powerful lobby groups such as the Western Australian Pastoralists and Graziers Society started to call for the breed to be declared a dangerous noxious pest.

The most significant year in the early Australian history of the breed was 1929. This year saw the founding of the Alsatian Club of Victoria, which is now known as the GSDCV. On 22 February of that year, the dog KCC Ch Claus von Eulengarten arrived in Melbourne. This dog was the 26th German Shepherd imported into Australia and was not only a show champion, but also a trained Police Dog. A few Australian Police Forces experimented with the breed during this period but the great advantages of using specially trained dogs were lost on them and the Australian Defence Forces, until after the Second World War.

The year 1929 also saw the Australian Government respond to the continued fears of graziers and pastoralists by placing a directive against the import of the breed into Australia. The Australian Government then passed legislation in the next few years to officially legislate against the importation of German Shepherds. At this stage only about 55 to 60 official imports had entered Australia. This would show the ironic attitude to the breed in Australia. The breed would end up proving itself a valuable servant to the Australian Defence Forces and various Police Services across Australia, but for most of the same period it would be vilified publicly for purely political purposes by various elements of Australian Governments.

The early 1930's saw the popularity and the numbers of German Shepherds wane. This meant that purist breeders were able to slowly rebuild the reputation and standing of the German Shepherd. The outbreak of the second world war saw the German Shepherd pressed into military service in large numbers. The breeding stock in Germany was severely reduced as large numbers of dogs were lost during the war. The tragedy of war once again highlighted the breed's useful qualities and helped to restore the reputation of the German Shepherd. The German Army employed over 50,000 dogs and more than 250,000 dogs served in all armies during the Second World War. German Shepherds made up the majority of the dogs, but the United States employed large numbers of various breeds. The Americans, however, found that the German Shepherd was the most suitable and made this the mainstay of future canine recruitments with the Labrador Retriever also proving a useful breed in the purely nose work disciplines.

This conflict also saw large numbers of dogs being trained to detect the presence of various types of unexploded devices. This activity has evolved into today's explosive and drug detector dog programs, which have been extremely effective for law enforcement agencies worldwide. Another application of this technology is a worldwide program to help assist in the removal of landmines. The United States Marines also used a large number of dogs in the taking of Guam to help clear Japanese bunkers and tunnels. These dogs could help determine whether enemy soldiers were still inside and help clear explosive booby traps. Although a large number of dogs were killed during these operations, they helped save many American lives. This application is also now used by special Police services around the world.

This period marks the beginning of Australia’s use of dogs for military purposes. The RAAF first introduced dogs in 1943, using savage mongrels with little or no training to guard depots and warehouses after hours. Savage dogs were tied to RAAF aircraft in an attempt to ward off saboteurs and other intruders. It wasn’t until 1954 that the first RAAF Dog Training Centre was opened at Ettamooga in New South Wales. At the end of 1955 the centre was moved to RAAF Tottenham in Victoria. Formal Police Dog/Security Guard training courses were introduced. The only breed of dog used at this time was the German Shepherd.

The years following the second world war saw a worldwide resurgence of the popularity of the German Shepherd. The situation in Australia, sadly, had not improved with the import ban still in place. The lack of new blood lines made it difficult for Australian breeders to make improvements and Australian German Shepherds were unable to progress to the level of those found in Europe. Breeders in Australia had to make the most of a bad situation and struggled on. However, breed clubs such as the GSDCV, and other groups started to promote the positive aspects of the breed. They hoped that common sense would win through and that the import ban would be lifted in the future.

The 1950’s saw the Korean "Police Action" by the United Nations and again dogs were utilised by the United States Army with German Shepherds again being prominent. This decade also saw the Malayan "Emergency" and German Shepherds trained as Tracker Dogs were utilised by the Australian Army during the conflict. At the same time tracking dogs were utilised in Borneo as well. Many of the dogs were trained at the War Dog Training School at Kota Tinggi. The RAAF Police Dog Training Centre continued to train German Shepherds for the defence of its facilities and aircraft during this period.

In 1963, the German Shepherd Dog Council of Australia (GSDCA) was formed with the intentions of improving the standing of the German Shepherd and removing impediments, such as the Federal Government import ban. Owners of German Shepherds in Western Australia and the Northern Territory were not even allowed to breed from their existing stock.

The Australian Government, however, had greater problems of it’s own with Australia being drawn into the Vietnam conflict. The Australian Army used a small number of dogs made up mainly of Labrador Retrievers for tracking duties. Although small in number the Dog Teams were quite successful. Sergeant Logue comments on the Australian Armies plans to replicate that success;

The United States Army also used dogs during the Vietnam conflict. A modest number of Labrador Retrievers supplemented almost 4,000 German Shepherds used during the conflict. Dogs were used as Scout Dogs, Explosive Detection Dogs by Engineers, Base Security Sentry Dogs and a number of other military tasks. What should have been a proud record of service for the various dog handlers of that that era turned to a nightmare that still haunts many to this day. Of over 4,000 dogs sent to Vietnam, as little as a few hundred made it back to the United States alive. Fear of spreading disease made the United States Government unwilling to return these dogs to American Soil. Various petitioning to the United States Military and Government allowed a trial quarantine program to be set up in an attempt to return the service dogs home. Unfortunately the program was soon abandoned and most of the surviving dogs were handed over to the South Vietnamese Government. The problem here was that they did not use dogs for military purposes and most of the dogs were left to unknown fates.

The treatment of these dogs is probably something that our Vietnam Veterans could strongly associate with. Let down by a Government and public that has struggled for years to fully appreciate their service, it must be immensely painful for the handlers of these dogs when they think back to their younger years. The handlers of these dogs are currently trying to petition the United States Government to honour these dogs with a commemorative postage stamp. They are also attempting to raise funds to build a lasting monument to these dogs.

As the Australian Government pulled out of the Vietnam conflict great breakthroughs were about to occur in German Shepherd Dog circles. Through various lobbying of the Australian Government a one-year trial lifting of the ban on importing the breed into Australia commenced during 1973. The then Customs Minister, Mr Lionel Murphy, saw that the ban was ludicrous, and through the help of other politicians such as Mr Don Chipp (current Patron of the GSDCA), was able to allay the fears of the farmers and graziers. The trial was a success and in 1974 the import ban was permanently lifted. At last breeders were allowed to bring in new blood lines from Europe, which allowed great advancement and improvement in the quality of the breed in Australia. 1974 also saw the formation of the World Union of German Shepherd Dog Clubs, with the aim to promote breeding and training according to German standards. This organisation was formed out of the former European Union of German Shepherd Dog Clubs due to the wishes of non-European clubs.

In the immediate years that followed the lifting of the ban a steady improvement of the standard of German Shepherds found in Australia took place. The importing of new blood lines made available to Australian breeders the genetic material that they required to advance the breed and this has enabled them to move towards the standard of dogs found in Germany. In 1993, the GSDCA with the assistance of the Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC) took advantage of an opportunity to revert to Country of Origin standards and adopted the full FCI and SV Breed Standard. These recent developments and various GSDCA breed improvement schemes have resulted in a vastly improved quality of the German Shepherd Dog in Australia, from that available prior to the lifting of the import ban.

There is no questioning the significant contribution the German Shepherd has made in the past 100 years. Apart from being a loved family companion the breed has provided service to man in a variety of roles. This service is no accident, as the founder of the breed Captain von Stephanitz believed that, "The breeding of shepherd dogs is the breeding of working dogs; and this must always be the aim, or we shall cease to produce shepherd dogs". German Shepherds today are at the forefront of the Australian Army’s new Military Working Dog Program. This program has recently been proven in East Timor. Commenting on the program, Sergeant Logue states;

These Military Working Dogs can ground track, air-borne scent, support offer troops and enhance those troops chances for survival through early warning. These dogs can also keep intruders off military instillations. The dogs must be able to work safely with other soldiers and live in the bush for extended periods. Additional training can also enable them to locate booby traps and explosive devices. The dog must be able to ignore battle noise and work silently when required. The dog must also be able to work in a variety of terrain from urban buildings to dense forests.

The reason for the breed’s usefulness is due to its high intelligence, well balanced temperament, physical size, courage and affinity for people. The S.V./F.C.I. breed standard states that the German Shepherd Dog should be suitable as an all round working, herding and service dog. To achieve this a dog must be of well balanced temperament, steady of nerve, self assured, absolutely free and easy, and (unless provoked) completely good natured, as well as alert and tractable. The dog must have courage, combative instinct and hardness, in order to be suitable as companion, watch, protection, service and herding dog. The physical make up of the dog is described in further detail and helps enable the breed to carry out its intended purpose. It is believed that dogs that closely fit the breed standard will have the physical and mental characteristics to enable them to have the potential and willingness to work in a variety of tasks without undue stress. Sergeant Logue gives a more ‘hands on’ explanation on why the breed is so suited to military service work;

As we march into the future we will continue to see dogs serving in military forces the world over. Canines and other animals have served man since the dawn of time. Arguments will rage over which animals have made the most significant contributions to warfare during the history of mankind. But there is no argument as to which animals will make the greater contributions in the future, for it is the dog that will continue the greatest of working partnerships. Of all the dogs the German Shepherd Dog stands out with the proudest service history. In Australia and around the world, no other breed has served in such numbers. Perhaps one day we will be able to commemorate that military service in a suitable place of honour. Lest we forget.

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