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Trekhond

( Draught-dog )

History

It is easy to find information on the dogs of Belgium being used to pull milk carts, arms and ambulance carts. In an August 1915 Le Miroir, "for a long time the Belgians used dogs to pull their machine guns. They have provided extraordinary services." However, it is not as easy to find written proof that the dogs doing this work were those we know today as Belgian Sheepdogs, especially when compared to the lengthy articles about the Mâtin Belge, a much larger draught dog. In the 1926 Dog World Annual, the editor of "The Dog World", Mrs. Phillip Robson, writes about the "Draught Dogs of the Netherlands". While she wrote four pages describing the carting dogs, the only reference to the Belgian Sheepdog is this. "It was surprising for me to find so many dogs of Retriever type in the shafts. Many of them looked like rather well-bred Labradors, with smooth black coats and drooping ears. Others suggested relationship with the native flat-coated Groenendael, while some of the more powerful sort were no doubt descendants of the old Flemish Mâtin crossed with a breed of Great Dane type." In the May 1938 AKC Gazette, F Isabel Ormiston wrote an article that may indicate why it is not often published that many Belgian Sheepdogs were used. In her article, "In Belgium Dogs Do Work" she writes…"King Albert...introduced a great many laws to insure good treatment for the dogs. He forbade the use of too small dogs for draught work, Belgian sheep dogs, for instance weigh about 53 pounds, the required weight of a Mâtin Belge is 110." Even so, many pictorial and oral histories suggest that Our Belgian Sheepdogs were often used for draught work.

Italian War Dogs and Draught dogs

The Italian Army used about 3,500 dogs, chiefly in the Alps, from Val Gindicarie to the Adamello. Most of them were mongrels of the St. Bernard type from the Franco-Italo-Swiss border. They were of large size, weighing from 125 to 150 pounds, usually white with reddish markings. The best of them had heavy coats, which could withstand the cold at great heights.

It was in the transport almost exclusively that these dogs were used, some in harness, others as pack animals. In winter they were hitched to sledges with loads of food, or ammunition, weighting perhaps 250 pounds, for the troops working on building roads thru the mountains. Often a party of ski runners (mountain troops), camoflaged in white uniforms led the way, breaking out a trail.

Where the trail was so steep, that even a sledge couldn't go, they sent squads of 30 or 32 dogs, each carrying packs of about 60 pounds. So, a single squad could deliver about a ton of transport every trip.

A good many dogs were lost, some through falling down crevasses; some from enemy shells and bullets. Others were wounded, and for these, hospitals were establish at safe points, one such "infermeria cani" was at an altitude of 3,000 feet.

Each dog, received a soldier's ration: coffee and bread for breakfast; broth, meat, bread and water for lunch, and meat, bread, sugar and chocolate for dinner at night. They were housed in special huts, erected at points safe from bombardment.

Belgian War Dogs! and Draught Dogs
Belgian Draught Dogs Pulling Gun Cart, WW I
For centuries dogs had been used as draught animals in many parts of Europe, but perhaps Belgium was the biggest user.

As a rule, these animals were well treated and there were even special laws enacted for their benefit. The carts were balanced on their axle, so that the weight of the load rested on the two wheels, and not on the shoulders of the dog. The police were even instructed to stop any driver, who was using a dog cart without the proper harness, which included a broad flat band for the chest, for it was by his chest that the dog pulls.

Properly equipped, and on a hard level road, a good draught dog could draw 500 pounds; and a pair could pull a ton. It seemed then, that when war broke out, that the Belgian Army didn't overlook their stanch draft dogs.

Belgian Gun Cart Crew And Dogs Resting!
At that time there were only afew draught (draft) dogs in the army. Several of the machine gun companies had four each, but at the call to arms, the government requisitioned all that were needed.

A Belgian officer on duty in Antwerp when the first lot of civilian dogs from that section were turned over to the army, happen to mentioned what a sight it was.

Dozens of men and women brought in their beloved pets and helpers; and in many cases their parting was very hard. They told the soldiers the names of the dogs, dwelt fondly on their perculiarties, especially what they liked best to eat, and tried to exacted promises that they would be kindly treated and when the war was over. brought back to them. Such was the love they felted for their animals!Their work in the army consisted in drawing light running, two wheeled, machine gun carriages with a maxim gun mounted on each; or ammunition carts to supply these guns, or water carts to carry drinking water to the gunners.

Because the dogs were already trained in harness, military training was usually quite easy. Although when the guns went into action, the work of the dogs was very often dangerous but simple. An officer would run forward and selected the gun position, and at a signal the dogs would leaped in their harness and carried the gun to him at full gallop. The gun crew then would lift the gun, tripod and all, out of the cart, and set it up on the firing line, while one man swung the dogs around and ran them back with the empty cart to the nearest available shelter.

Twelve companies of dog drawn machine guns were used in the Belgian army during the war and approx. 500 dogs were drafted to draw these guns and the ammo wagons. They were nearly always at the front line and took part in the battles of Liegeand and Namur, were in action close to Antwerp and Louvain; and assisted in the capture of 500 prisoners at Aerschot.

A good many gun dogs were killed in action, and many more wounded. Behind the lines, there were remount stations, where new dogs could be obtain as needed; and dog hospitals for the sick and wounded animals.

When campaigning, the dogs were fed once a day and given water at least three times, sometimes more. In winter they often slept across the legs of the gunners for mutual warmth, and every morning they were groomed and cared for, when ever possible..

Faults ** Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

Note ** Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum