Not all war heroes are human

From biblical times to the present, dogs have proven to be man’s best friend in numerous ways. They offer companionship to the lonely, provide eyes of the blind and ears for the deaf, herd sheep, sniff out game birds and go to war.

Giant Molossian dogs from which the mastiff would descend, and Talbots, forerunners of the bloodhound, were used by Atilla the Hun in his campaigns. Napoleon posted dogs at the gates of Alexandria in Egypt as sentries. The French Navy used attack dogs in the early part of the 14th century to guard naval docks. During the Civil War, dogs acted as…