Facts to Know before Taking up an Army Dog for Adoption

Army Dogs have been one of the integral parts of the Indian Armed Forces for a long time, however, their silent service generally goes unnoticed. An army dog does much more than detecting explosives or alerting the army about the enemy insurgency. The relationship between a dog and a soldier is quite old, rather as old as the battlefield. The Romans were the first ones to use trained dogs in combats.

In this article, we would be discussing some interesting facts about army dogs. This would help you in understanding them better, especially if you are considering army dogs for adoption.

Interesting Facts about Indian Army Dogs

There are many interesting facts to know about Indian Army Dogs. Below are some lesser-known facts about Indian army dogs:

  1. Just like the Indian soldiers, army dogs also undergo rigorous training and only some can make through this training while others get rejected.

  2. The army dogs should not be considered as ordinary pets as they have a history of valiant tales. The Remount Veterinary Corps (RVC) is decorated with Shaurya Chakra and around 150 commendation cards are given out in their honor.

  3. The Indian Army has more than 1000 trained dogs across different ranks. RVC is the body that maintains this strength.

  4. Army dogs are an integral part of the search and rescue operations as well as the missions that require recovering explosives. Without the army dogs, the search operations may come to a stand-still.

  5. The army dogs are taught to understand and respond to military-specific hand gestures as well as verbal orders given by their handlers.

  6. While undergoing military training, the dogs are trained in commands that ensure that they hold their barks in combat. This ensures that their position is not revealed to the enemy during combat.

  7. In 2016, an army dog squad had participated in the Republic Day parade after almost 26 years. Great efforts were put in by the RVC Centre and College in Meerut Cantt to prepare the dog squad for this march past.

  8. The breeds that are most preferred as army dogs are Labradors and German Shepherds as they have a natural ability to adapt to different training schedules. These breeds are also easy to train and can easily perform different tasks given by the army.

  9. The army dogs have an active service period of 8 to 10 years.

  10. Today, the law has been passed that permits civilians to take up army dogs for adoption. However, before this law, the army dogs used to be euthanized. This was because the army found it expensive to maintain these dogs and their knowledge about sensitive locations posed as a threat to the country.

Army Dogs vs Family Dogs

While considering army dogs for adoption, one should remember that these dogs are unlike other dogs that you find in homes or a local shelter. Not every retired army dog can make a great addition to the family. Army dogs are highly trained, which might not be suitable for a civilian family. The army dogs are fiercely loyal and are often independent-minded. They have different triggers for verbal and physical commands.

Army dogs are generally not recommended for families that have small children or other pets. Some army dogs are deemed unsuitable for adoption due to different reasons such as extreme aggression.

Conclusion

With an amazing ability to follow commands and an incredible sense of smell, army dogs prove to be reliable warriors in combat. They go through vigorous training and play an important role in the Indian Army.

Facts to Know before Taking up an Army Dog for AdoptionHelen Harry is a freelance writer and a GOT fan. Apart from writing Technologies, she likes to read & write fiction. More than anything, she loves to spend her time with her family, explaining technologies to the elders.