War Department

TM 10-396 War Dogs Technical Manual War Department

Since ancient times, dogs have played a large part in warfare. From war dogs trained for combat purposes to dogs used as scouts, they have played an important role in military history.  Throughout World War II, the United States Marine Corps used dogs, which were donated by their American owners. In the Pacific Theater, they were integral in taking backs islands from Japanese occupying forces. During this period, the Doberman Pinscher became the official dog of the United States Marine Corps. However, all breeds of dogs were permitted to train to be war dogs of the Pacific. Of the 549 dogs that returned from the war, only four could not be returned to civilian life. Many of the dogs went home with their handlers from the war. Later, scout dogs were used in Korea and Vietnam to detect ambushes, weapon caches, or enemy fighters hiding underwater. Created in 1943, this technical manual details a great deal about the war dog training process. Furthermore, it takes an in depth look in to the psychological conditioning of the dog. Originally labeled restricted, this manual was declassified long ago and is here reprinted in book form. Care has been taken to preserve the integrity of the text.