Memorial Day is one of the most honorable weekends where we recognize those who have put their life on the line for our freedom. In addition to the thousands of men and women who serve in our military, we would also like to shed light on a dog’s role in the military. Military dogs have visual sensory abilities that are quite literally superhuman, can go where a soldier cannot, and can often subdue or intimidate an enemy more quickly with non-lethal force. Because of these traits, military dogs have been successfully trained for many military duties and roles by modern armies for a century. Here are some of the amazing qualities a dog can help contribute to a military team:
Read about military dogs’ amazing abilities:
- Sense of Smell:
Dogs in general have impeccable senses of smell but military dogs specifically train for this. They learn to sniff out lethal weapons, poison, explosives, etc. Dogs possess up to 300 million olfactory receptors in their noses, compared to about six million in us. And the part of a dog’s brain that is devoted to analyzing smells is, proportionally speaking, 40 times greater than ours. These receptors give them the ability to sniff out even the faintest of odors, potentially saving lives. The immense bravery a military dog shows during this time, is something we will always be grateful for.
- Rescuing abilities
Part of a military dog’s responsibilities is to work with the search and rescue team and help find lost servicemen and women. In addition, dogs train to search for and report casualties lying in obscure places. These casualties that are difficult for collecting parties to locate. These dogs recognize hand signals and commands given by their handlers, which makes for productive search parties.
- Post-war Veteran healing
Unfortunately, 5% to 20% of all military veterans suffer from PTSD. Making a huge affect on their mental and emotional health. Service dogs help enhance the overall well-being of the individual post-war. Studies have shown, those with service dogs have less anxiety, sleep better, and are less angry. This nonprofit in San Diego, CA dedicates their time to this epidemic among veterans- specifically homeless veterans. The organization, Cammies & Canines, house and homeless veterans by pairing them with shelter dogs who also need a home. This partnership creates stability, happiness, and a new purpose for our veterans. Here at Dog is Good, we have an entire Patriotic Collection dedicated to our friends over at Cammies & Canines. Take a look at our patriotic designs, and a portion of the proceeds are directly donated to Cammies & Canines.
We offer a sincere thank you to all of our nation’s veterans, both two and four-legged alike! May we honor you this Memorial Day weekend, as you honor us with your selfless service and dedication to our country.
