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Dog Heroes: All Time
Heroes
Everyday, people witness
countless acts of heroism,
big and small. Heroes, too,
come in different shapes
and sizes, forms and
breeds, man and animals
alike. Dolphins, seals,
horses, cats and whales are
just a few from the animal
kingdom that displays
tremendous protective
instincts that save man
from all sorts of danger.
But nothing beats the mans
best friend.
After displays of great
courage and bravery during
World War I, dogs have seen
a different light. They
were thrust into the
limelight unknowingly.
Since then, dogs have been
called to as all time
heroes recognized, rescued,
trained and cared for by
man. All kinds of award
were given to dogs to
celebrate their heroism and
saving prowess such as the
Dog Hero of the Year
Award.
The dogs carry on a long
line of lifesavers. They
have shown unthinkable acts
of saving adults and
children alike in grave
danger like fire, drowning,
road and home accidents,
intruders and robbers, and
even in a huge tragedy like
9/11. The images of heroic
dogs finding possible
survivors or even lost
bodies under rubbles and
debris in ground zero
crushed the hearts of many
Americans.
These canine heroes
come from all breeds,
backgrounds and
locations. Take note,
they are not pedigreed.
These dog heroes are
not at all dominated by
big dogs, though they
are often used for the
purpose of national
security. Their breeds
vary from the famous
German Shepherd, Saint
Bernard and Collies
(remember Lassie?) to
Poodle, Labrador,
American Pit Bull
Terrier, Chesapeake Bay
Retriever, Cocker
Spaniel, Doberman,
Pinscher, English
Springer Spaniel,
Golden Retriever, Great
Dane, Newfoundland,
Rottweiler, Shetland,
Sheepdog, Terrier and
Weimaraner.
During the Vietnam War,
4,000 dogs were recruited
to assist and protect U.S.
troops, thus prevented an
estimate of 10,000 plus
American casualties. At
that time, they were
considered surplus
armaments. They were either
euthanized or left to their
fates in Vietnam. Now,
books and documentaries
preserved the memories of
countless canines that
aided in the protection of
mankind.
Today, dog heroes play
an even more critical role
in the fight against
terrorism. The ability of
dogs to detect bombs is
already proven since World
War I. A German shepherds
nose has 250 billion
smelling cells to give it
the ability to detect a
target odor amidst all
other odors.
Breeds do not guarantee
a dog hero status. Like
men, dogs need a rare set
of attributes to stand out:
intelligence, being calm
even in the presence of
loud noise, focus amidst
distractions and a
compulsive desire to play
with a toy. After all, the
game is to find the scent
and get the toy.
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