The U.S. Army K-9 Corps was established on this date in 1942. Thirty-two breeds of dogs were initially accepted for training as part of the program, but the list was later whittled down to seven: German Shepherds, Doberman Pinschers, Belgian Sheep Dogs, Siberian huskies, farm collies, Eskimo dogs, and Malamutes.
They were trained by the Quartermaster Corps for approximately eight to 12 weeks, which included a sort of "basic training" to acclimate them to life in the military before they were assigned to a specialized program to become sentry dogs, scout or patrol dogs, messenger dogs, or mine dogs. War dog platoons established in March of 1944 assisted American military forces conducting offensive operations in Europe and the Pacific.
The Military Police Corps took over responsibility for training military dogs after World War II, the Army says. Learn more about the birth of the K-9 Corps, and see some military working dogs' stories here.
