When I first browsed though my new prize, I received the shock of my life when I got to page 6. There lay a well preserved picture of a WWI ambulance dog and his handler. What blew me away was that the dog in the picture was a Rottweiler. He was built a little lighter than most Rotties that you see today, and his ears hung a bit funny, but there is no mistaking this fine boy's breed.
Then I noticed that just above that picture was of two other ambulance dogs, another Rottweiler and a German Shepherd walking though a field with their handlers. In the index, both pictures were listed as being of unknown European origin, taken between 1915 and 1919.
Ambulance dogs were true heroes of WWI. They were trained to go onto the battlefield and alert their handlers to the presence of the wounded, while ignoring the death and chaos that surrounded them. Working off lead, they often carried packs containing "spirits" to revive the wounded and bandages. While ambulance dogs were commonly used by European armies by 1900, WWI really brought the brought the dogs to the public's attention. Their exploits were the subject of postcards. So popular were they, that adventure stories about fictional ambulance dogs were popular for decades after the war.
But most importantly, the ambulance dogs of WWI are credited as the beginning of the modern SAR dog. And as an old photo in a book goes to show, Rottweilers were there from the beginning.
When thinking of search and rescue dogs, your average person might not think of a Rottie. The usual image is of a German Shepherd, lab, or bloodhound. But many breeds and mixes have excelled in the various aspects of search and rescue. And the Rottweiler's stubborn determination and work ethic have created some very successful heroes in the field.
There is no denying that when it comes to tracking, the bloodhound is king. However, while their nose might not have the reputation of the bloodhound, the Rotties sense of smell has helped the breed become a great SAR candidate.
