Veterans Day: Remembering and Honoring our Soliders & Their K9 Partners, the War Dog & Gibson's Daily Epi-Tip #11

 

Today is Veterans Day. Please take a moment on this 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour to reflect upon all of our veterans, past and present, two-legged and four-legged, who bravely defend our country and our rights. If you see a veteran, say "Thank You" for their service. Since this is a canine blog, we'll be focusing on the four-legged veterans and their dedication and service. Why not stop by your local shelter and make a donation of food, treats, goods, or money in the name of a K9 soldier?

My father, who was a TSGT and served two tours during World War II, the first with the "Big Red One" - the U.S. Army's First Division, and then later on with the Rainbow Division, was an avid animal lover. I remember him talking about dogs and puppies they would befriend out in the field and on base. Here is a photo I share each Veterans Day of him with two of his canine pals on base.

Did You Know? There are many working breeds of dog who serve faithfully as a K9 soldier, also known as a war dog. Did you know that the Siberian Husky and its cousin the  Malamute were among them?  According to the United States War Dog Association, in "January, 1942, not long after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the American Kennel Association and a new group calling itself 'Dogs for Defense' mobilized dog owners across the country to donate quality animals to the Army's Quartermaster Corps." Among the breeds used, were the Belgium Sheep Dog, German Shepherd, Collie, Doberman Pinscher, Eskimo, and the Siberian Husky.

BUCK WAS THE WAR DOGS AMBASSADOR.  HE DIED MARCH 23, 2006

"When Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941,the United States inventory of military working dogs consisted of only 90 Siberian Huskies and Malamutes. These dogs were used as pack and sled dogs for rescue in areas of the world where motorized equipment could not go." --Our War Dogs, Buck's Heroes
 

 A great blog to read all about military working dogs is soldier, writer, and dog advocate Kevin Hanrahan's blog.

Please take a few minutes to watch these videos paying tribute to war dogs and their handlers. Thank you to our brave soldiers and the K9 soldiers for their dedicated service.

 

If you follow us on our FiveSibes: Siberian Husky K9 News & Reviews Facebook community page, share your patriotic photos with us and help us turn our page Red, White, and Blue! 

"My eyes are your eyes to watch and 

 protect you and yours. My ears are your

 ears to hear and detect evil minds in  

the dark. My nose is your nose to scent  

the invader of your domain. And so you  

may live, my life is also yours."   

~The K9 Promise by Author Unknown

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Gibson's Epi-Tip of the Day:

Be sure to read our National (K-9) Epilepsy Awareness Month's "Live Gib Strong" campaign kick-off blog post HERE featuring all the happenings this month, including a delicious giveaway/fundraiser !