Anti-tank Dogs

Above: An armored command car drives past a liberated Russian anti-tank dog.

Recently I had someone ask me about Russian Anti-tank dogs.  They were indeed real.  Here is a little information about  the subject.

Anti-tank dogs have been used by a number of nations and groups throughout the world.  A recent example taking place in Iraq 2005.  The Russian use of the animals between 1940 and 1945 has probably received most attention, although they have been in use by the Russian military as late as the mid 90s .  These dogs were regularly starved, and then trained to look for food underneath tanks.  The idea being that the contact detonator sticking out of the dogs back, would strike the bottom of the tank blowing up both the machine and animal.

When training took place, the Russians used their own tanks.  These tanks used diesel fuel unlike their German counterparts.  Furthermore there were little or no live firing exercises with the dogs during this training.  When the time came to put the animals to use, they often returned to the handlers, frightened from the noise of the battlefield and tank fire.  This resulted in many dead Russians from friendly anti-tank charges going off in their own trench, and of course many dead dogs.  When released into the German lines during "quiet" moments of the front.  It was found that these dogs usually sought out the familiar smell of diesel, and destroyed Russian tanks behind their own lines instead while searching for something to eat.

German units operating in areas where anti-tank dogs had been discovered were warned about this threat, and the order was given to shoot unknown dogs in no mans land, and to beware of animals that did not obviously belong to a German unit.  If possible, German soldiers often tried to coax the animal with food before disabling the explosive device, and then releasing the animal.  Other times, in accordance with their orders the poor animals simply had to be shot.

The overall effectiveness of these anti-tank dogs is uncertain at best.  Losses recorded by the Germans to these animals show very small numbers, while official Soviet history claims some 300 German tanks destroyed.  Gottlob Biddermann's  personal account "In Deadly Combat", makes mention of these anti-tank dogs being used by Russian troops not very far from Leningrad.  Recollections and statements made by German soldiers active in those areas of the front, indicate that the dogs made for quite a commotion among the troops, but had very little impact on their ability to fight or survive.  Biddermann's account confirms this as well.  Additionally the official Soviet claim of 300 has been since seriously questioned by Russian historians, who view such a claim as propaganda.  Much training went into these faithful canines, but for a role meant to consume the very life of the animal itself.  This arguably nulls the value of the time and resources spent in the animals education.  It also makes it quite easy for others to slander a nation that uses such tactics.

Russian anti-tank dogs were not fiction, but a product of desperation.  They make for a very imaginative way of waging war, but cost those who use them for such ends, the very trust and life of "mans best friend".