Memorial Day: remember the dogs that died for our country too!

It's time to remember the Dog Armies and those that died helping our country win the wars against our enemies.

Dad says this is a day to remember all the humans that died in fighting wars to keep our freedom. That's why they call it Memorial Day. Well, that's fine and I'm sure that humans mourn their dead just like us dogs do, but I'd like to also dedicate this blog and this day to all the dogs that died in wars defending other dogs and humans and our great country.

I would have made a great messenger dog in the war. I could have run through the snow and help win the war.

Dogs were used in human wars from the beginning of time. Humans can't seem to keep peace between each other and can't seem to win wars without help from us canines. Our keen sense of smell, sight and general intelligence help identify the enemy better than any tool that humans can build. We can stand cold, heat and be without toilet tissue. Things you need to be a tough solider.

All of the abilities us dogs have that we use to defend the motorhome against cows and strange humans can be used in time of war to fight the enemy. We don't like strange humans or other stranger dogs or animals to come into our own territory. What's ours is ours and not theirs! Intruders get told on. We bark, we whine and we growl when an animal comes into our space. Our owners get notified immediately. We can even attack if asked to do so by our owners. Our teeth are great weapons. We don't like to use them, but we can if asked by our owners.

Dogs were also used to help find wounded humans in the battlefields. They would bring back something belonging to the wounded soldier and help the medical humans find them to save their lives. Some wore packs with medical supplies to help the wounded humans.

My canine cousins were great trackers and sniffers. We used to find the enemy when they were buried in caves and deep holes with their large weapons to hide themselves. These cousins sometimes were killed in the battles that resulted from trying to get rid of the enemy they found.

Some larger dogs carried supplies and stepped on land mines.

Other's were poisoned by evil gasses that humans used to kill each other.

Dogs were used to send messages back and forth between battlefields, risking and sometimes losing their lives for their human owners. These messages were often essential information to allow our humans to win the war.

Some of the brave dogs that didn't get killed were awarded medals by their human soldiers. They appreciated what the dogs did to save their human friends.

I guess that remembering the dogs that died in the war means to think about what our own lives might be like without them having lived and helped the humans. I suspect we'd have a very bad life indeed without all those canine sentries, messengers and trackers. The enemy would certainly have over-powered our human owners and we'd have no freedom today. My freedom to live with Mom and Dad in the motorhome might never have happened. Our enemies would be afraid of humans and dogs going wherever they pleased in a motorhome. We'd all be tied up in some nasty place with no loving owner or daily walks in the forest to look forward to.

I've dreamed of how I would protect Mom and Dad and our country in war. I'd stay awake all night and if I heard any enemy coming, I'd bark and wake up Dad. Dad showed me a picture of his Dad in the army. (I remember him from when I was a puppy. Sadly, he is not alive now.) His Dad helped win the second war with the enemy. His Dad was shot by the enemy in the leg. In my dreams, I imagined I'd be there watching out for him so he wouldn't have been shot. I'd have watched out for the whole family, and maybe even the whole United States. I could do it. I have the powers!

I am sad for all those lost dogs that helped humans win wars to keep our freedom. I'm even sadder that humans can't find a way to lick each other in the face and find a way to be friends with each other without killing. When that day comes, I'll be really happy.

I offer thanks to all my past canine cousins for the help they gave the humans in keeping our freedoms safe. Especially those that gave their lives early to win that freedom. They didn't get to know about relaxing walks in the forest or laying down on a comfortable couch in a motorhome and sleeping safely.

I have the freedom to be here enjoying the great outdoors thanks to my canine cousins that helped win our wars.

Arf

Reggie