The use of canines in warfare dates back to ancient times; whether by the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Persians, or others, the animals that people so endearingly adore were once -- and continue to be -- war machines.

Even in today’s army, dogs continue to be the most popular candidate for non-human soldiers. Why? There are many attributing factors to this; most commonly, they are favored because of their keen sense of smell. Unlike humans, dogs have over ten times the number of nose-receptors than a human does, which allows them to pick up on things that most people would otherwise not even notice.

Depending on their focal group, these dogs can be trained to detect drugs, firearms, gases, explosives, as well as other people/animals, and more. Generally, the skills the dogs develop determine the role they are assigned in the army, but no duty is more or less important than the other.

For example, the sentry is one potential job title that a dog can obtain. Sentry dogs work to detect the presence of other people, especially in the dark. These dogs are taught not to go after any trespassers/intruders, but rather to alert their trainer by barking or growling. However, don’t be fooled; while these dogs won’t immediately attack, they are trained and very well capable of doing so once given the command.

Another example of what the working dog can do is search and rescue. These dogs are trained to locate bodies -- dead or alive --- in even the most unconventional places.

Although gory, the work these dogs do is incredibly important; sometimes, the instantaneous manner in which these dogs find injured stragglers is what saves their lives. Even if the dogs find them after it’s too late, at least now the soldier’s family can have a body to bury and have a funeral for.

Furthermore, the dogs can work in explosives detection. These dogs deal with a variety of situations including bomb threats, suicide bombers, roadside bombs and more. This job can be especially risky for both the dogs and their handlers when they are sent out into the field to look for underground explosives. The pressure is on for these detector dogs because one wrong step can detonate the explosive and result in severe injuries or even death.

These are only a few of the many tasks that canines can be trained and assigned to do. However, because their jobs are so demanding, not just any dog can learn to do this.

The K-9 Corps is exclusive to certain breeds, and each dog must possess both the physical and mental qualities that the military looks for in their K9 soldiers. Even with this selective process, only about half of the dogs that begin their training ever finish.

For the dogs that do pass their training, they fulfill their military duties until they are old enough to retire. However, up until 17 years ago, dogs that retired were viewed as useless, and were either euthanized or abandoned. This rule was changed in 2000, allowing former war dogs to finish off their years happily and with a family of their own.

What many people don’t know is that after retirement, many dogs -- just like humans -- suffer from PTSD, anxiety and other mental disorders as a result of their time in combat. They see the same things that people do and are left with the same kind of issues.

The time, effort and sacrifices that these dogs make for our country are no less than their human companions and they deserve to receive equal recognition for their contributions.