One of history’s most renowned military leaders was Alexander III of Macedon, born in 356 BC. This great commander had several war dogs that fought alongside him during his numerous military campaigns. Among them, his favorite was a formidable ancient dog named Peritas, similar to an Afghan Hound or an early type of Mastiff. Alexander personally trained Peritas to be a fierce combatant.

The loyal dog became Alexander’s steadfast companion on the battlefield. It was during a battle in India that Peritas saved Alexander’s life by bravely defending him from attacking Mallians while he was injured. The dog held off the enemy long enough for Alexander’s soldiers to arrive and rescue him. Sadly, Peritas was mortally wounded in the process and, resting his head on Alexander’s lap, he passed away.

Thanks to his faithful dog, Alexander went on to establish the empire that became the foundation of Western civilization. In honor of Peritas, Alexander named an Indian city after him and held an extravagant funeral for his beloved pet. He also ordered the city’s residents to annually celebrate Peritas with a grand festival, commemorating the heroic actions of the courageous dog.

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Robert the Bruce – Donnchadh

The faithful bloodhound of Robert the Braveheart Bruce not only changed Scottish history but may have also influenced the course of events in the United States.

Donnchadh, an old Gaelic version of the name Duncan, was a prized bloodhound owned by Robert the Bruce, who was highly esteemed among the Scottish nobility.

In 1306, when Edward I of England sought to thwart Robert the Bruce’s ambitions to rule Scotland, his soldiers devised a plan to use Robert’s dog, Donnchadh, to track down the hidden location where Robert had taken refuge. True to his loyalty, Donnchadh caught Robert’s scent and guided the soldiers straight to him. However, as soon as the soldiers attempted to capture Robert the Bruce, the dog turned against them, fiercely fighting them off and allowing Robert to survive and eventually become the King of Scotland.

Several generations later, the actions of King George III, a direct descendant of Robert the Bruce and known as “The Mad King,” contributed to the conflict with the American colonies in the Americas, ultimately leading to the independence of the United States.

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Pavlov’s Dogs

Russian scientist Ivan Pavlov, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1904, is known for his significant contribution to psychology through the discovery of Classical Conditioning. However, it was during his experiments on the digestive response in dogs that he accidentally stumbled upon one of the most important findings in psychology.

In the 1890s, Pavlov conducted a series of experiments using multiple dogs to observe their salivary response when presented with food. Interestingly, he noticed that the dogs began to salivate even when his assistant entered the room. This observation led Pavlov to realize that the dogs’ salivation was triggered by a stimulus unrelated to the food itself. To further explore this phenomenon, he conducted additional experiments using noises, such as ringing a bell when food was served. Surprisingly, he found that the sound alone was sufficient to stimulate salivation in the dogs, even without the presence of food.

The discovery of classical conditioning remains one of the most significant milestones in the history of psychology, significantly shaping our understanding of human behavior.

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Sergeant Stubby

this small dog, resembling a Boston Terrier, achieved remarkable recognition as one of the most highly decorated war dogs in the history of the American military. Stubby, as he was affectionately known, held the unique distinction of being the only dog promoted to the rank of sergeant due to his brave actions in combat.

Stubby became the unofficial mascot of the 102nd Infantry Regiment in the United States. In 1918, he joined the war effort and served for a remarkable 18 months on the Western Front in France. Throughout his service, he actively participated in around 17 battles.

Notably, Stubby demonstrated exceptional abilities in alerting soldiers to incoming artillery and the presence of deadly mustard gas, thus saving numerous lives. Additionally, he provided comfort to wounded soldiers on the battlefield. Legend has it that he even apprehended a German spy by firmly gripping onto the spy’s clothing until American soldiers arrived to secure him.

Upon his passing in March 1926, Stubby was preserved through taxidermy and subsequently presented to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in 1956, where he remains on display to this day.

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Buddy

Buddy, a female German Shepherd, holds the distinction of being the pioneering guide dog, leading the way for all future guide dogs. She was trained by Dorothy Harrison Eustis, an American dog trainer who initiated the training of dogs to assist visually impaired veterans recovering from the First World War in Switzerland.

In 1928, Morris Frank, a young man who had recently lost his sight, came across a newspaper article about Buddy that was read to him by his father. Intrigued, Frank traveled to Switzerland to meet Buddy and Dorothy. Following 30 days of training, Frank brought Buddy back to the United States, becoming the first American to benefit from a trained guide dog. With financial support from Dorothy Harrison Eustis, they co-founded The Seeing Eye, the world’s first institution dedicated to training guide dogs for the blind.

Frank and Buddy played a vital role in advocating for the establishment of laws granting public access to service dogs. These laws served as the foundation for the service dog regulations outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act.

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Throughout our lives, numerous incidents have showcased dogs as true saviors