Significance of military dogs
Written by Dayeon Woo
Edited by Moka Higashino
Military operations around the world have changed significantly under technological transformation over the period. Modern warfare is increasingly dependent on and shaped by emerging technologies like drones and artificial intelligence (Pusztaszeri, 2025). Advances in technologies have led transformations in modern armed forces. Nevertheless, military working dogs continue to be trained and employed in a range of operational tasks. The continued usage of military dogs provokes a question: what are military dogs and what is their significance in modern armed forces?
To properly address the question, we must clearly acknowledge what military working dogs are. Military dogs, also called as Military Working Dogs (MWDs), are dogs which have undergone special training by the armed forces to carry out operations in the military. Hence, these dogs are unlike pets that are commonly seen in society nowadays; they are treated as official members of the military as four-legged soldiers. MWDs are used in various ways: detecting explosives, tracking specific people, guarding facilities, and supporting patrol operations. The prolonged use of MWDs in modern forces tells us the significant and practical value of canine abilities in circumstances where human senses or even technological equipment may have limitations.
Out of many reasons why military dogs are valuable, their highly developed olfactory systems ranks as the primary reason. All dogs’ sense of smell is 1000 to 10000 times more powerful than humans as they have 300 million olfactory receptors while humans only have 5 million receptors in the olfactory system: dogs inhale up to 300 times a minute in short breaths which tells us that their olfactory cells are constantly picking up new scents every time. (Royal Canin Foundation). So, a dog’s ability to smell is substantially more acute than that of humans’ which allows specially trained dogs to detect specific odors at even very low concentrations. This skill allows them to identify faint scents even under circumstances where those smells are mixed with numerous other odors in the surroundings.
This characteristic of dogs holds significant application in the military as most primary roles of MWDs are detecting specific scents ranging from explosives, drugs, to human scent (Zabaldo, 2026). Unlike humans, relying primarily on visual information during operations, dogs use chemical information provided from the air to locate their targets. Therefore, their ability in continuous detection of scents while moving through different environments makes olfaction one of the most valuable biological advantages of MWDs.
However, the effectiveness of MWDs does not solely depend on their ability to smell. MWDs offer military forces with other skills such as hearing, physical mobility, learning ability, and responsiveness to human orders, contributing to their significance. The integration of these skills allow specially trained MWDs to perform challenging tasks requiring both sensory detection and interaction with its handler.
There are numerous types of dogs which can serve as MWDs, as they are not confined to one specific breed. However, when we think of MWDs, we tend to imagine a common breed of dogs: German shepherds. But, in reality, different breeds of dogs are utilized as each one of them possess different physical and behavioral characteristics making certain types of dogs much more suitable to particular operation roles.
For example, Belgian Malinois is commonly selected for their agility, intelligence, and high energy levels (Zabaldo, 2026). Lucca was one of the MWD of Belgian Malinois, and under her 400 patrols, she identified about 40 improvised explosives; not a single Marine was hurt while following her (US Department of War). Moreover, it was another Belgian Malinois named Cairo that worked under the SEAL team that killed Osama Bin Laden, during the Operation Neptune Spear (Zabaldo, 2026).
Interestingly, Labrador Retrievers are widely used; they are one of the most popular breeds as family pets in the world for their gentle temperament and intelligence (Northern Life, 2024). They seem to be so friendly that they don’t behave and look like military dogs. However, in the military, they are widely used particularly for detection work due to their strong olfactory abilities; they are also commonly used as search and rescue dogs.
MWDs are specially trained animals that help perform tasks or operations in the armed forces. Their vitality in the modern military is driven largely from their highly developed olfactory systems and physical capabilities. To complete different tasks requiring various characteristics, different breeds of MWDs can be chosen accordingly. Modern technologies are developing each day, altering the military operations, but they have not eliminated the need for canine capabilities in every environment. Thus, military working dogs remain a vital part of modern armed forces highlighting that some of nature’s most specialized abilities remain difficult to replace even in an increasingly advancing battlefield.
Citations
Pusztaszeri, Aosheng, and Emily Harding. “Technological Evolution on the Battlefield.” CSIS, www.csis.org/analysis/chapter-9-technological-evolution-battlefield. Accessed 1 Oct. 2026.
“Why Dogs’ Smell Sense Is Really Fantastic.” Royal Canin Foundation, 11 Dec. 2025, www.royalcaninfoundation.org/en/cats-and-dogs/why-dogs-smell-sense-is-really-fanta stic.
Zabaldo. “Military Dog Breeds.” USAMM,
www.usamm.com/blogs/news/military-dog-breeds. Accessed 1 Oct. 2026.
“Four-Legged Fighters.” U.S. Department of Defense,
www.war.gov/multimedia/experience/four-legged-fighters/. Accessed 1 Oct. 2026.
“Why the Labrador Retriever Is Still One of the Most Popular Dog Breeds.” Northern Life Magazine, 29 Nov. 2024,
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