Long before military working dogs became a familiar part of modern warfare, armies were already discovering how valuable dogs could be on the battlefield. During World War II, the Soviet Union even trained special anti-tank dog units, sending dogs carrying explosives against German armor. In that brutal campaign, hundreds of dogs were used, and their actions helped make military dogs famous around the world.

But some of the most memorable canine stories came even earlier.

One of the best-known war dogs was Stubby, a small stray who rose to fame not in World War II, but during World War I. His story has been remembered for more than a century because it combines loyalty, courage, and the unlikely bond between a homeless dog and the soldiers who took him in.

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