5 Amazing Dogs In History!

1. Born with an instinct for saving lives, ‘Swansea Jack’ began his rescue career when he saved a 12-year-old boy from drowning at the Swansea docks in Wales in 1931. Following this incredible rescue, the black retriever went on to save another swimmer, this time in front of a crowd of people and a photographer from the local paper; the local council awarded Jack a silver collar. Jack went on to save 27 people from the water and become the only dog to date to receive two bronze medals from the National Canine Defence League.
   
   A memorial can be found at Swansea in his memory and it is said that Jack may have lent his nickname to the local people often called ‘Swansea Jacks’.  In 2000 the water dog rescue training association, NewFound Friends of Bristol, named Swansea Jack the very well deserved title of  ‘Dog of the Century.’

2. Although the name of this dog isn’t known and famous, we truly are indebted to the dog of George de Mestral. It was this dog who gave his master, a Swiss electrical engineer, the inspiration for the invention of a fastening system utilised in healthcare, the military, land vehicles, aircraft, and even spacecraft; where would the world be without velcro? It was after a hunting trip in the Alps in 1941 that Geroge de Mestral returned home with his pooch and noticed the burdock burs that had attached themself to his dog’s fur. He was intrigued that although the burs weren’t at all sticky, they attached to the fur firmly yet could also be removed. Upon closer inspection, he realised that there was a hook and loop system between the dog fur and the bur; this became the seed of an idea for the innovation of velcro. 

3. ‘Stubby’, a stray pup that wandered into the halls of Yale University in 1917 became the unofficial mascot to the military who were training there and played a significant role in World War I after he was somehow smuggled to the frontlines in France. Stubby used his amazing dog skills to warn soldiers of poison gas attacks as well as locate and comfort wounded soldiers. Participating in 17 battles over the 18 months of his military service, Stubby went on to earn the rank of sergeant for his brave capture of a German soldier, who was allegedly a spy; how did Stubby carry out this capture? This brave pup literally caught the soldier by the seat of his pants and wouldn’t let him go until American soldiers arrived! Called the most decorated dog of the Great War, this Boston Terrier even has a feature-length film made in his honour. 

4. Said to be the cutest member in service in World War II, ‘Smoky’ the Yorkshire Terrier started her career backpacking through the wild jungle of New Guinea visiting injured soldiers. Essentially, one of the first ‘therapy dogs’ Smoky is photographed with various wounded soldiers, bringing a smile wherever she went. Smoky then went on to aid the war efforts by assisting to string communication lines between outposts in the Philippines; Smoky was coaxed by her owner Bill Wynne to take the line through the tunnel, essentially reducing a job that would have taken many men three days of work, to just a few minutes!
   
   But Smoky’s life was not all war, Smoky was awarded best mascot of the Southwest Pacific Area and travelled America as a celebrity performing on tv shows and living it up in Hollywood. Although Smoky died in 1957, her owner Bill Wynne still remembers her dearly and she is forever remembered by her memorial statue in Cleveland, Ohio. 

5. Rescue pup, Bob, saved his owner’s life by alerting her that she had ovarian cancer – a form of cancer that is known for being very dangerous due to the fact that it tends not to be detected until it has spread to other organs in the body. Hazel MacDonnell noticed her Border Collie seemed quite out of sorts and this continued until Bob eventually started jumping on Hazel and hitting her in the stomach; eventually Hazel got the message and booked an appointment to get a check-up. This then led to the diagnosis of early-stage ovarian cancer which was fortunately caught before it was too late for Hazel. 

These are just five incredible pups in history who have gone over and above the call of duty, saving or changing the lives of others, or have been a part of something that has changed the world! 

Do you know an amazing dog? We’d love to hear their story!