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At the time of the Pearl Harbor attack in December 1941, there were only about a hundred dogs working for the U.S. military. But by the end of the war in 1945, about 10,000 more dogs had been trained for the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, and San Carlos, California, had a big role in the training process.

Dogs for Defense, a civilian organization, was formed in January 1942 to help volunteers train dogs for military purposes. The program was funded by members of the American Kennel Club and patriotic individuals. The program served as a clearinghouse for dogs that had been donated for training. Initially, training occurred at a variety of small kennels throughout the country, but that strategy failed. Standardization of training was impossible, and very few dogs received enough training to be useful.

The program was revamped in the summer of 1942, with the first step being the procurement of five training sites, one of which was located at the old H and H Ranch. The 178-acre site was located at the top of today’s Club and Crestview Drives, San Carlos, and could accommodate the training of 1,200 dogs. Originally, the trainers that worked at H and H Ranch were housed at the San Carlos Fire Station House; they then moved to the old Devonshire Country Club once the city acquired it.

The goal of the program was to train sentry, messenger, patrol, and mine-detection dogs. Dogs were donated from every state, and the first shipment arrived in December 1942. Each trainer put four dogs at a time through eight to twelve weeks of tutoring in San Carlos, including basic obedience skills (sit, stay, come, etc.). Dogs were exposed to gunfire, learned to wear gas masks, and rode in military vehicles.

Initially, more than thirty breeds of dogs were considered acceptable for the program, but the list was whittled down to only seven breeds: German Shepherds, Belgian sheep dogs, Siberian huskies, Malamutes, collies, Doberman Pinschers, and Eskimo dogs. In the early stages of the program, dogs aged one to five years were accepted. The age limit was reduced to 3.5 years, and then to two years. Likewise, the accepted size range varied, eventually settling on 20 to 26 inches at the shoulder and from 40 to 80 pounds (sled and pack dogs could weigh more). Animals had to be of neutral color (black, tan, gray, or salt and pepper) and not have extensive white or buff markings.

The first army dog platoon trained in San Carlos, the 25th Quartermaster Corps War Dog Platoon, left San Francisco for assignments in the Pacific Theatre via the Liberty ship SS John Isaacson on May 11, 1944, under the command of 1st Lt. Bruce D. Walker. After roughly 4,500 dogs had gone through the program, the San Carlos facility closed in October 1944.

San Carlos tutors focusing on World War II should take the opportunity to teach their canine-loving students about San Carlos’ involvement in training dogs for the military.