Australian Tracking Dogs of the Vietnam War
During the Vietnam War, Australia trained 11 Labrador Retrievers to track and alert their handlers to dangers in the battlefield.
For an upland hunter, few things are more frustrating than a newly trained dog ignoring commands. It can mean a lost bird, a ruined retrieve, or a humiliating chase through the brush. But now imagine a situation where your dog’s performance isn’t just hunting birds—it’s about survival in a combat zone.
While the stakes in upland hunting can feel high, they pale in comparison to the battlefield, where the bond between handler and dog becomes a matter of life and death. Long before the Australian tracking dogs were used in Vietnam, canines had earned their place in military history—not through brute force, but through loyalty, intelligence, and an unparalleled sense of smell. To fully understand their role in Vietnam, we must first look back at how dogs became trusted implements of war.
Dogs As An Implement Of War
In times of global conflict, the media often focuses on high-tech tools like drones, tanks, and missiles. But one of the oldest and most effective tools of war is often overlooked: the dog.
Dogs have been used in warfare for over 3,000 years, serving both offensive and defensive roles. A loyal canine fought alongside its hoplite master at the Battle of Marathon. During the 16th-century conquest of Mexico, conquistadors deployed trained mastiffs to intimidate and attack indigenous peoples. And in the 20th century, German Shepherds and Dobermans became enduring symbols of authoritarian regimes.
Yet as any gun dog owner knows, it’s the nose—not the teeth—that’s a dog’s greatest weapon. Just like a pointer works a scent cone toward a hidden covey, military tracking dogs follow human scent through minefields and enemy fire.
The modern use of tracking dogs was refined in the 20th century, first by the British in their Malay and Borneo campaigns. Reports from these operations inspired both the U.S. and Australian militaries to adopt tracking dogs during the Vietnam War. A 1968 report from the Australian Infantry Centre stated that Combat Tracker Teams—comprising visual and canine trackers—were the “only effective weapon for pursuing the VC” compared to other surveillance methods.
The U.S. military had already used scout dogs during World War II and Korea, deploying approximately 5,000 dogs in Vietnam alongside 10,000 handlers. They were used to detect ambushes, weapon caches, or enemy fighters in hiding. These K9 teams were credited with saving over 10,000 human lives during the war.
Since WWII, dogs have seen action in conflicts across Korea, Borneo, Singapore, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq, and beyond. Their dual roles—offensive and defensive—remain essential to military operations.
Goal of Single-Purpose Tracking Dogs
The mission of a single-purpose tracking dog is simple: follow a designated human odor for upwards of 15 kilometers. These dogs are not trained to attack. The traits that make them excel in scent work—such as endurance, focus, and a keen nose—are often not found in general-purpose breeds like the German Shepherd.
For Australian forces in Vietnam, tracking dogs provided a crucial advantage. They could pursue enemies faster and more safely than human troops. The dogs also offered early warnings through body language by pointing—just like an English Setter on a ruffed grouse.
In military terms, a “force multiplier” is any factor that enhances a unit’s effectiveness beyond its basic capabilities. Tracker teams were exactly that. A skilled dog and handler could detect booby traps, track fleeing enemies, and identify ambushes long before any human scout could. Additionally, the dogs reduced the risk of being taken by surprise by an enemy attack as they approached their objective.
A tracking dog is patient and can stay on a single odor over incredible distances,” retired K9 trainer Jeff Schettler explained. “They are trained to track on any surface from the jungle floor to the urban jungle. They are driven to track, without over-the-top agitation.”
But even the best dog is only as good as its handler, who must interpret subtle signals and understand how scent behavior changes with terrain, wind, and weather. A well-trained team is unmatched in its ability to track fast and alert others to danger.
Training the Dogs of Vietnam
The Australian Army’s Tracking Wing Program trained dogs at the Infantry Centre in Ingleburn, New South Wales. Recruits came from various sources—including the local pound, where they cost just $2 each. Eleven Labrador Retrievers were selected, all of whom would go on to serve in Vietnam. Fittingly, each was named after a Roman emperor: Tiber, Julian, Janus, Marcus, Cassius, Justin, Caesar, Milo, Trajan, Juno, and Marcian.
Though not trained for it, these dogs often became adept at detecting mines and booby traps. A 1967 documentary called Australian Army Tracking Dogs noted, “Labradors were chosen as tracking dogs because they have a well-developed sense of smell and can be taught not to bark—and they won’t.” Vietnam is also notoriously rainy and wet. Swamps, jungles, flash floods, and other water obstacles would be no bother for a Labrador.
The Training Program
The ten-month training program began with basic obedience and socialization to strengthen the bond between handler and dog. Handlers were responsible for daily grooming, feeding, and training walks through the jungle. The dogs were desensitized to gunfire, explosions, helicopters, and other loud or startling stimuli. The goal was to produce calm, steady dogs capable of working in the chaos of combat.
By the program’s fifth month, formal military tracking began. Leashed in harnesses, the dogs searched forests for “enemy combatants”—portrayed by allied South Vietnamese soldiers. These decoys helped familiarize the dogs with distinct human odors based on diet and lifestyle. Dogs also trained in helicopter insertion, hanging 150 feet in the air beneath choppers in rescue harnesses to get in and out of difficult terrain.
Disorderly Conduct
Of course, not every dog was perfect. One, named Justin, bit another dog and destroyed army gear. He was charged with “disorderly conduct” and “conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline,” sentenced to two weeks in his kennel on half rations. (The handler’s punishment remains unknown.)
Like gun dogs that become gun-shy, tracking dogs could suffer combat stress. During the Viet Cong assault on Fire Support Base Coral, the chaos spooked Tiber, who bolted across a minefield. Miraculously, he returned unharmed the next morning, tail tucked in shame.
Tracking Dogs in Combat
“There is currently nothing in existence that can replicate the ability of the tracking dog to isolate a single human odor, follow it for many kilometers, and provide early warning when approaching the threat.” —Captain Jeremy Wikner, Dog Training Specialist, Australian Forces
From 1967 until the final withdrawal in 1971, tracking dogs were the core of Australian Combat Tracker Teams. Each served a three-year tour. Typically, two dogs were assigned to each battalion, though between canine “retirements,” three dogs served during the transitions.
Tracker teams were small: two handlers and dogs, a visual tracker, and a two-man protection detail (machine gunner and signaller). Dogs led the trail, while the visual tracker analyzed footprints, broken brush, and other clues to estimate enemy numbers, gear, and movement.
After an engagement, teams would be flown in by helicopter to track the retreating enemy—following blood trails or the distinct scent of the Viet Cong. Upon finding their quarry, dogs would “point,” allowing the handler and dog to retreat while combat units engaged. Later, the team would sweep the rear for injured enemy combatants or hidden bunkers.
Handlers faced the dual burden of carrying their own gear and caring for their dogs, including food, water, and first aid. The biggest threat to the dogs wasn’t bullets—it was heat stroke, dehydration, and insect bites.
Despite their danger and difficulty, tracker teams were widely recognized as indispensable. A 1968 Infantry Centre report concluded they were the only effective weapon for pursuing the Viet Cong into strongholds.
The dog’s role was one of the most dangerous jobs in the war. Handlers needed to have absolute confidence in the dogs’ abilities to identify an enemy’s position before contact was made. When things worked perfectly, the dog provided accurate intelligence as well as the element of surprise.
Courage, Loyalty—and Betrayal
Dogs and handlers alike often exceeded expectations. Though not trained to attack or detect explosives, some dogs did both. Three of the eleven Australian dogs were credited with five or more kills.
Caesar
One handler, Peter Haran, recalled, “Caesar could see, smell, and hear Charlie long before we walked into a firefight. He knew where the mines were, where the trip wires were strung. He could chase the enemy at speeds that literally took your breath away.”
Another time, Caesar alerted his team of soldiers about danger in a clearing. Caesar immediately backed out, but his handler continued forward. The dog circled back and sat on the handler’s boot in an attempt to stop him from continuing forward. Shortly thereafter, the team discovered the clearing was booby-trapped with mines and improvised explosives. Had it not been for Caesar’s efforts, the trap would have been devastating to the unsuspecting Australians.
Leaving The Dogs Behind
But despite their heroism, the dogs were ultimately left behind. None of the dogs could be repatriated to Australia. Handlers pleaded, even offering to pay fees themselves, but the government refused. The biggest reason, one that was not effectively communicated at the time, was the threat of transmitting or importing biological diseases and or invasive species like ticks into Australia’s extremely sensitive ecosystem. This belief was likely linked to a questionable veterinary report about US service dogs that suggested the dogs had died due to tropical diseases that were possibly transmitted by ticks.
Even with their handlers begging, the attempts to bring the dogs home were continually dismissed or rejected. Despite the dogs’ brave and in many times lifesaving work, they would not be allowed to return to Australia even after following strict and extensive quarantine protocols.
The dogs were rehomed with European or Australian dignitaries still in Vietnam. Only one, Cassius, died in service—of heat exhaustion on May 12, 1967.
Memorializing Australia’s War Dogs
On April 7th, 2001, the Vietnam War Dog Memorial was erected on Australia’s Sunshine Coast. It bears the names of the dogs who served and a moving inscription:
“They did not return from war. Caesar, Janus, Juno, Marcian, Milo, Trajan, Cassius, Julian, Justin, Marcus and Tiber. Down the jungle tracks, through shot and shell, ears pricked, keen sense of smell; our tracker dogs with care and poise, alert to ambush, foreign noise; never whimper, whine nor bark, their service honoured with this plaque, no medals pinned to hairy chest, they stayed behind, they were the best. All gave something, some gave all, those who knew you, will never forget you.”In 2017, Australia became the first nation in the world to officially recognize the service of military dogs with the Canine Operational Service Medal—a long-overdue tribute to the loyalty, courage, and sacrifice of these unsung heroes.