5 cases when dogs were used as weapons (7 photos)

Nowadays, dogs are also used for protection. But mostly they are not so much protectors as companions, nannies and just loyal friends.





Yes, dogs serve in the police, customs, army and more. But again, as assistants, not as weapons or full-fledged combat units. However, there are real historical examples proving that some dog breeds were specifically used for war.



And they were pretty good at it. The beasts with massive jaws tore skin, muscle, and crushed bones. These five real-life examples prove that dogs were excellent soldiers.





Spanish soldiers used mastiffs to conquer the Moors in Granada. With their huge jaws, they easily tore through skin, and then through flesh and bone.



Conquerors like Christopher Columbus appreciated the success of the dogs in battle and also began to use mastiffs when they arrived in the New World. They were listed in ship logs as weapons and used against native peoples.



The conquistadors specifically used Irish greyhounds to protect their territory, but sometimes they simply set their dogs on the natives "for sport."



Juan Ponce de Leon had a dog named Becerrillo (Little Calf), who was notorious for his ferocity. During one night raid, the beast killed 33 people in one hour, and was seen "with his mouth dripping with the blood of his victims."



Leoncico (Little Lion), one of Becerrillo's offspring, belonged to a conquistador named Balboa, who also used his dog for brutal executions. Leoncico was so effective that he was essentially given the status of a man, and paid the same as a crossbowman.