In the fall of 1942, a K-9 (or canine) Corps reception and training center was established at the Fort Robinson, Nebraska. It became the country's largest K-9 Corps reception center, where thousands of dogs were trained for war duty. Dogs were used to act as guards, to sniff out mines, to carry messages, and to pull sleds.

A K-9 dog in training.

Until war's end, dogs for the Army, Army Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, and civilian agencies were trained at Fort Robinson. Eventually some 14,000 dogs were shipped to Fort Robinson for training. Barracks, classrooms, administrative offices, and other support buildings were located west and north of the historic Fort. To the east and north was a sprawling kennel area housing 1,800 dogs. Training normally lasted 8 to 12 weeks. Of the 5,000 dogs, half of those used by the Army in World War II were trained here. The center was deactivated in June 1946.

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