A leading reporter offers a tour of military working dogs'
extraordinary training, heroic accomplishments, and the lasting impacts
they have on those who work with them.
People all over the world have been riveted by the story of Cairo, the
Belgian Malinois who was a part of the Navy SEAL team that led the raid
on Osama bin Laden's compound. A dog's natural intelligence, physical
abilities, and pure loyalty contribute more to our military efforts than
ever before. You don't have to be a dog lover to be fascinated by the
idea that a dog-the cousin of that furry guy begging for scraps under
your table-could be one of the heroes who helped execute the most vital
and high-tech military mission of the new millennium.
Now Maria Goodavage, editor and featured writer for one of the world's
most widely read dog blogs, tells heartwarming stories of modern soldier
dogs and the amazing bonds that develop between them and their handlers.
Beyond tales of training, operations, retirement, and adoption into the
families of fallen soldiers, Goodavage talks to leading dog-cognition
experts about why dogs like nothing more than to be on a mission with a
handler they trust, no matter how deadly the IEDs they are sniffing, nor
how far they must parachute or rappel from aircraft into enemy
territory.
"Military working dogs live for love and praise from their handlers,"
says Ron Aiello, president of the United States War Dogs Association and
a former marine scout dog handler. "The work is all a big game, and then
they get that pet, that praise. They would do anything for their
handler." This is an unprecedented window into the world of these
adventurous, loving warriors.
