'My Hero' to Be Chosen: Eight finalists will compete tonight for the title My Hero. The winner will wear the coveted gold Hero medal. These brave and courageous dogs will each appear with their nominator who will tell their story. There's Smiley, who fought a giant bull. Bear used his giant paws to save the life of another dog. Munchkin warned a gardener of a poisonous snake about to strike. Old Dog helped find people buried under rubble after a tornado. Buster pulled a baby carriage out of the path of a careening truck. Blue, who had never been known to bark, used his voice to bring help to his wounded master. Dopey's constant barking saved the life of a baby left in a sweltering car. Little Bit brought love and companionship to a nursing home resident. In My Dog, My Hero each story is told in the unique, sometimes humorous, but always compelling voice of the person whose life was changed by the heroic action of a very extraordinary dog. Betsy Byars and her daughters Betsy Duffey and Laurie Myers have joined forces to create dog stories full of adventure and suspense. Loren Long's paintings capture the heroic dignity of each of the dogs and heighten the drama of their special stories.

The heroic friends who save us--one bark at a time. Our dogs rescue us every day--whether they're pulling our children out of wells or standing by our side during tough times. In this moving collection, you'll meet fifty unforgettable dogs who have earned the love, respect, and admiration of their humans, including: —Widget, a wiry little terrier who alerted her master that a poisonous snake was coiled to strike her daughter —George, an abandoned, oversized, loopy white dog with no particular talents beyond graciously mentoring brother and sister foster dogs, including an annoying litter of six coonhounds —Skip and Obie, two abused dogs whose former owners poured lye down their throats but who now bestow their rescuers with daily kisses and hugs This book reminds you that every dog has his day--and that courage canine-style comes in all colors, shapes, sizes--and breeds.

For use in schools and libraries only. Presents an introduction to helper dogs who are able to save lives and assist during dangerous rescues, offering insight into their special training and describing the variety of tasks they are qualified to perform.

From the beloved #1 New York Times best-selling author of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Max is a determined puppy with a lot to learn on his adventure of becoming a life-changing friend and helper. Dogs are trained to do lots of things, like open doors, turn on lights and even help take off someone’s shoes. Max’s puppy raiser, Sam, takes him everywhere; on the bus, to puppy kindergarten, and even to restaurants. But it’s tough staying underneath the table when the french fries smell so good! Discover the fun and important ways Max earns his special yellow vest as he gets ready to help someone in need of a true hero. "A good message excellently illustrated." (Picture book. 4-8) - Kirkus Reviews

True stories of dogs rescues by a national organization of volunteer pilots who fly pets to their new forever homes. Since 2008, an unlikely alliance of volunteer pilots and animal rescue enthusiasts has worked together to save thousands of death-row dogs by flying them to safe havens and better lives. Through two dozen accounts of real life animal rescues, Dog Is My Copilot tells the inspiring story of Pilots N Paws, America’s most unique and high-flying animal rescue organization. Founded “accidentally” when a private pilot offered to fly a mission of mercy to save an abused dog for a friend, Pilots N Paws has grown to include thousands of pilots who have transported tens of thousands of dogs slated for euthanasia (and a fair amount of cats and other animals), sometimes more than 1,000 miles away to new homes or no-kill shelters, where they have a much higher chance of adoption. These short, captivating stories are accompanied by more than 100 charming, poignant, color photos—most taken by the pilots themselves—of their canine passengers in flight. Unexpected things can happen when dogs reach cruising altitude, and the stories in Dog Is My Copilot run the emotional range from hilarious to heart rending—but the endings are always happy. These dogs are the lucky ones, and most of the pilots will tell you that when they get on the plane, they know it. After all, waiting for them on the ground hundreds of miles away is a second chance at a happy life with a loving forever family. Dog Is My Copilot—it's Chicken Soup for the Soul meets Marley and Me . . . with just a dash of The Right Stuff. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to the Pilots N Paws organization.

A child describes his dad, who may not have super powers, but is still wonderful.

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.