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.

With his older brother gone to fight in the Great War, and his father prone to sudden rages, 14-year-old Stanley devotes himself to taking care of the family's greyhound and puppies. Until the morning Stanley wakes to find the puppies gone. Determined to find his brother, Stanley runs away to join an increasingly desperate army. Assigned to the experimental War Dog School, Stanley is given a problematic Great Dane named Bones to train. Against all odds, the pair excels, and Stanley is sent to France. But in Soldier Dog by Sam Angus, the war in France is larger and more brutal than Stanley ever imagined. How can one young boy survive World War I and find his brother with only a dog to help?

Fans of the bestselling Max and Scout dog stories will love the fourth book in the Soldier Dog series, which takes readers to the beaches of Normandy and the most famous battle of World War II: D-Day. Henri has an urgent mission from a top French Resistance agent in the fight against the Nazis—and the agent also happens to be his mom. He has to deliver a secret map to another town before the German soldiers can catch him. But on his way, he encounters Ace, an American paratrooper dog who’s landed far away from the beaches of Normandy, and Elle, a war orphan who needs his help. Ace needs to get back to the frontlines so he can protect his handler, and helping would put Henri way off track. But then they’re captured by enemy troops. Ace, Elle, and Henri have to learn to trust each other—and their unlikely allies—so they can escape in time to help the Allied forces in their historic invasion. Told from the alternating perspectives of Ace and Henri, this action-packed adventure is inspired by the stories of the real paradogs of WWII and the brave members of the French Resistance.

The paw-biting start to a thrilling new adventure series perfect for fans of Max and the I Survived books, inspired by the brave military dogs who helped our troops win World War II. When Matt’s older brother enlisted in the army, he left Matt his German Shepherd, Chief, a retired fire dog and the best pet EVER. So Matt isn’t happy when Chief starts paying attention to his foster sister Rachel instead of him. But when Nazi planes begin bombing the city, Matt finds himself in an impossible situation. Can he be a hero to his sister when it matters most? And when they get caught outside during the air raid, will Chief be there to save the day?

A loyal army of sled dog teams up with an unlikely pair of kids to help Allied forces win the Battle of the Bulge in the fifth book in this action-packed middle grade series! Perfect for fans of the Hero and Scout books. Boss the Alaskan Husky is parachuting into the middle of a snowstorm. As an army dog, it’s her job to bring supplies to Allied troops during the Battle of the Bulge. But when she finds a wounded sled dog and two lost kids, she knows she has to help them, too. As the blizzard bears down, can Boss complete her mission, escape the Nazis, and get the kids out of the storm alive?

Inspired by the stories of the real dogs who courageously served during World War II, this action-packed book takes readers into the action during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. When Skipper, the street dog all the Navy guys love, follows Joe home, Joe can’t believe his luck. But with a new baby brother in the house, he knows his family can’t afford the extra mouth to feed. So he and his friends hatch a perfect plan: present Skipper to Joe’s dad, who works on the USS West Virginia, as a mascot dog for the ship. But when Joe is interrupted by the Japanese surprise attack on the harbor, it may be up to Skipper to make sure they all make it out alive. Perfect for fans of the bestselling Max and Hero books!

The incredible story of the War Dog program as seen through the eyes of Major, a World War Two soldier dog. During WWII, the U.S. Military established the Fort Robinson War Dogs Training Center in western Nebraska, training over 17,000 “dogs for defense” and deploying them to battlefields and installations all over the world. At the beginning of the program, without a ready supply of dogs to train, the U.S. government asked civilians throughout the region to volunteer their dogs for service. Thousands answered the call, and their pets served our country courageously as guards, scouts, messengers, sled runners, and more. Told from the point of view of Major, a border collie based on a real dog from North Dakota, Major: A Soldier Dog tells the incredible story of the War Dog program through his eyes, following him through the heartbreaking separation from his family, the training at Fort Robinson, his harrowing war service in Italy, his return home for detraining and discharge, and finally the tearful reunion with his family.