Just about anyone who owns a dog or has been around the dog-show world has seen the quirky parody “Best in Show” (2000) and walked away roaring at the outrageous, neurotic and sometimes affectionate characters and scenarios.

“Show Dog,” by Josh Dean (It Books, $24.99), while much more serious and gritty, ushers you behind the scenes while tracking the exploits of Jack, a challenging Australian shepherd, on his first year in all-breed competition.

Dean, too, is a newcomer to the sport, but by the time you reach the end of this 394-page volume, you will feel well-acquainted with the extravagant characters, complex relationships, diva trainers and one-upsmanship associated with this sub culture that is both a sport and major business. For instance, did you know the American Kennel Club sanctions more than 11,000 shows, and an estimated 2 million of the 20 million purebred dogs in the U.S. participate in them?

Dean, a longtime contributor to dozens of national magazines, says in the Preface that for five years he has yearned to tell the story of a show dog team’s fortunes and frustrations on the circuit that puts serious points chasers on the road 40-plus weeks a year. “The real problem,” he says, “with embarking on such a project was that I didn’t have the slightest idea how to focus on one specific individual. . . . And that’s where I was when I wandered into the 2009 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show with no clear plan, without even the vaguest notion of how it all worked.” Two years later, “Show Dog” wraps up at Westminster, the second oldest continuous sporting event in the country.

Josh Dean follows Jack, an Australian shepherd, along with his owner and handler, around the country for a year, in collecting informationl for his colorful portrait of the dog-show culture, touching on judging, training, naming, promoting, hairstyling, kennel-owning, traveling and even treat-selection.

Jack is first and foremost a family dog and a sound representative of the typical show dog, challenging to present in the ring and with an owner on limited funds. Smith is new to the sport and lives it at a distance behind the lead of Jack and Bremmer one weekend after another. The owner-professional handler relationship, like most in the sport, is built around the dynamics of endless hope, frustrating reality and occasional near-combustible angst.

Smith’s world centers on Jack, but this hair-trigger herding pooch is one of 10-20 the couple might be presenting on any given weekend. Smith describes her Velcro-like relationship with Jack: “He was very quickly my shadow. Get an Aussie and never go to the bathroom alone again.”

If you’re looking for “Best in Show” in this clear, crisp narrative, forget it. “Show Dog” is the real thing with focus, frustration, commitment, passion, ambition and a bit of celebration at times. In the process, it is remarkably informative while delivering vivid, priceless, behind-the-scenes snapshots and a few bizarre characters from small-town America to Manhattan.

Dean carefully steers the reader through the dog-show world, taking care to explain the sport’s nuances while following Jack’s exploits, mostly in the Northeast. Outside the ring, he explores origins of the dog, Jack’s flings with mating, costs and commitments of advertising in show-dog magazines and the investment of campaigning a show dog.

The author’s choice of experts is terrific: David Frei, Westminster Kennel Club communications director and longtime voice of the famed show on USA Network; Billy Wheeler, author of the popular Dog Show Poop blog; highly respected AKC judge, author and lecturer Pat Hastings; noted Poodle handler Kaz Hosaka; former handler and Canine Chronicle magazine publisher Tom Grabe; and many others.

Dogless in Brooklyn, Dean says, “There are people who claim that dogs are our greatest invention. Having spent more than a year observing, reading about, and generally obsessing over them, I find it hard to argue this point.”

After Jack finishes his championship in four months, Smith becomes almost giddy with her first show dog’s potential, but the sharp-focused Bremmer, who Dean describes as a “small person with a large personality” isn’t quite so certain. Add that Jack is a semi-regular (because of Smith’s finances) on Bremmer and Bendar’s show train and you have all the ingredients for conflict between owner and handler because of the dog’s lack of focus and fitness.

Advertising plays a key role in campaigning show dogs like Jack. This one ran in Canine Chronicle in 2010.

Following a solid Award of Excellence performance with Jack at the 2010 AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in Long Beach, Calif., late in the year, Bremmer says, “Of all the dogs I’ve ever showed – ever – he’s the hardest I’ve ever handled. One day he’s phenomenal – the next day he’s a mess. If he was like this every day, I could take him to the top five easily, maybe No. 1.” Later, she adds, “He’s always better in groups. I do think maybe he doesn’t take it seriously unless it’s big.”

While following Jack from adolescence to maturity, Dean discovers, for followers, dog shows can be addictive, from the standpoint of chasing points and fame to establishing friendships. But make no mistake about it, there is no shortage of conflict and politics, either.

From the challenging intricacies of Poodle styling to chiropractic manipulation on an Aussie shepherd, Dean’s lively narrative, detailed description and engaging scenarios connect the reader nicely to the eclectic landscape and dynamics of show dogdom.

It isn’t exactly a modern-day version of the 1938 classic, “Lassie Come Home,” but “Sophie” packs every bit of real-life drama with an absorbing Australian accent and a bit of refreshing good fortune to boot.

Imagine, for a minute, you and your significant other are cruising through the San Juan Islands with your beloved dog when you venture down to the lower deck calling it and you get no response. Panic ensues, you immediately turn the craft around and begin retracing your route, yelling frantically for the dog. Several hours later, you are forced to return to port, empty handed.

That’s the scenario that confronts Dave and Jan Griffith Oct. 25, 2008 when boating off primitive St. Bees Island, part of Australia’s South Cumberland Islands, when they discover their surrogate child, Sophie, a 3-year-old Australian cattle dog, is missing and undoubtedly leaped overboard into the predator-packed waters.

The author establishes, “Sophie took to boating with characteristic grace and seemed to complete the Griffiths’ vision of those empty-nesting days, paving their way towards retirement. ‘She never minded what she was doing, as long as she was with us,’ “ Dave Griffith says.

From the time Jan Griffith hits the man-overboard button, this tender, yet riveting volume moves fast forward, much of filled with speculation on how this hardy working dog manages to survive a five-month odyssey on land and sea. The emotional roller coaster takes you from the heights of ecstasy to the depths of despair, yet ends on a high note.

The author, Pearse, an Australian journalist, captures the human-animal bond through the recollections of the Griffith family, friends and residents of two undeveloped islands, on both of which domestic pets are forbidden, where Sophie seeks out food and water.

Family dynamics play a huge role in this story. As the Griffiths’ four grown children see the impact of Sophie’s loss on their parents, they are uncertain what to do. Finally, they fill that emptiness with a red (note that color, since the Griffiths would accept no other breed after all their blue heelers) puppy named Ruby from a litter of blue and red cattle dogs Pearse describes as a “force-of-nature dog, unfazed by reprimand and full of hope for fun times, all the time.”

Time has a tendency to heal wounds, but for the Griffiths, memories of Sophie linger – and even fester – as hope for a fairy-tale ending slowly dissipates.

Unknown to the couple, there are sightings in December of a skinny blue dog on wild, tropical Keswick Island, approximately five nautical miles from where Sophie went overboard two months earlier. Then, speculation has it, that Sophie swims to craggy, volcanic St. Bees Island via a 480-meter highly challenging passage that no human would consider swimming because of its imposing tidal action and predators.

Unlike Keswick, St. Bees offers Sophie the opportunity for fresh water and food. A phone call from a friend on Keswick, alerts Peter Berck, a 30-year St. Bees resident, to be on the lookout for the four-legged escape artist. It isn’t long before he spots the hungry animal. Days of hide-and-seek follow before Berck contacts park rangers, who attempt to trap the animal in a large metal cage.

Friends talk to friends in these remote areas, and through the channels acquaintances of the Griffiths hear about the planned trapping, contact the Griffiths, raising both a ray of hope and the prospect of mass disappointment the elusive dog could be Sophie.

Moving fast forward, the trapping is successful and the Griffiths are alerted the dog will be boated to their hometown, Mackay, on the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia, for what they are hoping will be a Hollywood-type homecoming. And yes, all ends well, with exclamations of “Sophie, Sophie Tucker” from the Griffiths upon setting eyes on their long, lost soul mate which is bouncing off the walls of the crate.

A remarkable and crisp narrative, “Sophie” nourishes as well as celebrates with a richly detailed mix of passion, inspiration and hope you won’t soon forget.

This is certainly not new turf when it comes to dog books, but Reid, a certified behaviorist and dog trainer with a PhD in animal learning and behavior, puts the subject in a simplistic format that is easily understood.

She addresses the symbiotic relationship of dog and man in three sections – behavior, training and behavior problems, placing a huge emphasis on early socialization and handling and the huge dividends they produce later.

Boldface titling, short, focused entries and reflective case-in-point examples from classes add up to an empowering read that will enable the owner to interpret his/her dogs needs and behavior at a higher level.

Reid emphasizes, “The problem I witnessed most often in my classes was that owners were too overbearing when playing with their puppies. They ran, they jumped, they loomed and they wrestled. Some puppies liked this right away but most need to build up to this intensity.”

Finding the right trainer isn’t easy, she notes, because the field is “not well regulated and most of these titles can be donned by anyone.” In other words, buyer beware!

The most compelling chapter is titled “Doing It Right from the Start: Ten Stupid Ways in Which People Mess Up Their Dogs.” Every owner will be able to relate to the 10 and most likely will plead guilty on at least one or two fronts with one dog or another.

The 10 include:

1. The owner fails to provide sufficient socialization with people.
2. The owner fails to provide the sufficient socialization with dogs.
3. The owner fails to take advantage of opportunities for learning.
4. The owner fails to provide for natural behaviors.
5. The owner fails to bond with the puppy through play.
6. The owner fails to handle or touch the puppy sufficiently.
7. The owner encourages food guarding through benign neglect.
8. The owner fails to use the right balance of discipline and leniency.
9. The owner fails to provide the puppy with sufficient exercise.
10. The owner provides the puppy with too much free food.

Note the common thread through this listing is owner shortcomings and failure to spend sufficient time with dog. While considerable emphasis is placed on puppy bonding, Reid addresses rescues and adult dogs, too, noting separation anxiety and destruction issues.

“Dog Insight” is a practical primer with an earthy delivery that’s soberly reflective with razor-sharp analysis, colorful anecdotes and arresting realism throughout.

This is the sign that greets visitors to the vacant store front in the Redmond Town Center, where Reading with Rover sessions are held twice monthly.

By Ranny Green

On a cold, damp early December evening they headed up the stairs of the Redmond Town Center, which was brightly accented with holiday décor, with a twinkle in their eyes and pleading with their parents to walk faster.

Mostly 4-to-8-year-olds, their destination wasn’t Santa Claus’ lap. It was a vacant store site, home to a nourishing Reading with Rover program. Inside were 11 owners and their highly trained dogs of all ages, sizes and breeds, including mutts, stationed around the walls of the room on mats, blankets and large towels.

Alex Jajewski, left, and his brother, Brett, of Kirkland, get in some reading time with handler Brian Daly, of Lynnwood, and Silas, a Labrador retriever mix.

Co-founder of the 20-year-old literacy program Becky Bishop, of Redmond, says, “Thanks to social media, improved communication and passionate volunteers, we have managed to continually grow. We started with three teams (owner and dog) and now have 110. Our dogs are kind of like the Eagle Scouts of therapy dogs. The handlers come from all backgrounds, including education.”

No stress here, as Penny Gabriel, of Kirkland, reads to a relaxed Reese, a Bernese mountain dog owned by Julie Hembree, of Sammamish.

Brian Daly, a Kirkland second-grade teacher and longtime Rover handler, says, “Rover serves as a ‘bridge’ between my professional and private lives. Many of my students, struggling and sound readers alike, faithfully attend Rover nights at the Redmond Town Center. This allows me to interact with them in a less formal way than I can at school, sometimes almost in a mentoring capacity, which translates nicely into better classroom relationships.

“When the parents of my students see me functioning in my volunteer capacity, it demonstrates to them that I don’t just talk the pro-literacy talk, but that I put my money where my mouth is.”

As handler Sherry Lebed Davis, of Lynnwood, and 5-year-old Simon, a bearded collie, listen, Kaelyn Billington, of Kirkland, enunciates a word.

Daly adds, “I love how the kids’ faces light up when they see their favorite Rover dog arrive at my school (Rose Hill Elementary in the Lake Washington School District) Tuesday mornings and on Rover nights at the Redmond Town Center. I also love the way the kids collect the Rover bookmarks like baseball cards, sometimes proudly displaying them on the top of their desk or on the front of their take-home folders at school.”

Daly’s wife Cathy, a first-grade teacher for 26 years and Rover handler, adds, “Aside from good instruction, time spent practicing  new skills seems to be the leading indicator of how a child’s beginning reading experiences will be. Families are busy these days and finding time to practice a new skill can be tricky. Reading with Rover provides this opportunity for children to practice in a way that is fun, motivating and unique. My students cannot wait for Rover nights and cheer when they see it on our monthly calendars.”

Parents tell her that Rover nights are the highlight of their child’s week. “This seems especially true of boys,” she adds, “and I’ve been able to hook several of my first-graders into the program.”

After finishing a reading, each child receives a bookmark with a photo of the dog, its breed name and information about the program on the flip side.

She adds, “Kids practice diligently, knowing that the dogs are coming at the end of the week and that they will get to read their stories to them. Last summer we had a boy who was afraid of dogs and only wanted to watch from a distance. He started out looking through the glass as others read to them. Pretty soon he was at the door and before we knew it, he was sitting with a dog reading his story. He spent the next half-hour moving from dog-to-dog, reading. Two breakthroughs were made that day – he was able to practice a very difficult skill while experiencing the power of the Rover dogs. By day’s end, he was hugging Jett (a 4-year-old black Labrador retriever) and giving him a good-bye kiss.”

With other options like video games, TV, sports and music, the challenge of interesting a child in reading is formidable for most parents today. Jennifer Wardwell, of Kirkland, has fought that battle with her first-grader, Gage Neuenschwander. After moving from half-day kindergarten to all-day first grade, Gage gradually warmed up to the new environment in all aspects but reading.

“I heard about Reading with Rover and wanted to see if that might encourage him,” she says. “He resisted, but I stood my ground and listened to him tell me all the reasons why he can’t go on the drive to the Redmond Town Center. As we got out of the car and walked up to the front door, I saw him give in, realizing there was no escape. I knew he was not pleased but I thought maybe if he just gave it a try he might like it. And to my shock, he did not like it, he loved it!”

Christina Nis, 7, of Redmond, gets an attentive nudge from Olive, an English pointer owned by Gina Kimble, of Duvall. (Photo - Jerry and Lois Photography)

“Rover has given Gage the confidence to believe in himself that he can do new things and succeed. His reading ability has soared and with that his writing skills have improved, too. For Gage, this program has tapped into something very special,” Wardwell smiles.

Owner/handler Marydell  Rarick, of Kirkland, says the program has taught her “to think of my dog first, not me. I want the kids to feel comfortable with him, so I need Cole (a Labrador retriever) to feel comfortable, too. My favorite moments are when Cole will lay his head on the reader’s lap, and the child will begin to pet him. Cole will just stretch out and relax and the child feels he can relax and read without thinking about making a mistake.”

Reading with Rover is as contagious for owner-handlers as the youngsters. For instance, Gina Kimble, of Duvall, almost decided not to attend the early December event, after a tiring day at work. “Olive (her English pointer) so enjoys coming, and I knew this would be the last session for the month, so how could I pass it up,” she says.

Olive was her “silly self” that night, and met one big challenge head-on. Kimble explains, “We had a father and son sit with us, and Olive offered her usual hello kiss and settled in. The father had chosen a very difficult book for his son and expected him to read it. It was hard for me to remain silent because I could see the boy’s uneasiness. While he stammered and struggled through a page, his hand slowly reached over and began to stroke Olive repeatedly. It was his way of asking Olive to help him through a difficult time. Dogs and kids are similar in that neither judges others.” That night the two connected beautifully in a calm, non-threatening environment.

Some of the dogs, like 4-year-old Ruby, a golden retriever, owned by Patty Day, of Issaquah, are rehomes and trained by program founder Bishop.

Ruby has blossomed into what Day describes as “one of the best judges of character I have known.” This is reflected with adults and children alike. One of her most stirring RWR memories involved a boy who started the year pointing to pictures and telling Ruby what they were in a soft voice. He ended the year reading with a strong voice and brisk pace.  “As I was about to point this out to his mother, she turned and said to her son, ‘Remember when you could only tell Ruby what the pictures are?’ She then looked at me and added, ‘Look at him now!’ Need I say more?”

For Sherry Lebed Davis, of Lynnwood, the intuitive skills of Simon, her 5-year-old bearded collie, are key. “Simon seems to know the children that need him most and will put their head in their lap, his paw on their legs, kiss them or simply watch them as they read. He creates an instant comfort zone for them to read.”

Ollie, a Labradoodle, owned by Cindy Pigott, of Bellevue, manages to separate work from play without a hitch. “He is a true male dog – always looking for a bunny to chase, grass to roll over on or a lake to leap into,” says Pigott. “However, once I attach his special leather leash onto his collar, he knows that it’s time for school.”

“Reading with Rover,” Bishop smiles, “is one of those rare win-wins for all involved – the parents, child, volunteer and the dog.”

Protective and passionate best describes Bishop’s ties to this program she has nourished for two decades. “We take great care to make certain we have the right dogs and the right people in place,” she emphasizes, “with proper training.”

At a time when it is difficult to attract volunteers, Reading with Rover is thriving, which speaks volumes for its effectiveness in the community. “I knew this program had potential when we started it,” Bishop concludes, “but it has exceeded my expectations, thanks to the commitment of our incredible team.”

K-9 unit assignments are one of the most coveted in police departments and military units worldwide. The handlers provide solid backup and expertise for fellow officers and a positive public persona, but the intense challenges of these tightly-knit teams is generally unknown.

The author, an attorney and noted consultant on canine legal issues, takes the reader behind the scenes in this thorough examination, crafted chiefly for professionals in the field. Nevertheless, if you’ve ever wondered about police protocols, forensic science and rigorous legal scrutiny associated with police and military K-9 work, you’ll find the answer inside this 333-page volume.

This is not training manual or procedural guide, rather a detailed overview of challenges involved in sniffs involving vehicles, luggage, transportation facilities, hotels, mail and packages, storage areas, cargo and commercial spaces, residences, currency and schools, etc. And then there are the demands of explosives, landmine, bioweapons, accelerant and cadaver detection.

In addressing canine biology and behavior, the author says some trainers introduce target scents to future narcotic detecting canine candidates at just 10 days of age, although nine to 10 weeks is more common, adding that trained dogs can remember different odors for months.

Even when performed to exact specifications, a team’s work faces judicial challenges around every corner, Ensminger emphasizes, and a lack of judicial uniformity from state to state. In the process, he cites dozens of cases. “The
admissibility of canine evidence is not solely determined by the quality of the forensics work involved. Some states regard the possible prejudice of tracking and scent identification as so great that they decline to admit this evidence
at all.”

Ensminger says police and military canine functions are divided into four general categories:

• tracking, trailing and identification;
• suspect apprehension and crowd control;
• detection;
• rescue and protection.

He adds, “Police dogs are a two-edged sword, capable of helping law enforcement but also capable of doing great damage to the lives of those they encounter. That damage may sometimes be necessary, but police men and women doing canine work know that they have been given a tool as dangerous as the guns in their holsters.”

The author’s broad-based thoroughness is reflected in the 42-page appendix dedicated to a listing of U.S. police canine associations, a bibliography and federal and state cases cited.

Ambitious and complex, “Police and Military Dogs” leaves the reader with a greater appreciation of the demands and expertise expected of these handler-dog teams not only in the field but also inside the judicial environment, too.

With a bit of a bite, Robert Vetere, president of the American Pet Products Association, takes the resilience of the family dog into the workplace in an eye-opening mindset, all the time arguing how we can learn from its virtues.

Vetere, who for 35 years has captured the best of canine behavior to teach management seminars, and Andrews present a compelling array of references to companies and their top dogs throughout the country, detailing how their work ethics rival those of Fido.

“Biologists,” he argues, “believe that man’s best friend was a kind of genetic pilot for the human race,” in the process showing us how to collaborate. In the Introduction, Vetere points out, “According to the USA Today poll, 77 percent of CEOs who own a dog judge the character of their friends and business associates based on how they treat their animals.”

Vetere seeks to show the reader that he/she can become a more effective leader by “tapping into the instinctive part of the brain we share with dogs,” i.e. learning from their superior emotional intelligence. Within that context, the authors have fashioned a “What Breed Are You” test aimed at helping you determine your leadership style, i.e. what type of inner dog are you. He emphasizes, “Most successful CEOs are hybrids, combining the best traits of two breeds.”

A key lesson humans can take from the canine world: Dogs don’t tolerate bad leaders. When they are confronted with one, they don’t respond and seek out another. Strong company administrators will recognize this and replace incompetent middle managers, the authors suggest.

Body language, motivational skills, consistent direction, forgiveness and enthusiasm are just a few of the other key canine trademark characteristics Vetere sees affecting the business environment as well. “I often tell CEOs, ‘Look for people with a dog-like enthusiasm for work and your company will never falter.’ “

The empowering “From Wags to Riches” moves seamlessly while combining the authors’ spot-on assessments and analogies with complementing quotes from a wide mix of industry leaders and noted authors.

For example, “ ‘Dogs like to know the rules,’ animal behavior expert Susan Tripp advises her clients. ‘They respond best when you give them a sense of purpose and clear, consistent message.’ “

While the bulk of the invigorating volume is devoted to the business world, a final section focuses on what dogs teach us about life and love, noting how they offer “emotional ballast and a sense of security” in addition to companionship.

But it is best captured in a quote the authors feature from the Mayo Clinic’s Dr. Edward Creagan, “A pet is a medication without side effects,” he told USA Weekend. “I can’t always explain it . . . but for years now I’ve seen how instances of having a pet is like an effective drug. It really does help people.”

Vetere’s thought-provoking gem is water-cooler conversation fodder packed with razor-sharp analysis, poignant quotes and colorful anecdotes.

If you’re a dog lover who savors history, this ambitious volume will leave you with a feeling of nirvana.

Author of “A Dog’s History of America,” Derr takes the reader on a historical travelogue, tracking researchers’ documentation of the wolf-to-dog (dog-wolves or doglike wolves) sequencing worldwide, yet leaving plenty of uncertainty.

For instance, he emphasizes in the Introduction, that dog remains in Europe ranging from 16,000-30,000 years ago have been identified, firmly establishing Europe as the continent with the oldest dogs on record, “even though no expert believes that dogs originated there.”

Derr carefully cites a wide array of “mixing zones” with wolves and humans, noting each’s role in the early process of domestication. Today, however, genetic surveys undertaken at UCLA by evolutionary biologist Robert K. Wayne promise to answer some questions while posing others in regard to the dog’s origins.

Derr says, “That the Dog is a Wolf modified by nature, wolves and humans is as nearly beyond dispute as an evolutionary line of descent can be. Geneticists, paleontologists, archaeologists, evolutionary biologists and animal behaviorists, who normally agree on little else, have confirmed that finding repeatedly.”

If you’re looking to pinpoint the dog’s origins from the wolf, you won’t find it here, but you will find absorbing and very detailed time capsules with blurred scientific options from 135,000 to 12,000 years ago. Intermixed is a proposed date of 27,000 years ago, based on nuclear DNA from sequencing of the dog genome in recent years.

We may never be able to determine the definitive origin of the dog, however, says Derr, since increasing numbers of geneticists believe that it is necessary to compare DNA from ancient dogs and wolves — as much as possible. “Such DNA,” explains Derr, “is difficult to obtain because it breaks down under natural conditions and is prone to corruption.”

Some of most solid empirical data on the dog’s origins has come from research performed by Wayne’s UCLA laboratory where findings from 921 dogs representing 85 breeds and 225 gray wolves left the scientist concluding that Middle Eastern wolves are the “wild source of most of the diversity in the dog.”

Because both early-day wolves and humans were opportunistic pack hunters, it was inevitable that their efforts would eventually merge, once a trust was established, resulting in each recognizing the other as a kindred spirit, explains Derr.

The author doesn’t overlook the dog’s history in North America from those used by Native Americans to house pets of today. While many of these animals were revered for utilitarian purposes such as herding, hunting and hauling, others were sacrificed for clothes, blankets, medicine and food. Plus, some were offered to the gods in thanks or contrition.

With the increase in purebred dogs and population dynamics in the United States since the end of World War II, the most significant change in the dog has been behavior, contends Kenth Svartberg, a comparative psychologist studying dog behavior at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.

So let the historic dog origin debate rage on. Derr’s richly detailed, well-sourced research, however, offers a full plate of choices and razor-sharp analysis to help you connect the dots while not undermining the authenticity of the big picture.

This lavish coffee-table volume will stir poignant memories for some and become a revered keepsake for war buffs and collectors with its kaleidoscope of training and war photos, images of war dog equipment, books and manuals, related items, paper items and first-day issue envelopes and post cards.

Lavish color, striking typographical layouts and a vast array of equipment produce a vivid cultural mosaic designed to entertain and inform the reader.

The book is a sobering reminder of the unparalleled accomplishments of handlers and dogs in the Big War and a reflection of their importance in warfare. In that context, it showcases the role of Dogs For Defense, which was established in January 1942 by a group of dog-savvy civilians and quickly recognized as the official agency for choosing and training sentry dogs. More than 10,400 dogs were ultimately trained, many donated by families. Following the war, many of these animals were retrained to adjust back to civilian life while others remained with their military partners.

A fresh presentation, it deftly captures the emotional realism and camaraderie of war abroad with a deep commitment at home.  And traversing that treacherous psychological landscape, the dog is the seamless link.