If you’re like me, a good dog book is both a treasure and a resource. Add some age and the intrinsic value becomes immeasurably greater. While general-interest volumes appeal to many, vintage breed-specific counterparts (German shepherd for me) are especially coveted by collectors.

The smell, the feel, the incredible art: It doesn’t get any better than that.

Serious collectors are still buying these days, but the recession has taken a bite into highly respected dog-book companies such as Dog Treasures in Coatesville, Pa.; Dog Lovers Book Store in New York City; and Dogwise Publishing in Wenatchee.

Dogwise Publishing, which sells newer volumes at major dog shows nationwide (including the Seattle Kennel Club show March 13-14 at Qwest Field Event Center) has seen sales drop 20 percent, according to Larry Woodward, owner. The company produces how-to books and DVDs on health, training, breeding and exhibiting as well as selling recently produced reference and training volumes.

All have web sites; Dog Treasures, owned by Leonard Brook, showcases its products in East Coast antique and dog shows, and Dogwise, owned by the Woodward family, sells at major dog shows nationwide. Dog Lovers Bookshop is a web-site business only.

Dog Treasures, Brook claims, is the largest web site in the world for dog-related antiques. It has books, art, paper ephemera, photographs, objects and advertising. “Our goal is to cover the complete spectrum of canine collectibles, with an emphasis on condition and quality,” he says.

“From a profit standpoint, art brings in more than books, but since I took a good portion of the Fretwell (Francis Fretwell) collection on consignment last year, I have placed a major emphasis on books.”

The late Fretwell, of Moore, S.C., had what was believed to be the largest privately owned collection (15,000 volumes) of dog books in the world. Owner of Monfret Kennels, which bred champion Standard Poodles, Fretwell was former president and governor of the Poodle Club of American and the Italian Greyhound Club of America, plus serving as a delegate to the American Kennel Club for decades.

The books – first editions from the 1500s to the present – include the works of dozens of famed authors and cover virtually every breed recognized by the AKC through the 20th century. Offerings also focus on judging, grooming, exhibiting, breeding, animal behavior, training and children’s dog books.

Fretwell’s library was built by acquiring the collections of others and meeting dealers worldwide in his travels. In an April 2002 AKC Gazette story, he said, “There is no next prize, just something I haven’t heard about yet. But I won ‘t say I have everything I want.”

“While I have some terrific titles,” says Brook, “my timing wasn’t the best. The economy went sour just about the time the Fretwell collection was made available to me. Hopefully, things will turn around soon.”

A 20-year rare-book dealer, Brook has only done dog shows for five years. “My first dog show was at the Meadowlands (New Jersey) and it was fantastic. But it seems that I peaked that weekend and dog shows haven’t been as productive for me since.”

He transitioned to a web site several years ago with hundreds of titles purchased from garage sales, dealers, thrift shops, etc., and then added the coveted Fretwell volumes.
Some of his regular high-end customers have grabbed rare Fretwell collection titles when posted on the web site. The recession hasn’t impacted them to the degree it has the general public, Brook says.

Best breed-book sales have been Collie, Irish Wolfhound, Dachshund and Scottish Terrier, he said.

Brook doesn’t see a major difference in customer preferences of dog items in his travels. “The one thing that really stands out is my art sales at Atlanta antique shows. That market goes for vintage framed art from $150 to $1,200.”

Costs of items on the Dog Treasures web site range from $5 cigarette cards to a $5,000 painting. “We have something for every dog lover,” adds Brook. “For instance, we have a first-edition Terhune for $300 or a reprint for $30.”

Dog Lovers Bookshop, owned by New Yorkers Margot Rosenberg and Bern Marcowitz, opened in 1994 as a brick-and-mortar operation near the Empire State Building in Manhattan, but escalating rent and the internet drove them to an internet-only business in 1998.

“We still have a fantasy of reopening a book store,” says Rosenberg, “but I suspect that’s all it is, a fantasy. But why not have a dream? We never want to lose that special feel and smell of an old book. As the love of dogs bridges generations, so do books.”

Dog Lovers Bookshop offers used, out-of-print and antiquarian volumes from publishers worldwide, with special emphasis on university and small presses. The web site is A 1 for viewer friendliness, with content organized by breed, species and topic. Most of the stock is in English, but like Brook’s inventory, many titles are in foreign language.
Marcowitz adds, “We have a special affinity to fiction and art, and a passion for illustrated children’s books, both fiction and nonfiction.

“Digital is slowly taking over the book world. If I want a tree or print book with personality I must turn to an older volume. The good ones are becoming scarcer each year, so consequently now is the time to grab old dog books. The price of most is extremely low. “

Dog Lovers Bookshop lists approximately 5,000 volumes in its inventory, and selectively adds to that total year-round. Most come from estate sales, church bazaars and other New York area dealers.

Rosenberg says, “Old books are a form of comfort food, as much as for their intellectual and instructional value. They not only have character but exude history.”

Like Brook, Rosenberg and Marcowitz report requests for breed books ranges far and wide. “It’s whatever the caller owns now or as a child,” says Rosenberg. “The most common calls go something like this, adds Rosenberg, ‘When I was a kid I read a book that . . . ‘ Then the caller will describe the book and I’ll try to identify it. That book becomes his or her link to the past. That’s something you can’t find on an e-book.”

Marcowitz characterizes that special dog book as “a form of Valium” for the purchaser. “I doubt that books as we know them are going to disappear. We will just go through a period of adjustment with digital readers.

“As they become more scarce, tree books will become more precious. Every time there is a Hurricane Katrina, fire or flood we lose a few more old volumes. And because many people don’t know how to properly take care of a book, you lose even more. Many 20th-century volumes were printed on high-acid paper, which reduces their longevity. It’s the book world’s equivalent of global warming.”

The couple has received so many questions on caring for old books that they wrote “The Care and Feeding of Books” in 2002. The frontispiece is their late German Pointer.

Charlene Woodward launched Direct Book Service in 1986 as a special-order retailer in Seattle. When ordering dog books for clients, she saw a potential market niche. Her husband, Larry, joined the operation as the CEO in the late 1980s and the couple, searching for a smaller town and larger warehouse, moved to Wenatchee in 1992.

Larry’s brother, Bill, and his wife, Judy joined the firm in 1995 and have been road warriors 40-plus weekends a year at dog shows nationwide. Today the firm has 12 fulltime employees.

Recognizing that historically important books on dogs had been allowed to run out of print by other publishers, the Woodwards formed Dogwise Publishing in 2000. “Our focus is on creating humane, understandable and scientifically sound information for people who enrich their lives by working with, playing with and loving dogs,” the Woodwards say on their web site.

To augment that site, they have a 9,000-square-foot warehouse in Wenatchee open to the public Monday through Friday, where they store thousands of dog-oriented products, including new and used books.

Bill Woodward acknowledges the economy has affected the firm’s business the past two years. “We were traveling 45,000 miles a year and have cut it back to 35,000,” he says.
Larry Woodward points to other factors in the sales decline, namely competition from giant Amazon, the internet, dwindling entries and attendance at dog shows nationally and fewer major publishers willing to publish dog books.

Some of Dogwise’s inventory comes from those attending shows. “We often have people coming to our booth, saying they have dozens of dog books from a deceased family member and don’t know what to do with them,” explains Bill Woodward. “Because we have a tight schedule and aren’t in any one town too long, we encourage them to bring them to the show the next day and we’ll determine which books we’re interested in purchasing. When we have spare time, we comb book stores, too, looking to buy. “

Shows have enabled the Woodwards to build a strong nationwide customer base. “It’s a chance to meet dog owners one-on-one, find out their needs, have them sign a want-list and educate them about our web site. If we don’t have the specific title they’re looking for, there’s a good chance it will be in our Wenatchee warehouse,” says Bill Woodward.
“Occasionally,” adds Larry Woodward, “a customer will tell us about a good book we never heard of. If we give it a read and like it, we may carry it.”

From the first show at Puyallup more than 20 years ago when Charlene and Larry Woodward piled several dozen books into the back of a Toyota Camry to the truck-trailer combination today that travels cross-country with 3500 items, Dogwise has grown into a major player in the industry.

Publishing is a top priority for the company, emphasizes Larry Woodward. “We won’t take on a breed book, but with our solid group of respected authors, we can offer the dog-owning public plenty of new choices each year.” Dogwise has published approximately 50 titles the past decade; he would like to average four to eight new offerings annually.

“Audio books have never worked for us,” he says. “Now that DVDs are priced more reasonably and are somewhat easier for the author to produce, I see that becoming more popular. But the e-book may be the future of the industry, he believes. Amazon recently began selling Kindle versions of several Dogwise titles, and Woodward is enthused with the early sales figures.

“It’s an industry in transition,” concludes Larry Woodward. “But people will always own and love dogs and we’re challenged to stay ahead of the curve to answer their needs.”

Web-site addresses:
             Dog Treasures: www.dogtreasures.com
             Dog Lovers Bookshop: www.dogbooks.com
             Dogwise Publishing:  www.dogwise.com

For more than three years, I have been searching for closure following the sudden and unexpected death of my Hurricane Katrina rescue Abbe, a corgi/sheltie.

“Love is the Best Medicine” was the perfect prescription. And this passionate volume may likely be the same for others still faced with that same emptiness.      

 My gritty little Abbe was a survivor, having been plucked from infested, dirty waters of Slidell, La., immediately following Hurricane Katrina with ear mites, a tightly matted coat and skin infections.  A few weeks later she was diagnosed with heartworm disease.  After being treated with two rounds of arsenic-based heartworm medications, she was finally given a clean bill of health, and my wife Mary and I breathed a collective sigh of relief. But several months later on a cold, clear November morning, she curled up beneath her favorite bush and died of congestive heart failure without any sign something might be wrong.

Time doesn’t always heal wounds. The loss of Abbe has continued to gnaw at both of us. But Trout’s engaging work about life’s lessons he learned from two incredible dogs and their owners is the perfect self-help, motivational message I have been seeking.

Trout’s empowering tale of two dogs features:

Helen, a 10-year-old cocker spaniel, found abandoned in a restaurant parking lot on a rainy night. Within minutes, a special bond is struck between her and her rescuers, Ben and Eileen. As weeks progress, this bedraggled street dog settles into a new loving home and faces one veterinary test after another, ultimately being diagnosed with cancer and facing short-term survival, after surgery by Trout.

Conversely, a vibrant, 14-year-old Miniature Pinscher named Cleo, suffering from several leg fractures, undergoes what Trout refers to as routine surgery, dies on the operating table from anesthesia problems, leaving her owner Sandi, her daughter, Sonja, and Trout devastated.

The aftermath of the two surgeries inexorably links both sets of owners with the troubled Trout in a powerful hybrid of sadness, sentiment and commitment.

Trout’s vivid characterizations deliver a torrent of emotions throughout, focusing on Sandi’s parting commitment to Cleo, via Trout, urging him to promise “to take Cleo’s spirit on a journey, to realize all the wonderful qualities she embodied and to pour all the skill, effort and talent you had intended for Cleo into the lives and health of other unfortunate animals.”

With Cleo as his self-described “clinical touchstone,” it becomes abundantly clear that if any animal needed divine guidance, it was Helen, your consummate underdog.

Trout feels a roll of optimism after removing Helen’s lung tumor, only to discover later in a pathology report a microscopic tumor had not been removed, prompting an oncologist to estimate     Helen ‘s life span to range from 4 months to a year.  (You’ll need to read this book to find out if Helen beat these odds.)

Did the overriding spirit of a deceased dog play a role in another’s extended survival? Was a secret benefactor working her magic from afar, Trout was left to wonder.

“Two women, two dogs, one life ending as another was allowed to begin. A painful symmetry between strangers whose lives unwittingly entwined to become a testament to the power of letting go and the possibility of a better future,” the author summarizes.  

 A philosophical Sandi adds, “So you see everything happens for a reason. Everything is connected. Cleo lived a wonderful life and even in death she reached out and changed lives.”

 And now I can let go of Abbe’s emotional leash, recognizing she, too, changed lives, and as Sandi says, “loss is a part of life, not an end of life.”

The Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation with Gerri Hirshey. Viking. $25.95.

This inspiring narrative captures the resilient, can-do spirit of not only a premier guide-dog organization but its dogs, staff and recipients.

Initially, I thought it would be just another volume about the ins and outs of a guide-dog program.  Wow, was I wrong.

It would be impossible for any sighted individual to grasp the special relationship between a blind individual and his/her German shepherd partner. “Trust the Dog” characterizes it beautifully.

With refreshing bluntness, candor and kudos, the Connecticut-based foundation is portrayed as one giant family, whose members are always on high alert concerning the welfare of others. This attitude is engendered from the founders Charlie and Robbie Kaman through a highly trained staff all the way to the newest recipient.

From a beautifully crafted prologue detailing the Kamans’ tireless emphasis to detail, improved breeding stock and well-researched match-ups, to a rich weave of celebratory energy and psychological turbulence experienced by recipients, “Trust the Dog” travels a seamless path.

As the authors say, “This is a book about a half century’s worth of … trials, journeys, and transformations, about the miracles and mysteries of these deep partnerships, and about the dedication, skill  and training that makes them possible.”

Key breeding stock came from the former East Germany in the late 1980s and later Bavaria with a focus on physical and psychological attributes, namely good health, strong hips, longevity, receptivity to control by a human voice and a lack of aggression toward other dogs.

John Byfield, a recently retired Fidelco executive, explains, “Shepherds are bright. And there is a complexity to many of them. They don’t tend to be forgiving, so if you make a mistake it can set you back quite a bit. Psychologically, they find it difficult to undo things. I think you have to be more careful with shepherds than with some of the other breeds.

“The shepherd has exceptional memory. It’s one of its greatest qualities. They also have very good initiative, the ability to figure things out. They don’t have to deliberate and stand there thinking, what do I do? They just seem to have an immediate assessment and they’re very decisive.”

What makes Fidelco different? It features a come-to-you training program and follow-up commitment to applicants, who, as Byfield emphasizes, “certainly earn their dogs . . . There’s no easy way to do that. It’s almost a sort of tough love.”

More than 1,200 Fidelco pairings have been completed, but this unvarnished portrayal carefully reflects Fidelco is not just about dogs and numbers, it’s a “people business.” And its time-tested curriculum of work and play works ­­- from pace to personality.

 Granted, this well-researched, engaging gem is designed for a niche audience of film buffs and German shepherd fans, but rest assured, its vivid snapshots have general readership appeal, too.  

 Taylor, a Western Washington writer, begins this chronological by-decade work in 1921 with Strongheart (“Silent Call) and puts a wrap on it in 2010 with “Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2,” which features two GSDs.

Taylor tracks the roller-coaster film ride of the GSD from Westerns, war, crime and wilderness Silver Screen features to Euro Westerns in the ‘60s and ‘70s and humor, independent and made-for TV films of the 1990s and the first decade of the 21^st century.

Each entry begins with a listing of the film title, year, German shepherd featured, trainer, director, co-stars, country and status of availability for purchase.  She follows with a brief account of the film, the role of GSDs, the number of dogs used and anecdotal information.

 The 233-page work includes an extensive list of empowering resources ­- web sites, books, magazines and other electronic sources – for additional information on the role of German shepherds in film.

 “Wonder Dogs” packs a bite and a can-do spirit while serving as an impassioned homage to one breed’s incredible run of powerful  – and entertaining – performances.

Add another abbreviation to your doggy dictionary: PSD (Psychiatric Service Dog).

The versatility of the species has long been recognized from its service accomplishments, but little has been documented about its psychiatric prowess before Miller’s stirring work.

A Northeast Ohio professional, Miller practices as a psychotherapist/clinical social worker with her animal-assisted therapy dogs, citing many cases where her troubled patients have found help and relief after first interacting with her therapy dog and later purchasing a dog of their own.

“Healing Companions” is designed as both a guidebook for families and friends of individuals suffering from chronic mental illness, but is a passion-filled read for any dog owner.

Miller’s been-there, done-that approach began with Umaya (means stability), a golden retriever, which opened her eyes to the value of an assistance dog, as it became a steadying influence with patients in her office.

For a dozen years, Umaya was her Velcro partner, through thick and thin physically and psychologically. “Umaya always knew what I needed and she never failed to bring a smile to my face,” Miller says.
From an incest survivor to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder veterans, this insightful volume details how Psychiatric Service Dogs make life manageable for patients, families and friends.

But it’s much more than simply warm, fuzzy case vignettes. Part self-help, part motivational she establishes criteria for selecting the right dog, recognizing its needs, strengths and weaknesses, training it, helping it cope with stress, and finally, knowing when to eventually let go during its golden years.

“Healing Companions” offers a detailed array of resources in 100-plus pages of appendixes, the best of which is designed to assist in the selection process of a breed (mixed breeds are fine, too). Here she lists a compatibility profile of five components: level of sociability, trainability, cooperation, activity and reactivity while focusing on six of the American Kennel Club’s seven groups – terriers, sporting, hound, working, herding and toy.

Miller places a strong emphasis on teamwork in the selection process, noting that “service dogs are not rehabilitation projects,” urging  that the potential owner and his/her family find a trainer with experience in training service dogs to assist in the selection process.

“Healing Companions,” while enlightening and engrossing” for the typical dog owner, boasts an empowering – and even life-altering -  influence if placed in the hands of those in need – and their families.

Photo credit: Mary Bloom

Within a couple of weeks, Paladichuk, a talented junior handler, is hoping the third time will be the charm at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, the premier event of its kind, in New York City. She will be competing against more than 100 of the nation’s top juniors for the sport’s top prize under the bright lights and on the green carpet before a capacity crowd of 18,000 in Madison Square Garden, hoping to become the fourth Western Washington teen since 1982, to claim that award.

“It’s a tough place to show,” she said. “The crowds are large and there is not a lot of room to move around in the grooming area. And, of course, you feel the excitement and stress, too.

“The first year (2008) I was very nervous and had a surreal feeling. Last year, I knew what to expect and was a bit more prepared. I made the final cut in my group, which was very exciting. This time, I am hoping to do even better.”

Paladichuk is an assistant to professional handlers Shea and Tiffany Skinner, of Stanwood, and travels with them to every event. Paladichuk and Tiffany Skinner will fly to New York three days before the show begins (Feb. 15) to acclimate Gleason and two dogs Skinner will be handling to the crowded Manhattan setting.

Paladichuk will travel to England in March, representing the U.S. in the International Junior Showmanship World Finals, after notching her biggest win ever in early December at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in Long Beach, Calif. Next to Westminster, it’s the most prestigious junior title out there.

But it was not without plenty of frustration and challenge.

Traveling with the Skinners, they were diverted from their normal Interstate 5 route by a snowstorm in the 30-mile Grapevine section north of Los Angeles

“With that show, you really need to be in line outside the arena Monday night to claim a good grooming position when the grooming building opens at 3 p.m. Wednesday. We travel in a box truck with all the crates, grooming equipment and food, and were 20^th in line when we finally pulled in,” she said.

There were 3,920 dogs entered with about that many handlers, groomers and owners trying vying for space in the grooming building. “It was crazy, and we were only able to find a position in a high-traffic area,” she added.

Last year, in celebration of the AKC’s 125^th anniversary celebration, the show adopted an open format, allowing all exhibitors to enter and compete for championship points. In addition, 133 breed clubs hosted specialties, prompting a huge entry.

The approximate 120-entry junior field competed Saturday. When Paladichuk was selected as the winner she was stunned and “beside myself.”

“It wasn’t long before my cell phone was ringing off the hook,” she recalls. “I checked it later, and had 46 unread text messages and others had posted my win on Face book. It was a night I’ll never forget.”

The only member of her family involved in showing dogs, Paladichuk says her chief influences in the ring have been the Skinners and a friend, Kim Bullard, of Lake Stevens. “They have been there when questions arose about handling and grooming. And they’ve been there when I needed emotional support.”

The Woodinville teen has learned to gradually put pressure aside in the show ring and make each performance fun. “I still stress out at big shows,” she admits, “but as I’ve grown in this sport, I have tried to learn to have fun with it, too.”

To achieve anything, she concedes, it takes a lot of dedication and hard work. “I tend to be a perfectionist, which is both good and bad in dog handling and grooming.”

When questions arise, she says professional handlers are generally very eager to answer them or provide advice.

An outstanding student at Woodinville High School, she began missing many classes because of her handling commitments. As a junior, she transferred from Woodinville to the Insight School of Washington, an online program that allowed her to study while on the road and accrue necessary credits for graduation. She is on track to graduate in June and will begin college in the fall, planning to major in business management.

“I have been showing dogs since I was 11,” she adds, “and missed out on a lot of things normal teenagers get to do. I have immersed myself in junior showmanship and 4H and need to widen my scope at this point in life. So, I’m hoping to attend college, enjoy it and figure out what I want to do with my life beyond that.”

She is not ruling out a career as a professional dog handler but wants to establish other options as well.

Paladichuk’s early involvement in dogs came chiefly through 4H. In fact, there’s a rich legacy there. One of her club mates was Anders Thoreson, of Snohomish, the 2006 Westminster junior winner.

“He set the bar pretty high for juniors from around here,” she acknowledged, “but it’s within reach.”

This isn’t a new offering, but it’s the perfect one for putting you in the mood for the big Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show Feb. 15-16 on USA Network and the Seattle Kennel Club Dog Shows March 13-14 at Qwest Field Event Center.

“Annie on Dogs!” is an assemblage of the famed dog-sport authority’s Dogs in Review magazine columns from 1997-2002. Yes, they’re dated, but their timeless.

William Stiffel, former president of the American Kennel Club, characterizes the famed woman’s work spot on, “Her words are an invitation to enter her mind. She is welcoming, even chatty, but doesn’t waste words. She likes precise definitions, simply unadorned explanations of things that dog people live with but somehow never pin down in words.

“For instance, ‘Judging is the evaluation of breeding stock.’

“‘Show dogs should learn that being a show dog is fun and a game – just as herders, retrievers and go-to-grounders have a good time at what they do for work.’

“‘Judging is an art and science – “though sometimes she says” ‘art and obsession.’“

“Annie on Dogs!” is engagingly written with a refreshing bluntness and candor punctuated with a resilient can-do spirit.
Editor’s notes: Clark, who died in 2006 at age 77, was a superstar in her sport, as an owner, breeder, handler, judge and mentor. She was the first woman professional handler to win best-in-show at Westminster (1956), and added triumphs in 1959 and 1961.

She is the only person to judge all seven groups and best-in-show at Westminster, along with four junior showmanship finals. She also holds the record for most years judging at Westminster, 23.

Clark gave Westminster wins to Snohomish junior Anders Thoreson in 2006 and best-in-show to Yorkshire terrier Champion Cede Higgens (1978), owned by Barbara and Bill Switzer of Seattle and handled by their daughter Marlene Lutovsky.

Prior to her death, Westminster show chairman Tom Bradley, said, “No one commands more respect or has greater association with Westminster than Annie Clark. . . . Her opinion is the most valued in the sport.”

If you like glitz and own a Velcro dog, then you’ll enjoy this chatty, self-absorbed read.

Diamond, the founder and executive editor of Animal Fair magazine who coined term “pet lifestyle,” talks diet, party, makeover, fashion and travel in this powdery , yet passionate, chic guide.

Diamond’s advice varies from flooring to fabric and from environment to travel planning. Within each chapter is a Lucky (her Maltese) sidebar of tips or answers to a writer’s questions.

If you’re looking for new information here, you won’t find a lot. One of the best chapters deals with the most pet-friendly hotels in an assortment of U.S. cities. Have any idea which one she picked in Seattle? The Hotel Monaco gets the nod.

Fun-filled chapters include How to Be a Party Animal, which ranges from fashion to food; Marrying Your Breed and Your Brood, a look at the American Kennel Club’s seven major groups, plus designer dogs, mixed breeds and hypoallergenic breeds; Mutt Makeover, tips for grooming and bathing your dog; Fashion Has Gone to the Dogs!, don’t get me started there.

Written with infectious enthusiasm, this volume is certain to appeal to those individuals who love to dress their dogs, plan parties for them and make certain they’re alongside on every trip.

The title says it all here. If you’re a dog fancier, you’ll love it. But cat fans will find this, well, uh, disgusting, clueless, upsetting, repugnant, or you fill in the blanks.

Greive’s text and Hale’s superb photos complement each other beautifully throughout this treatise of literary grenades tossed toward America’s No. 1 pet, population-wise.

Witty and sardonic, Greive’s impassioned homage is both charismatic and contentious over 224 pages.

In the opening chapter, “Overture,” where Greive recognizes we live in age of cats, he barks, “Cats are filling every crevice of humanity like exploding popcorn.

“… At the risk of inciting a Cat Fancier Jihad, I contend that the rise of the cat and the collapse of the human civilization are inexorably linked.”

Greive moves on to lament cats require “little effort and virtually no emotional investment to flourish,” noting that stray cats are 15 times less likely to be claimed by their owners from a shelter than their canine counterparts and are also 30 percent less likely to be adopted by new owners.

The author candidly notes that he is pro-dog, not anti-cat, adding that “the principal purpose of this book is not to criticize cats or their owners but to champion the many exceptional virtues unique to dogs.”

He quickly adds, “By claiming cats are equal to dogs as pets, the bar has been raised so impossibly high that felines can only fail, and in falling suffer greatly.”

Here are a few more memorable snapshot quotes:

• “ . . . Dogs match up to people, but people must match up to cats.”
• “Dogs are social, cats are sociopaths.”
• “To dogs, you are the greatest love of their lives. To cats, you are the courtesan of the moment.”
• “Dogs see you as a parent, partner, best friend and soul mate. Cats see you as a source of warmth and food.”

Throughout, Greive writes with verve and infectious enthusiasm, but Hale’s saucy, yet spirited, visual characterizations leave you asking if the author’s intent in traveling this tumultuous psychological landscape is to educate or entertain.

“He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog.
You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion”. —Unknown

Fort Lewis’ highly trained Stryker Brigades are the public face of the giant local military base when it comes to the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.
However, some of the most unheralded members of the United States’ troops are its four-legged forces, a steady flow of which are treated and cared for at Joint Base Lewis/McChord by a 12-member Veterinary Treatment Facility team.

The dogs, primarily German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois and their handlers, are deployed worldwide but these days the Middle East is in the cross-hairs of many assignments.

“These breeds,” says Lt. Col. Kelvin Buchanan, commander Pacific Northwest District Veterinary Command, “have all the attributes you’d want in your partner, aggressive, smart, intuitive and athletic.

“They move quickly and allow us to accomplish our mission with more speed and safety than a human alone.”

The number on base varies considerably with deployments, adds Cpt. Melissa Hehr, officer in charge of the McChord Veterinary Treatment Facility. Recently there were 50-plus, under Special Forces, Rangers and Transportation Security Administration (air marshals or officers assigned to a commercial airport) command.

The Defense Department’s Military Working Dog Program, based at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, lists a working-dog force of approximately 2,300, according to Army Col. David Rolfe, program director, including “a couple hundred” in Iraq and Afghanistan.

With an acute sense of smell and keen sound awareness, most of the animals are trained for explosives detection, a constant problem in both war zones, and sentry duty. In other words, detect and detour.

The Military Working Dog Training Program teaches basic obedience plus advanced skills, namely attack techniques and sniffing for specific substances from explosives to drugs in a 120-day program.

“But the initial training program is just as much about working with the handler as the dog,” Rolfe emphasized in an American Forces Press Service story.  “Each must operate with a high trust of the other.”

When the dogs and their handlers arrive at Lewis/McChord, it’s the Army Veterinary Corps’ duty to make certain the animals are healthy and deployable, says Buchanan.  Lameness and minor injuries are among the common ailments seen in the hospital.

Before heading to Lewis/McChord from an overseas base, they undergo thorough physical exams, explained Hehr, “and upon reaching their home station, the dogs are examined for signs of infectious disease or illness, their medical records are reviewed to follow up with any problems that may have occurred overseas, and as a prophylactic measure, they are treated with a broad spectrum de-wormer.”

If a dog is injured in a foreign country, it is treated there by Army Veterinary Corps personnel, with follow-up major care provided at a United States base, if needed.

The Veterinary Corps lists four categories of canine readiness:

• Good to go. No limiting medical issues.
• Limited deployability. Limited to six months deployment with the Air Force and one year with the Army.
• Temporarily non-deployable. Still undergoing treatment for a previous injury and not physically capable of serving or the medical prognosis is undetermined.
• Non deployable. Medical condition prohibits the animal serving in the near future. These are usually cases where the dog has a medical condition that limits its abilities during deployment, or it requires medications or treatments that it would not be able to receive while deployed.

While the dogs and handlers are based at Lewis/McChord, most serve Military Police patrol duties and drug searches of the barracks. They also are used for special ceremonial events in the area, like a visit last fall by Vice President Joe Biden and the large memorial service at the Tacoma Dome in early December for the four slain Lakewood Police Department officers. Others are specialists in explosives, cadaver and missing-people detection. Depending on the assignment and the training, some work on-lead, others off.

Because of dramatic weather changes between this area and the Middle East, handler/dog teams are sent to Arizona and California bases for two weeks to acclimatize to the conditions they will be facing abroad. “It’s easier on the animals returning to the cooler weather here, than going in the other direction,” Hehr said.

Asked if she felt more intensity caring for a highly trained military dog than a family pet, Hehr replied, “The welfare of all animals is very important to their owners or handlers. But when you know some of these dogs are saving others’ lives you place a very high priority on caring for them.

“And when you hear a story first-hand about how the dog on your exam table saved others’ lives by finding explosives planted on a vehicle or beneath it, it really validates its importance in the war effort.”

The Army Veterinary Corps lists 700 veterinarians from all of the colleges of veterinary medicine in the United States, including more than 200 board-certified specialists.  It provides services to the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps in more than 90 countries, and is delegated to perform food safety and security inspections for all of the armed services.

All attend a 12-week Officers Basic Leaders Course at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, in preparation for their first assignment. It is not a regular Army basic-training course, although participants are taught to fire a weapon, treat battle injuries and an assortment of other challenges.

Most first assignments are in the United States for 18 to 24 months. Second deployments are either overseas or to a veterinary field unit that can be deployed abroad.

As Iraqi Security Forces assume added duties and prepare for eventual U.S. withdrawal. Army Veterinary Corps members, including some from Lewis/McChord, are offering them basic medical training for Military Working Dogs, including nutrition, proper weight and grooming techniques.

Instruction also includes how to trim the dogs’ nails, clean their teeth and ears, hair trimming and the importance of clean drinking water.  Additional emphasis is given to proper paperwork and microchipping each animal.