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e
have sold our dogs down the river, especially
our German Shepherd Dogs. The stories in this book
are simply amazing. I recommend it to anyone that
just wants to read about unfathomable things that
can be carried out by dogs using their own natural
devices. Our best friends are clearly capable of
so much, much more. |
In her book, Marilyn Jeffers Walton pays
tribute to 15 dogs
whose stories will enlighten (or remind)
you of what a dog can do with the right kind of attention. The
writing is not fabulous, and the stories read rather like newspaper
articles. But Walton conveys the information in a compelling
style. I read the whole book on a two-hour flight. I was completely
absorbed.
Walton clearly loves dogs. She wants the reader to know all about
these 15 extraordinary animals. Yet, her writing is just detached
enough that the tales do not take on a corny or embellished flavor.
This was refreshing; I prefer to form my own opinions, which can
easily become clouded by too much sentimentality. The stories are
well presented and imparted in a way that purely celebrates the
versatility of dogs.
There is the story of Major, who had been chained up in the backyard
at a rural home for the first two years of his life. But after being
rescued and receiving the care and training of a policewoman, Major
went on to become a top police dog with high awards and honors. Then
there is Ally, a cadaver dog who simply would not give up, even
after surgeries to treat fragmented medial coronoid process (FCP)
and a knee injury. And then there is Midge, a Chihuahua-Rat Terrier
cross that became a certified narcotics dog at one year of age.
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"The stories are well
presented and imparted in a way that purely celebrates
the versatility of dogs. . . .
dog trainers will be inspired; dog lovers will be
delighted; and animal lovers will be amazed."
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These are
just some of my favorite accounts in this collection, but I was
engaged throughout the book. The reader must be warned: not all of
the stories end happily, as it sometimes happens with dogs and the
people who treasure them so much. Nonetheless, dog trainers will be
inspired; dog lovers will be delighted; and animal lovers will be
amazed. I myself have begun to learn tracking with my dogs, and it
is so much fun to watch them become so engaged.
From the book
jacket:
"Marilyn
Jeffers Walton's eighth book has just been released.
Badge of My Collar--A Chronicle of Courageous Canines
profiles 15 police and search and rescue dogs,
telling their unique and fascinating true stories. Three
of these dogs are from Ohio. One, Luke II, is the highly
successful Cincinnati Police Department K9 who was
rescued from the Animal Friends Humane Society in Butler
County - the very day he was to be euthanized. Other
dogs from around the country and in Iraq are also
featured, along with the poignant story of the only dog
lost at the World Trade Center on 9/11. Over a span of
20 years, these stories were researched and collected to
create a true chronicle of these self-sacrificing and
brave dogs."
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Walton is a graduate of Ohio State
University and a writer of children’s books, including Chameleons’
Rainbow, which won a Children’s Choice award in 1986. Walton and her
husband, a retired professor from Miami University professor, raised
three sons and currently reside in Oxford, Ohio. They live with
their dogs Willie, Smokey, and Sandy.
Elizabeth Annand is a contributing writer for
www.gsdbydesign.com. She can be reached at
warbler@gwi.net.
