War Dogs

A truly wonderful account of ‘man’s best friend’ in combat—and post-combat—missions: an inspirational, moving book that explains the extraordinary nature of the relationship between dogs and their military handlers in war.”

—General David H. Petraeus (U.S. Army, Retired)

 

 

“This is a lovely book but it's also a surprising book. I opened it looking forward to reading a few good stories about the use of dogs in war. But midway through it, the realization hit me that this is something larger than that, and far deeper: it is a meditation on war and humans. It illuminates conflict from the unexpected angle of the allure of war, and the damage it does to both species."

—Thomas E. Ricks, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist
 

 

“Full of hard-to-put-down stories about military dogs and the handlers who love them (and are often told not to). ... Frankel has done a brilliant job of taking us into another world of dogs and soldiers in war."

—Patricia McConnell, author of The Other End of the Leash

 

 

"For a dog lover like myself who also reports on the US military, War Dogs is a fascinating dive into the world of the canines and their handlers who work so hard to keep American soldiers safe on the battlefield. Frankel writes beautifully and she is also a thoroughly dogged reporter so her account of our war dogs is charming and also provides a deep understanding of a little understood, but important part of our military culture."

—Peter Bergen, author of Manhunt: The Ten-Year Search for Bin Laden, From 9/11 to Abbottabad  

 

"As a former military working dog handler, I can be skeptical of stories and reports on our beloved dog teams as they can often be sensationalized or full of misinformation. Frankel not only captures the heroism and history of dog teams in great detail and accuracy, but offers unprecedented access to the training dogs and handlers go through and the everlasting relationships they forge. This book is a tremendous gift to the military working dog community and those interested in it."

—Mike Dowling, author of Sergeant Rex

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“Full of information about the nature, history, and training of military service canines, War Dogs sometimes reads like an adventure and sometimes reads like a novel that focuses on relationships and affection (here between a soldier and a dog). It is a very satisfying and often emotional read."

—Stanley Coren, author of The Wisdom of Dogs