Description:
Working Dogs honors those animals we know and love, who are willing to work hard for just a few snacks, a loving hand, and the challenge of the job. Authors Colleen Needles and Kit Carlson introduce us to some exemplary dogs who amaze with their drive and abilities. You'll meet Sammy the roofer; Batty the model; Hunter, a search and rescue specialist; and TV star Wesley, all of whom work as hard as their human counterparts. These dogs often bring a special element to their work that a human cannot. Lucy, an arson detection canine, has been on the scene of no less than 900 fire scenes, searching with her keen sense of smell for evidence of flammable liquids. Tess and Cassie, both a special breed known as Karelian bear dogs, have helped humans find a way to cohabit with bears without destroying them. And Susie and Thor are physical therapists who motivate their patients to speak or move their arms to get the German shepherds to come to them. Some of the stories in Working Dogs are downright touching, such as the one about the farmer who won Belle, a golden retriever, in a magazine contest after describing how he could use a service dog to help him maintain his family farm after he'd become paraplegic in a motorcycle accident. Wheely Willy, the chihuahua whose spinal cord injury left his hind quarters in a cart, provides a special kind of motivation during his visits to patients at nursing homes and veteran's hospitals. The central character in each of these true stories is a dog who simply wants to be useful, loyal, and loving. Dog owners and animal lovers will recognize in the pictures and words of Working Dogs the qualities that make these canines such wonderful friends and hardworking companions. --Kris Law
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