Dog Heroes

On a crystal clear day, a large green parachute descends from the sky. As the chute gets closer to the ground, four furry legs come into view. The creature attached to the parachute is a dog! The canine has been trained by the military to skydive from planes flying high above Earth. Once on the ground, the dog uses its keen sense of smell to seek out hidden bombs and hunt down dangerous terrorists. In this book, young readers will meet a variety of amazing skydiving dogs--from Austrian military dogs that plunge from a height of 10,000 feet (3,048 m) to dogs like Otis, a 12-year-old pug in California that likes to accompany his owner, Will DaSilvia, on skydiving expeditions. Packed with real-life stories and dramatic, full-color photos of these special animals, this book is sure to be a favorite of dog-lovers everywhere.

On the morning of July 15, 2012, the weather at Sant'Agostino Beach in Italy was clear and calm--just perfect for a swim. Shortly before noon, however, the wind picked up. Soon, it blew so hard that it pushed two swimmers dangerously far from shore. Fortunately, a lifeguard was on duty. She managed to swim out and help bring both swimmers back. Most of the time, such an event wouldn't make headlines. This time, however, it did. That's because the lifeguard was a yellow Labrador retriever named Ariel! Ariel is just one of hundreds of dogs that patrol beaches to keep people safe. Whether diving into dangerous waves from the decks of rescue boats or jumping from helicopters hovering above the water, these brave canines are willing to risk their lives to make sure no one drowns. With real-life stories and full-color photos of these courageous canines on the job, this book is sure to appeal to dog lovers everywhere.

When Debbie Zeisler adopted a huge dog named Bear from an animal shelter, she had no idea that one day he would save her life. In 2011, Debbie was leaving her house when Bear suddenly blocked her path. Somehow, the big dog sensed that Debbie, who suffers from seizures, was going to have an attack. Unaware of what was coming, Debbie continued walking. Then the seizure struck, and Debbie fell down and banged her head. Bear, the amazing shelter dog, ran to get help--and, ultimately, helped save his owner's life. This is just one of many inspiring stories found inShelter Dogs. After being rescued, many shelter dogs, just like Bear, go on to do extraordinary things. From searching for earthquake survivors to helping people with medical problems, young readers will be amazed at how shelter dogs save lives and help people in need.

In 2011, British soldiers were searching a compound in Afghanistan for explosives. Private Andrew Duff, a dog handler, was on patrol with an English springer spaniel named Jack. The dog was trained to sniff out bombs that the enemy might have hidden in the area. As Private Duff was about to take his next step, Jack suddenly stopped and sat down in front of him. It was the dog's way of letting his handler know that a bomb was buried just ahead. Thanks to Jack's keen sense of smell, the weapons were found before they could do any harm. Jack is just one of the thousands of military dogs serving faithfully around the world. Some, like Jack, sniff out explosives. Others guard soldiers, weapons, vehicles, and buildings. All of them show the love and loyalty that make them a soldier's best friend. With real-life stories and full-color photos of these courageous canines on the job, this book is sure to appeal to dog lovers everywhere.

On a summer night in 2014, Clare Whiteford and her three young sons were asleep in their home. Without warning, a fire broke out in their kitchen. Everyone in the family was unaware of the danger--everyone except their adopted greyhound, Uno. The dog raced upstairs to Clare's bedroom and barked loudly. Clare woke up and rushed the children outside. Uno had saved their lives! Amazingly, just a year earlier, Uno didn't have a home and was living in a shelter. In this inspiring book, young readers will meet a variety of homeless dogs that, after being rescued, do heroic and wonderful things. From saving lives to helping veterans with medical problems to performing in a celebrated circus, young readers will be amazed at what rescue dogs can do. With dramatic, full-color photos, this book is sure to warm the hearts of animal lovers everywhere.

When Hannah was in first grade, she hated reading. The young girl had dyslexia. She had trouble pronouncing words and even recognizing letters on a page. Hannah felt nervous reading in front of her classmates. Things changed, though, when she met Kaila--a furry, friendly Shetland sheepdog. For a few minutes every week, Kaila would listen quietly as the girl read books aloud. Soon, Hannah felt more relaxed. She could read faster and pronounce hard words. How could a dog like Kaila help a child read? In this inspiring book, young readers will learn about Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.). In schools and libraries all over the world, these specially trained dogs--from tiny terriers to giant mastiffs--are helping kids overcome their difficulties with reading. Packed with real-life stories and adorable, full-color photos of these remarkable animals, this book is sure to be a favorite of dog-lovers everywhere.

Meet Isaiah. He's one of nearly 70 golden retrievers who are sent around the county to perform a special job--to comfort and calm people after a tragedy has occurred. From meeting survivors of the Boston Marathon bombing to victims of Hurricane Sandy, these specially-trained dogs help relieve people's stress as they provide peace and comfort. Run by the Lutheran Church Charities, the comfort dog program is truly an example of the amazing ways a furry friend can bring happiness--or even just a smile--to people when they need it most. With real heart-warming stories and full-color photos of these lovable canines, this book is sure to appeal to dog lovers everywhere.

After injuring his spinal cord in an accident, Jasper the dachshund was unable to move his back legs. In 2012, scientists at Cambridge University tried an unusual experiment to help Jasper walk again. They took special cells from inside Jasper's nose and transplanted them into his spine. Why? Scientists knew that these cells constantly regrow to keep the nose working. Could these same cells somehow repair Jasper's damaged spinal cord? This is just one of many fascinating stories found inScience Dogs. For more than a century, dogs like Jasper have played a key role in scientific discoveries, from the invention of the pacemaker to a cancer-sniffing machine modeled after a dog's nose. With dramatic, full-color photos, this book is sure to appeal to dog lovers everywhere.

It was February 1925 in the Alaskan wilderness. One wrong step could mean sudden death for musher Gunnar Kaasen and his lead sled dog, Balto. The temperature had dropped to -50°F. Fierce winds roared as snow pounded the sled. The blinding blizzard made it impossible to see. Waiting for the weather to change, however, wasn't an option. Fifty miles away in Nome, Alaska, dozens of the town's children were sick with diphtheria and near death. Gunnar and Balto carried the only medicine that could cure them! In this captivating book, young readers will meet an amazing Siberian husky named Balto, who bravely guided a team of sled dogs on a grueling trip through blinding snow, over a half-frozen river, and through a steep mountain pass to safely deliver medicine to children in need. Packed with adventure, true stories, and dramatic, full-color photos, this book is sure to inspire dog lovers everywhere.

In 2002, a tiny, golden puppy was born without one of her front legs. Her other front leg was badly deformed, leaving her unable to walk. The Stringfellow family adopted the puppy and named her Faith. However, they worried that little Faith might never be able to walk on her own. As Faith got older and stronger, the Stringfellows helped her to balance on her hind legs. Eventually, they used peanut butter to coax her to walk all by herself on only two legs! This is just one of the many inspiring stories found inDisabled Dogs. Some dogs, like Faith, are missing legs, while others do not have the ability to see or hear. Whatever the challenge, young readers will be amazed at how these dogs are able to lead full and active lives, and provide hope to people who have similar disabilities. With dramatic, full-color photos of these extra-special canines, this book is sure to warm the hearts of dog lovers everywhere.

One evening in January 2010, an 11-year-old boy named Austin went outside to collect firewood in the backyard of his home. As he got closer to the woodshed, he saw a large animal with round ears and large teeth. Luckily, Austin had brought his golden retriever, Angel, with him. Suddenly, the animal--a ferocious cougar--leapt at Austin. Angel sprang into action and bravely jumped in front of the cougar to protect the boy. Austin then raced inside to get help as Angel and the cougar fought. The brave-hearted canine had saved her owner's life! In this inspiring book, young readers will meet a variety of courageous dogs willing to risk their lives to protect their human companions--from a pit bull that saved her owner from dangerous robbers to a German shepherd-wolf mix that dragged her elderly owners to safety during a snowstorm. Packed with real-life stories and dramatic, full-color photos of these remarkable animals, this book is sure to be a favorite of dog-lovers everywhere.