2018 School Spending Survey Report
Top Dog: The Story of Marine Hero Lucca
Dutton. Oct. 2014. 320p. photos. notes. ISBN 9780525954361. $26.95; ebk. ISBN 9780698161412. PETS
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Goodavage, a former reporter with USA Today, continues to tell the story of military working dogs that she began in 2012's Soldier Dogs: the Untold Story of America's Canine Heroes. This time, readers follow one particular canine, German shepherd-Belgian Malinois mix Lucca and her handlers as they "walk point," discovering IEDs and caches of weapons in Afghanistan. Lucca is a specialized search dog (SSD), trained to work off leash at distances from her handler, directed by hand signals or a microphone concealed in her vest. The author explains the lengthy, arduous training in conditions simulating the harsh environments the dogs will experience. She then describes the dangerous missions that the teams undertook and their triumphs and tragedies. The result is an eye-opening account of the job these intelligent dogs and their courageous handlers do.
VERDICT Readers familiar with Goodavage's previous book or Mike Ritland's 2013 Trident K-9 Warriors, who are interested in learning about the specialized training military dogs receive, or who want more proof of the intensity of the human-animal bond, will want to read this riveting title that is filled with excitement and heartbreak. [See Prepub Alert, 6/2/14.]
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