When the news of the raid on Osama Bin Laden's compound broke, the SEAL team member that stole the show was a highly trained canine companion. Throughout history, dogs have been key contributors to military units. Dorothy Hinshaw Patent follows man's best friend onto the battlefield, showing readers why dogs are uniquely qualified for the job at hand, how they are trained, how they contribute to missions, and what happens when they retire.

The above is the summary provided by Goodreads.

"Dogs on Duty" is an informational book about how the military uses dogs. They're called Military Working Dogs (MWDs). The book takes the reader through the training process dogs in the military have to go through. It also, highlights famous dogs in military history.

This is such a fun book for any dog lover. The dogs features in this book are truly heroic, and the basic training these MWDs entail is pretty interesting. These dogs are huge assets to the safety of our armed forces.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about dogs. As a teacher I would read this maybe nearing Veteran's Day or another military related event. After reading, I would let the student have the opportunity to have an organized discussion about their pets and something special they can do. I want to have this book in my personal teaching library! ( )

Recommended Ages: Gr. 4-7

Plot Summary: History of dogs role in the military and war. Started during World War I as a way to scare the enemy, then as messenger dogs until the Vietnam War when the handlers realized the dogs could be easily trained for more difficult missions using their fantastic senses.

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A few hero dogs are highlighted.

Recurring Themes: military, dogs, bravery, technology, connection to handler

Controversial Issues: none

Personal Thoughts: I started reading this next to my husband and I found myself showing him or reading something outloud to him frequently. Each chapter is 2-4 pages and the pictures and stories are perfectly placed so that you can read all of the words without flipping to the next page in the middle of a paragraph.

Genre: Non-fiction, informational text, first chapter might be good for close reading

Pacing: Fast, short book with short chapters
Characters: Good variety of compassion, war, and dogs
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Sat in Barnes and Noble crying over this one. It does not sugar coat the realities of the dangers these dogs and their humans are facing, but very well done. ( )

Did you know that thousands of dogs have served in the Unites States military? Dogs on Duty explains some of the duties and missions dogs are assigned, how they are raised and trained, and what happens to them after they retire. This is a straightforward nonfiction text that will appeal to both dog-lovers and military enthusiasts, a great choice for reluctant readers interested in those topics, and likely to appeal to guy readers. Plenty of photos illustrate the text, giving readers a picture of what life in the military is like for these canines. A handful of exceptional military dogs are recognized in sidebars throughout the book.

Readalikes: Intrigued by the subject of dogs in the military? Try the novel Letters From Wolfie by Patti Sherlock for a look at one boy's experience lending his dog to the Vietnam War effort.

For more information about working dogs, try Dog Heroes by Mary Pope Osborne or books in Bearport's Dog Heroes series. ( )