Customer Reviews

Badge on My Collar: A Chronicle of Courageous Canines

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I read this book in one sitting. I share this author's love for animals and found myself caught up in these stories of canine heroism and courage. A heart warming book that anyone who loves animals will enjoy. (And if you don't love animals, read it anyway; you will when you are done).

As a fellow owener of a German Shepherd, this true stories of K9 heroism truly touched me. The unconditional love and devotion of these dogs coupled with the genuine love and respect law enforcement has for their partners moved me to tears. I would highly recommend this book for everyone.. particularly people who know that dogs are truly part of the family and love as deeply as humans do.

Marilyn Jeffers Walton did a great job in capturing the essence of police, military, and search-and-rescue dogs in this collection of heartwarming, true stories. The bond between these working dogs and their handlers was evident and Marilyn helped me fall in love with each and every one of these dogs. If you love dogs, you will love this book!

Although Marilyn Jeffers Walton is not a search and rescue or a police dog handler, she has spent many years attending regional police dog trials. At the trials, she met and became friends with many K-9 handlers who shared stories about their dogs with her. This, coupled with her love of German Shepherd Dogs sparked her research into the lives that they lead. She wrote Badge on My Collar hoping to enlighten the general public as well as animal shelters.
Badge on My Collar gives the reader a unique collection of true stories about police dogs, one search and rescue dog and one military dog. What I liked about this book is that it shows the reader the successes and failures that police K-9 handlers experience in their training and selection of dogs. Without getting overly dramatic or emotional, Ms. Walton lets us share the joy, pride and grief that the handlers experience living and working with their dogs. She has selected specific incidents for each dog in order to show the reader how the dogs work and the dangers they face. The message about how valuable these dogs are to the police departments comes across in each story.
Ms. Walton is an award winning children's book writer and this was evident in her writing style for this book. She was able to present the material in a direct, simple and informative manner, making it easy for the young reader to enjoy. Although some of the stories have a sad ending, Ms. Walton handles it in a way that does not traumatize the reader. The main message that comes through is the depth of the bond that exists between working dogs and their handlers. This is a fun and informative book for the entire family.