Readers' Comments
61 results
Heather E.
4 years ago
Great story. I am glad they are being honored. It is nice to see the special bond between the dog and his handler.
Jessica T.
4 years ago
This is a really awesome story. It is great to see the bond between dog and handler, and I am so glad that our military has welcomed K-9 units and recongnized them as an important and worthy team.
Veronica (Ronnie) G.
4 years ago
True, the military dogs are the first line of defense...and targeted! They save so many lives!!! They should be honored...all-of-them.
I hope all the military dog handlers take as good care and LOVE, as Renato's "Dad!" And it must be so hard for them to part when the soldier's time of duty is up and he/she goes home.
Kathleen H.
4 years ago
I had the opportunity to meet John C. Burnam, author of A Soldier's Best Friend, a few years ago. How the military treated dogs in Vietnam is just disgraceful. I'm hoping that they will do a better job with the K-9s involved in this war. It seems like they are on the right path.
MaxxieBrown
4 years ago
Great story. I love to watch the training of military and police dogs. It's remarkable to see what an animal will do to protect it' trainer.
Patricia C.
4 years ago
This dog is a real hero! Congratulations and keep up the good work. We as Americans are very proud of you!!!
Julie Kay S.
4 years ago
For those who'd like to know more about the dogs that were left behind (about 2,800, compared with just 200 that came home):
The book is titled: Leaving Jack, by Gareth Crocker, and published by Robert Hale Publishers, May 2008.
www.halebooks.com/display.asp?K=9780709085140&pge=hale&sf5=lcode&st5=not+67351&st1=Gareth+Crocker&sf1=contributor&st2=Leaving+Jack&sf2=title_index&sf3=identifier&sf4=keyword&m=1&dc=1
Author website: www.garethcrocker.com/media.htm
Crocker stumbled across the story of the Vietnam War dogs while visiting the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington several years ago.
"I was standing next to a Vietnam veteran, in full military gear, when I noticed he had come to place a dog harness at the foot of the wall. Recognising this was a profoundly personal moment for the man, I stood quietly beside him for a few minutes, before politely enquiring about the harness. He replied that he was forced to leave his German Shepherd behind in Vietnam at the end of the war, despite the fact that his dog had saved his platoon from trip wires linked to mines on three separate occasions," Crocker explains.
"He then took me through the basic story of the Vietnam War Dogs and when he was done, he wept openly. He cried like a man who had just lost his child. And this, almost 30 years after the incident. I remember being extremely moved by the man's utter despair at the loss of his dog and decided then that I would write a book as a tribute to the dogs."
Also, please visit www.war-dogs.com
Ronatha
4 years ago
I have read stories like this before and appreciate you telling one here. These stories are common in units that had dogs in the war and I can't help but weep myself over the guilt they must feel because they had no choice but leave them behind. These soldiers loved this dogs--they were the ultimate soldiers themselves and saved countless lives.
VietnamJack01
4 years ago
Hi Julie,
Thanks so much for directing me to Gareth Crocker's novel, Leaving Jack. It has to be the best book I have ever read. It was so emotional and uplifting that I simply can't stop thinking about it.
Oh ... I should perhaps point out that I am Gareth Crocker, the author of the book...
Sorry Julie, just having a bit of fun! My publicist sent this posting to me and I just wanted to thank you for your comments. I believe the story of the Vietnam War dogs is probably the most important animal story of our generation.
I hope anyone who reads Leaving Jack enjoys it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Take care.
In Dog we Trust,
Gareth Crocker.
Julie Kay S.
4 years ago
Gareth, you are a card! That's meant in the most complimentary way. I've a feeling that readers of Leaving Jack will all need hankies (as they should) and can't wait until I join their numbers!
Julie and Wiggles
betty p.
4 years ago
I am glad that Renato is honored. It is a tough job to be a working dog. But it is also one that these dogs need to be. They are usually the high energy out of control for a normal home life.
I know this first hand. We had a lab at our shelter who even with training at our prison program, he was out of control. He was always turned on. He was so full of energy, nobody wanted him. So lab rescue took him in and they found somebody who would be able to train him to be a working dog. He became a bomb sniffing dog and is serving time overseas. He has saved his unit three times with some major finds.
It does upset me that the dog is overseas and could get killed. But here in there was not a home for him. I really believe dogs like these were put here to protect and serve.
Stephanie W.
4 years ago
I love stuff like this. My husband is military and he says the K9's over there are really amazing.
Ronatha
4 years ago
I like the idea of letting experienced civilians adopt these dogs if their personality allows. We adopted our wonderful Belgain Malinois from the military (air force) --gosh I guess its closer now to 2 years ago! She was injured during her second training (was already detection trained--this was for patrol) and had to be pulled from the program. These working dogs are INTENSE and must have a job! We took her and had her get the knee surgery and stem cell injections (worked great!!) for partial cruciate tears in both knees. She has gone through the recovery period and is good as new now! She is not a dog for everyone as Belgian Malinois have tremendous drive and need to be doing something all the time with her body and her brain. we adore her and she is so happy to be in our home and part of a family. I actually think it's a blessing she got injured so she didn't have to go to the middle east.
sharon d.
4 years ago
It's been going on for years,our animals in working positions,whether it be military ,helping the blind,sniffing drugs at the airport,etc,but it seems only recently that these animals are truly getting the recognition and quality care that they deserve,for putting their lives out there on the line,daily.
Every working dog story makes my chest swell in pride and honor for these heroic and beautiful animals. They deserve the best to begin with,and even more so for the heroic things that they accomplish to keep us humans safe.
I salute them all.
Jessica H.
4 years ago
What a great story. I'm glad they were honored for their service and the sacrifices they've made for our freedom. May God bless them both!
Kadiquilts
4 years ago
Congratulations on a job well done Renato & Washington.......I hope you do not get called back to Afghanistan. Sounds like a marriage made in heaven for you two!
Julie Kay S.
4 years ago
ZooToo Article Crew: PLEASE, spell out things before referring to them as acronyms! I visited www.acronymfinder.com in order to learn what the three acronmys referenced in the article -- but never explained -- meant.
CPO - Chief Petty Officer (U.S. Navy)
MA1 - Master at Arms First Class (Navy rating)
MWD - Military Working Dog
Okay, now that all ZooTooers know what the acronyms mean: I'm very glad that John Washington and Renato are home, safe and sound, and hope that they are never separated and that Renato gets to live out his days at John Washington's side.
My feelings about dogs in the military are colored by what happened to military dogs in Vietnam. The vast majority of them were NOT brought home. The vast majority were left behind, KILLED. Like the number of Prisoners-of-War (POWs) and Missing-in-Action (MIAs) that were left behind, even though there was clear and compelling evidence of their being alive (see the books "Soldiers of Misfortune" and "Kiss the Boys Goodbye," for starters).
I'm relieved that this dog and his handler are back on home soil. I hope that this special dog AND his handler can fit back into normal lives here in America.
My memory, however, will never leave behind those gallant dogs that saved so many of our soldiers in Vietnam, and were "thanked" for their efforts with DEATH, then left behind, as were some of our boys.
Christine
4 years ago
One side of me thinks it's sort of unfair to make these super wonderful animals do dangerous things, whether it be dogs, horses, whatever. The other side thinks it's very cool, as long as they are safe. I think service animals are absolutely amazing, they truly are. Way to go Renato! :)
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