Rebecca Ascher-Walsh - Loyal: 38 Inspiring Tales of Bravery, Heroism, and the Devotion of Dogs

A Red Cross service dog practices rescue techniques for winter conditions.

T here are dozens of reasons to love dogs, but the paramount reason for my passion emerged while I was writing the prequel to this book, Devoted: 38 Extraordinary Tales of Love, Loyalty, and Life With Dogs.

All dog lovers understand that dogs make us our best selves. With their unconditional love, they meet us at a place where we are not judged and can therefore be unguarded. In the privacy of our homes, were met with chased tails, fetched tennis balls, and endless kisses that inspire us to reclaim our childhood delight in fun. When no one is watching except for the dog, we laugh harder. We hug more. And when we are sad, dogs dont demand explanations or answers. An arm around them in the night, holding them close, will do.

I have known this since childhoodI have never been without a dog by my side. I certainly know it as an adult, volunteering in a high-kill shelter and running the nonprofit Deja Foundation, which offers veterinary and training assistance to dogs rescued from euthanasia in shelters like mine. I understand that just as we can change dogs lives, they can change ours.

But what I learned as I began to speak with people for Devoted, and again while writing this book, is that as powerfully as our love for a dog connects us with the person we are, our collective love of dogs connects us with each other. Across social, economic, and political boundaries, those of us who share this bond are initiated into the most wonderful club. It can happen at the dog park, at work, or simply on the street when we smile at another person walking a sweet companion. Our knowing grins communicate, How lucky are we?

That lesson became even more powerful as I wrote Loyal. Many of these stories are profoundly emotional. Because these are service or therapy dogs, the needs they met went beyond adding cheer at the end of a long day. Yet, no matter the circumstances, every person I interviewed became elated when talking about their dog, sharing deeply personal experiences from one dog lover to another.

A teacher in Newtown, Connecticut, spoke in detail about the difficult time after the horrific shootings so that we might understand how Drago, a Spinone Italiano, soothed everyone around him. A woman whose calling is comforting traumatized soldiers with Bandit the goofy Great Dane reached out to see which soldiers might want to tell their stories. Suddenly my voice mail was full of people eager to talk about things they didnt share with family members, all in the name of praising Bandit. Even the scientist who spends his life researching threatened and endangered species couldnt contain his enthusiasm for what might otherwise be brutal work if not for his partnership with his cattle dog mix Alli. Her scent-detection skills turn the mission into one of hope.

Equally astonishing: There is not a single person featured in this book who didnt make me laughwho didnt reconnect with the joy their dog has given them, with the optimism that sometimes only the silliness of a warm muzzle and a silly grin can give. They pay those gifts forward here, telling their stories. The dogs they love, every one of them, are great dogs. And the owners are, without exception, extraordinary people. All are a reminder of how dogs not only help us be our best selves, but also become a better part of the world in which we live.

Labrador retriever Iowa