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On Oct. 27, 2019, a 5-year-old Belgian Malinois military working dog named Conan took part in the Barisha raid, which resulted in the death of the leader of ISIS. While Conan received minor wounds, it was reported she is expected to fully recover. Conan joined a long list of heroic military working dogs.

Whenever a heroic dog is honored in the news, public interest grows around what military working dogs do. Luckily, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of some of the most interesting books about military working dogs.

“Dogs of War,” by Kathleen Kinsolving. WND Books, 2012.

Dogs of War: The Stories of FDR's Fala, Patton's Willie, and Ike's Telek by [Kinsolving, Kathleen]
“Sergeant Stubby: How a Stray Dog and His Best Friend Helped Win World War I and Stole the Heart of a Nation,” by Ann Bausum. National Geographic, 2014.

“Sergeant Rex: The Unbreakable Bond Between a Marine and His Military Working Dog,” by Mike Dowling with Damien Lewis. Atria Books, 2011.


“War Dogs: Tales of Canine Heroism, History, and Love,” by Rebecca Frankel. Palgrave Macmillian, 2014.

“The Dogs of War: The Courage, Love and Loyalty of Military Working Dogs,” by Lisa Rogak. Thomas Dunne Books, 2011.

The Dogs of War: The Courage, Love, and Loyalty of Military Working Dogs by [Rogak, Lisa]

“K-9 Soldiers: Vietnam and After,” by Paul B. Morgan. Hellgate Press, 1999.

“The Parrot’s Beak: U.S. Operations in Cambodia,” by Paul B. Morgan, Hellgate Press, 2000.

“From Baghdad to America: Life Lessons from a Dog Named Lava,” by Jay Koppelman. Skyhorse Publishing, 2008.

From Baghdad to America: Life Lessons from a Dog Named Lava by [Kopelman, Jay]

“Always Faithful: A Memoir of the Marine Dogs of WW II,” by Capt. William W. Putney, DVM, U.S. Marine Corps retired, 2001.

Always Faithful: A Memoir of the Marine Dogs of WWII by [Putney, William W.]

“Soldier Dogs: The Untold Story of America’s Canine Heroes,” by Maria Goodavage. Dutton, 2012.

“44 Days Out of Kandahar: The Amazing Journey of a Missing Military Puppy and the Desperate Search to Find Her,” by Christine Sullivan. New Hope for Animals, LLC, 2007.

“Dog Tags of Courage,” by John C. Burnam, Lost Coast Press, 2000.

“Forever Forward: K-9 Operations in Vietnam,” by Michael Lemish. Schiffer Military History, 2009.

“No Buddy Left Behind: Bringing U.S. Troops’ Dogs and Cats Safely Home from the Combat Zone,” by Terri Crisp with Cynthia Hurn. Lyons Press, 2012.

No Buddy Left Behind: Bringing U.S. Troops' Dogs and Cats Safely Home from the Combat Zone by [Crisp, Terri, Cynthia Hurn]
“Police and Military Dogs: Criminal Detection, Forensic Evidence, and Judicial Admissibility,” by John J. Ensminger. CRC Press, 2012.