"War Dogs" shares the bond between combat dogs and soldiers

The tale of a Marine and his war dog torn apart by death
PBS The Rundown
BY MARGARET WARNER
December 23, 2014

Sirius with his new owner, Marine Cpl. Eric Roethler.

Photo by U.S. Navy

Margaret Warner talks with Rebecca Frankel, author of the new book “War Dogs,” about the powerful bond between servicemen and their combat dogs. Video shot by Morgan Till, edited by Ariel Min.

The crucial link for an effective war-dog-and-handler team in battle zones is the psychological bond between the two. They depend on each other for their lives. And if their assignment is detecting deadly IEDs — as it was for many of the 2,500 canines in America’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan wars — so do every soldier or marine in the unit they lead on foot patrol.

It’s a deep bond based on trust, professional confidence in the other’s instincts and abilities to find explosives, and a personal mix of discipline, intimacy and affection. The bond can take weeks of training to develop and months of battlefield experience to hone.
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