From two-time National Book Award nominee Melissa Fay Greene comes a profound and surprising account of dogs on the front lines of rescuing both children and adults from the trenches of grief, emotional, physical, and cognitive disability, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The Underdogs tells the story of Karen Shirk, felled at age twenty-four by a neuromuscular disease and facing life as a ventilator-dependent, immobile patient, who was turned down by every service dog agency in the country because she was “too disabled.” Her nurse encouraged her to tone down the suicidal thoughts, find a puppy, and raise her own service dog. Karen did this, and Ben, a German shepherd, dragged her back into life. “How many people are stranded like I was,” she wondered, “who would lead productive lives if only they had a dog?”

A thousand state-of-the-art dogs later, Karen Shirk’s service dog academy, 4 Paws for Ability, is restoring broken children and their families to life. Long shunned by scientists as a manmade, synthetic species, and oft- referred to as “Man’s Best Friend” almost patronizingly, dogs are finally paid respectful attention by a new generation of neuroscientists and animal behaviorists. Melissa Fay Greene weaves the latest scientific discoveries about our co-evolution with dogs with Karen’s story and a few exquisitely rendered stories of suffering children and their heartbroken families.

Written with characteristic insight, humanity, humor, and irrepressible joy, what could have been merely touching is a penetrating, compassionate exploration of larger questions: about our attachment to dogs, what constitutes a productive life, and what can be accomplished with unconditional love.

How does the ancient bond between human and dog create modern-day miracles?

Assistance Dogs for Disabilities: Follow the journey of children with autism, PTSD, and other challenges as they are paired with expertly trained canine partners from 4 Paws for Ability.
The Science of Dogs: Discover the latest scientific breakthroughs in animal cognition and neuroscience that explain our powerful co-evolution with our canine companions.
A Founder’s True Story: Meet Karen Shirk, the woman turned down by every agency for being “too disabled,” who went on to create a world-renowned service dog academy.
The Healing Power of Dogs: Witness the transformative impact of unconditional love as rescue dogs and purpose-bred puppies pull families from the trenches of grief and isolation.