Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle

Birthday gift for my outdoorsy nephew, and little dog lover. Sweet book with pictures and a heart-warming story with a touch of real deployment life.

"Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine, and a Miracle" is a heartwarming book intended largely for children, although many adults that I know have read my copy and loved it too. Major Brian Dennis, USMC, was on deployment to Iraq in 2007. Near the Syrian border he met a dog that changed his life. He named the abused and malnourished dog "Nubs" because some idiotic local had cut his ears off in an attempt to make him a "dog of war." Astoundingly, despite his obvious abuse, the dog thrived on human contact.Major Dennis made numerous trips into the area, and Nubs became progressively weaker and sicker. Setting off on his own, Nubs made one final gambit by walking 70 miles across the desert after the vehicles that carried Dennis and his men: the reunion was wonderful, but all was not well. After running afoul of Marine Corps regulations prohibiting pet ownership, Dennis engineered a return to his San Diego home for the scrappy survivor, cementing their bond forever.This book is perfect for children because it teaches the value of animals and the significance of the human-animal bond. It also teaches compassion and displays American military members as the soft-spoken heroes they almost always are, in this case heroes not for valor on the battlefield, but for love, compassion, and motivation to succeed in the face of adversity. I recommend this book highly for children and for animal-loving adults as well, though bear in mind the book is quite short (48 pages) and is largely photographs. I applaud Major Dennis (and thank him for his service,) Kirby Larson, and Mary Nethery for bringing this wonderful tale to public attention: it is more than worthwhile.

Cute, very short and true story, of a dog. Worth buying for a short book that will make you smile.

This is such a great story for both adults and children!

I had no idea, when I down loaded this little book from Amazon, that it would be so enjoyable. I loved it from page 1 to its end page.I hate it that Nubs beautiful dog's ears were chopped off. I loved this dog and his soldier who found doggie love on the battle front. I was so happy when this dog's story turned from hardship to a wonderful life in America because a soldier cared.The book is short and told in pictures. Every child and adult should see it, read it, or be read to about this wonderful little dog. I loved it that Nubs enjoyed eating the Pop Tarts from the soldier's rations. Now, I give my dogs a Pop Tart once in awhile.The story is about love in the form of an "all heart" dog who ran 7 miles facing hardship through the sands of Iraq's desert in the winter.This little dog's love for a soldier made him put himself out there in harms way because he had a big heart.I am so glad this book was written. It is just more proof that dogs belong with us, and teach us how to love one another. I am so glad that Nubs now lives in the USA.

I buy this book for all baby gifts. It’s the best story ever.

Truth

This is a wonderful story of a marine in Iraq and a war weary dog. Although it is true, it rivals Lassie Come Home in it's heroic story of a dog returning to the Master, he chose, not across Scotland but across war torn Iraq. Against Marine protocol and the local dislike of stray dogs Nubs, all alone, and with many injuries, trekked across desert and found his friend.When the librarians at the library I donated it to, tried to read it out loud, they had to stop to wipe away their tears. My wife read it to her second grade class and she received pictures of Nubs, drawn at home, the next day. She says as a teacher she knows she has reached a child when the child repeats some aspect of the lesson at home.This book is full of touching, not gruesome photographs, of Nubs and Marine Maj. Brian Dennis in Iraq. The story is an easy read but has some excerpts from actual emails from Brian showing the love and concern was not one sided. While this book gives no opinion of the conflict it does show heroism, but mostly, it shows the love that happens between a dog and a man, despite the harshest conditions.

This is a great story but be aware this is a CHILD's version not an adult read. This wasnt made clear so I was disappointed, but a true account (albeit mainly in pictures here) and heartwarming. Make a nice gift for a younfster.