Sergeant Rex

The Unbreakable Bond Between a Marine and His Military Working Dog

By: Mike Dowling

Narrated by: Rob Shapiro

Length: 8 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

Deployed to Iraq's infamous Triangle of Death in 2004, Sergeant Mike Dowling and his military working dog Rex were part of the first Marine Corps military K9 teams sent to the front lines of combat since Vietnam. It was Rex's job to sniff out weapons caches, suicide bombers, and IEDs, the devastating explosives that wreaked havoc on troops and civilians alike. It was Mike's job to lead Rex into the heart of danger time and time again, always trusting Rex to bring them both back alive.

Dowling had turned twenty-five and Rex three just after they arrived in Iraq. Neither of them had any idea what to expect, and no training could fully prepare them for this job. An animal lover since childhood, Dowling had fostered and trained dogs for Guide Dogs for the Blind, and he was determined to serve in the military's K9 unit after joining the Marines. On their first patrols in Iraq, Rex suffered a seemingly incurable fear of explosions and gunfire, but with Mike at the other end of his leash, Rex gained the courage to perform his duty.

Dowling takes us into the searing 130-degree heat, the choking dust, and the ever-present threat of violent attack that seemed to permeate Iraq's streets. We experience Dowling's visceral fear of walking down an IED-laden alley where dismemberment or death can come with any footstep, only his trusted partner, Rex, by his side.Loyalty is one of the hallmarks of any good Marine, and nowhere is that quality more evident than in this astonishing account of Mike Dowling and Rex's wartime experiences.

A moving story of how a man and a dog developed complete trust in each other in the face of terrible adversity, Sergeant Rex is an unforgettable tale of sacrifice, courage, and love.

©2011 Mike Dowling and Damien Lewis (P)2013 Tantor

Critic reviews

"The best kind of nonfiction - an impossible-to-put-down true life story." ( San Francisco Chronicle

Salute to you mike Dowling

The past 3 weeks everyday before I train or meditate I would listen to 30 minutes of this book to get my mind right. Just finished it for the fourth time and have finally comprehended every second of this novel. If you have a passion for war novels or even the relationships of men and their best friend. It's for you. There are times when my eyes had been closed and felt like I was in the triangle of death.

Worth the listen. Mike Dowling I hope you read this. I can only hope to shake your hand someday. Sexy rexy is working hard out there somewhere.

Sergeant Rex

Thank You For Your Service !
Thank you for sharing your experiences with Rex during the Iraq War.

Outstanding! Hard to stop listening to!

Outstanding story that takes you on a roller-coaster ride that many of our military go through during their deployments to the sandbox. It's emotional at times especially since it takes on a dog lover's perspective with an added Warrior strength and endurance.

Great book

This was by far a great book about military working dogs and the handlers. I learned to appreciate those dogs even more. The narrator did a great dog. Thank you

Book That You Will Not Want To Put Down

Military Working Dogs have not been used since the Vietnam war. Rex was a puppy when he met Sergeant Mike Dowling. The bond between this man and dog was inspirational. They worked together, ate together, even slept together. That was if Rex could find room in the small beds provided in Iraq where they were deployed. He'd start out trying to lay beside Mike, then on top of him, gave up and slept in his own sleeping quarters.

Rex proved to be an excellent choice for becoming a Military Working Dog. The bond between man and dog was so tight that either of them would die for the other one.

Rex had one problem when he arrived in Iraq. He had never been introduced to such a high volume of noise when a battle was occurring. Mike employed the use of the rule book in his head and taught Rex how to manage and banish his fears.

Rex's jobs were to find IED's, weapons caches and suicide bombers. Any one of these jobs could easily kill Rex, Mike or the both of them. Rex went first and when Mike voiced the word, "seek," Rex went to work. He totally loved his job. If Rex did his job well, both he and Mike would return to their barracks.

This true story was a great read. I do love dogs and understand how man and dog can become almost more than a family member. The narrator was great for this book. The book was a good read from beginning to end. The book taught me something that I've always wanted to investigate, how to train and prepare a dog to become a Military Working Dog. Rest assured, this book explains that question and so very much more. The money or credit will not be wasted when you purchase this book. Enjoy!

A must read if you like dogs..

This book was very well written and moved at a good pace. I have listened to several books about dogs in war and this was the best one. This tells a great story about the relationship between a man and his dog.

Perfectly done

Amazing story, and read very well. Easy to listen to...never distracting. The story of these soldiers is so inspiring.

Loved Rex and his handler

The true bio of Marine service Dog, Rex, and his handler was wonderful listen. Entertaining

Absolutely Amazing

Loved every minute of this book and recommend it highly. Especially if you're interested in dogs.

One of the best books I have ever read!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. Friend or Foe! This book was well written, just emotionally charged enough, gave you the ability to actually imagine what was going on... Made me laugh, made me cry. Was a beautiful story!

What other book might you compare Sergeant Rex to and why?

Merle's Door, Pukka's Promise, Saving Cinnamon, many, just lovely stories that pulled you in, yet informed you at the same time.

Which scene was your favorite?

The part of the story I loved was how Rex was inter-woven into all of the Marines' lives and how he brought them comfort, happiness, fun as well as the protection he was supposed to.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

What moved me was the dedication that Dowling had to his dog. It was not one main thing, just the sense that he loved and cared for Rex.