MY DOG THE WAR HERO
Reader's Digest UK|March 2021
Before I adopted Dyngo, he spent nine months sniffing bombs and saving lives in Afghanistan. Could I help him settle back into civilian life?
Rebecca Frankel
MY DOG THE WAR HERO

It was late—an indistinguishable, blearyeyed hour. In front of me was a large dog, snapping his jaws so hard that his teeth gave a loud clack with each bark. His eyes were locked on me, desperate for the toy in my hand. But he wasn’t playing—he was freaking out.

As I cautiously held my ground, his bark morphed from a yelp to a shout. Then he gave a rumbling growl. That was when my unease gave way to something far more primal: fear.

This was no ordinary dog. Dyngo, a ten-year-old, had been trained to propel his six-stone body toward insurgents, locking his jaws around them. He’d served three tours in Afghanistan, weathering grenade blasts and firefights. This dog had saved thousands of lives. Now he was in my flat in Washington, DC. Just 72 hours earlier, I had travelled across the country to retrieve Dyngo from Luke Air Force Base near Phoenix, Arizona, so that he could live out his remaining years with me in civilian retirement.

That first night, May 9, 2016, after we’d settled into my hotel room, Dyngo sat on the bed waiting for me. When I got under the covers, he stretched across the blanket, his weight heavy and comforting against my side. As I drifted off to sleep, I felt his body twitch, and I smiled: Dyngo is a dog who dreams.

The next morning, I gave him a toy and went to shower. When I emerged from the bathroom, it was like stepping into a henhouse massacre. Feathers floated in the air. Fresh rips ran through the white sheets. In the middle of the bed was Dyngo, panting over a pile of shredded pillows. Throughout the morning, his rough play left scratches where his teeth had broken the skin through my jeans.

This story is from the March 2021 edition of Reader's Digest UK.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the March 2021 edition of Reader's Digest UK.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM READER'S DIGEST UKView All
Culinary Grandes Dames
Reader's Digest UK

Culinary Grandes Dames

Paola Westbeek celebrates the women who have influenced her journey in gastronomy-from Elizabeth David and Julia Child to Nigella Lawson

time-read
3 mins  |
March 2024
My Britain: Winterton-on-Sea
Reader's Digest UK

My Britain: Winterton-on-Sea

WITH A BEAUTIFUL BEACH on one side and the Norfolk Broads on the other, Winterton-on-Sea is a lovely little village with a big heart.

time-read
5 mins  |
March 2024
Under The GRANDFLUENCE Prince Stash
Reader's Digest UK

Under The GRANDFLUENCE Prince Stash

From aristocratic, eccentric friend of Sixties rockstars to TikTok sensation

time-read
3 mins  |
March 2024
Steve Conte: If I Ruled The World
Reader's Digest UK

Steve Conte: If I Ruled The World

Steve Conte is a musician known for his memorable guitar work as a member of New York Dolls, as well as his collaborations with Japanese composer Yoko Kanno on the soundtracks to several hit anime series

time-read
3 mins  |
March 2024
My Great Escape: Rome, The Eternal City
Reader's Digest UK

My Great Escape: Rome, The Eternal City

Our reader Barbara Hull takes a Hollywood-inspired trip to Rome and reveals that some wishes really do come true

time-read
2 mins  |
March 2024
BOTANIC GARDENS OF THE WORLD
Reader's Digest UK

BOTANIC GARDENS OF THE WORLD

Tales of extraordinary plants, botanical history and scientific discovery

time-read
4 mins  |
March 2024
THIS BACON FAKERY MUST STOP
Reader's Digest UK

THIS BACON FAKERY MUST STOP

I WAS RECENTLY given bacon-flavoured dental floss for my birthday. My first question was: who the hell gives dental floss as a gift? My second question was: has bacon gone too far?

time-read
2 mins  |
March 2024
GOOD NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Reader's Digest UK

GOOD NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Meet the Crufts competitors who changed their owners' lives completely

time-read
1 min  |
March 2024
HOME AT LAST!
Reader's Digest UK

HOME AT LAST!

A cat missing for ten years, a dog who disappeared during a wildfire, and more heartwarming true stories of pets who were lost then found

time-read
10+ mins  |
March 2024
New Love Lexicon
Reader's Digest UK

New Love Lexicon

Do internet terms help or hinder healthy romantic relationships?

time-read
2 mins  |
March 2024