Stories of dogs performing noteworthy feats abound throughout history. While some of these tales may have been embellished over time, all of them demonstrate a dog’s capacity for love, loyalty and courage, among other virtues. These five deserving dogs stand out in particular, worthy of accolades and only the healthiest dry dog food.

Gander

When you see a Newfoundland, or “Newfie”, the phrase that comes to mind is “war dog”. That’s precisely what Gander was, and he participated in no less than World War II itself.

Gander used to be a family pet named Pal, until he accidentally injured a child. Afraid that Pal would need to be put down, Pal’s owner gave him up to the Canadian Army’s Royal Rifles regiment. He was renamed “Gander”, after the Gander International Airport where the army was stationed, and quickly gained the rank of sergeant. He participated in the Battle of Hong Kong on December 8, 1941.

Being a canine sergeant was the least of his achievements, however. Not only did he manage to fight off three waves of Japanese attacks, but he also caught a hand grenade thrown by the enemy and rushed with it towards them. Although Gander lost his life in the ensuing explosion, the lives of several Canadian soldiers were saved. For his courage, he was posthumously awarded the 2000 Dickin Medal.

Chancer

At first, Iyal’s family feared for the future of their adopted son. Iyal suffered from fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), a condition which delayed his emotional development, caused him to fly into rages, and generally made him a nightmare to care for.

That was, until Chancer, a golden retriever specifically trained to deal with FAS, came along.

Whenever Iyal was about to have one of his temper tantrums, Chancer would either crawl beside him or lie on top of him. Since then, the family has had an easier relationship with their adopted son. (Who thinks Chancer deserves a nice pack of the healthiest dry dog food for his efforts?)

Luca

Luca, a pit bull, is compelling proof that a disability is not an obstacle to living a quality life.

Luca was deaf, but that didn’t stop him from inspiring at-risk and disabled young people. His owners, Brooke Slater and Dave Goldstein, trained him to make eye contact based on signed commands, thereby making those young people feel—perhaps for the first time—that they were human beings who deserved recognition and acknowledgement. Luca was the inspiration for the “Bruised, Not Broken” Facebook page dedicated to the rescue of pit bulls.

Trakr

Trakr didn’t become one of Time magazine’s most heroic animals in history for nothing.

In fact, the German Shepherd was instrumental in finding Genelle Guzman, the last survivor of the 9/11 attacks, in the aftermath of the tragedy. With off-duty Canadian officer James Symington, Trakr dug through several layers of debris before finding Guzman, who was trapped in the rubble for almost 26 hours.

Trakr died in 2009 at the age of 16. He was successfully cloned into five puppies for his feat.

Hachiko

Every day since 1924, Hachiko, a golden brown Akita, would greet his owner Hidesaburo Ueno, a professor in the University of Tokyo, at the Shibuya Station. This routine went on until May 1925, when the professor died of a cerebral hemorrhage.

Hachiko continued to wait for his deceased owner at the station for ten years, until his own death on March 8, 1935. He has since become a national symbol of loyalty to the Japanese people.

Don’t these stories inspire you to care for your dog and give them only the healthiest dry dog food? If you’re looking for a place that sells the healthiest dry dog food, look no further than The Dog Bakery. We recognize that the dogs we rescue today may be the heroes of tomorrow, and thus we make it a point to donate to local shelters and rescue organizations. For more information, call 310-313-1801.

Rocky Kanaka

Rocky Kanaka is an entrepreneur, pet rescue advocate and dog dad to a rescue boxer named Flip, a blind Cane Corso called Kobe, and a terrier mix named Zoey. He's also a pet chef and owner of The Dog Bakery, which specializes in dog birthday cakes and fresh baked dog treats. His three dogs can't get enough of the dog cakes and treats!

Lorna Ladd

Lorna Paxton Ladd is a passionate dog lover and enthusiast of The Dog Bakery. She loves spoiling her 3 rescue dogs with dog cakes and jerky. A 15 year veteran in the pet industry, her aim is to educate pet parents on the best recipes, products, tips and tricks to optimize the human/canine bond. Her favorite product at The Dog Bakery are the customizable dog birthday cakes.