Tucker is not your average troublesome pup. Sure, he might destroy your house, dig up the entire garden or maybe tackle you with kisses, but he’s smart, focused, and with the right kind of love and attention, he might just be the greatest conservation dog ever.
Inspired by the real-life hero dogs of the world-wide nonprofit Working Dogs for Conservation (WD4C), Tucker is the star of Carol A. Foote’s debut book, “Trouble Dog: From Shelter Dog to Conservation Hero,” illustrated by Sopris Sun cartoonist Larry Day. “Trouble Dog” tells the story of a loveable but challenging dog who is deemed unadoptable, until Laura comes along.
Recognizing that his energetic behavior can be channeled into meaningful work, Laura takes on the daunting task of training Tucker to become a conservation dog. Over time, their work takes them around the world helping biologists study wildlife, identify invasive species and even detect illegal wildlife snares used to trap animals.
“I really liked when Laura adopted Tucker,” said Wyatt, age 7. “They go on adventures and even look for cheetah scat in Zambia!”
Foote, an accomplished journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Times, L.A. Times and multiple science publications, has traveled the world observing, writing about and photographing wildlife. Eventually, her passion for conservation education led her to a wildlife conference where she met Pepin, an elite dog for the WD4C. She was inspired by his abilities and WD4C’s mission to protect wildlife and wild places by way of their dogs’ remarkable sense of smell. There, Foote also learned about WD4C’s Rescues 2the Rescue program that saves dogs from euthanization and partners with organizations globally, like K-9 police or search and rescue units.
“Many dogs [who do conservation work] have been rejected by families,” said Foote. “They are so intelligent, but they are driven and rambunctious and want to explore everything. They want to play and have a fun life, but it’s so much trouble for families that they get sent to the pound. It broke my heart, so I wanted to write this story about how they can be rescued and turned into really happy conservation dogs.”
As the illustrator, Day brings Tucker’s story to life beautifully with vibrant watercolors and uplifting detailed expressions. Tucker’s youthful innocence shines during the mishaps, and his focused intelligence is clearly seen while the characters are embarking on a conservation mission. Readers will easily fall in love with Tucker’s familiar and friendly demeanor, and they’ll find themselves rooting for his success.
While “Trouble Dog” is the first collaboration between Foote and Day, the words and the art seamlessly flow to create an engaging story. Foote was immediately impressed by Day’s ability to illustrate people, landscapes and animals — three critical components for her story. Day, an award-winning illustrator, was drawn to the depth of the story of “Trouble Dog” and the wealth of interesting visuals to play with.
“It wasn’t a hard choice with Carol’s story. I read it through the first time and called the art director to say I’d love to do this book,” said Day. “There’s a lot of action in this book and I like drawing animals in action.”
“Trouble Dog” is sure to delight readers of all ages and possibly inspire lifelong conservationists. Noting the book’s approachability for children, Day said “Trouble Dog” is a story readers will continue to be drawn to long after the pages have frayed from use. Sawyer, Wyatt’s exuberant 3-year-old brother, agreed, as the request for a re-read was made no less than three times in a single sitting. Hungry learners will also find satisfaction as Foote provided additional information about WDC, traits and training of conservation dogs, working dogs in general and conservation efforts happening around the world.
“I like having a positive story, because so many stories are about things going wrong. It’s great to have a positive story for kids about something that is going well and is hopeful,” said Foote. “This story shows how others are helping wildlife and the environment.”
“Trouble Dog: From Shelter Dog to Conservation Hero,” published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, will hit bookshelves on Feb. 25, 2025. Foote has committed to donating half of her royalties to Working Dogs for Conservation. Visit www.carolafoote.com to preorder your copy.
