The Dog Soldier's Manual

Book excerpt: Conditions create character. The unique conditions of the frontier breed a special kind of man, brave, strong, and capable. Thrown out onto the high plains to sink or swim, the Cheyenne bred the dog soldier, and became a strong and vibrant people. Plunging into the American wilderness to find the free life, the pioneer bred the ranger, a man who could build the cabin, hunt and bring home meat, and be ready on a moment’s notice to answer the call for help, to defend the family, kith and kin, with all his ability, even his life, to keep the people free and alive. The Dog Soldier's Manual is the story of this special kind of man, and describes in modern, common sense terms, the business of discipline that can make such a man today, one ready to handle the challenges of modern society and the new millennium. If you want to know how to be a man, The Dog Soldier’s Manual is a good place to start. The heart of the Manual identifies and explains the virtues and goals of dog soldier discipline, from the objects of personal grooming, including physical, mental, and emotional conditioning, expressiveness, and personal presence, to worldly affairs and animal matters, including hair, hygiene, habitat maintenance, possessions, cultural competence, feeding, and personal legend. The people never have too many dog soldiers.