Tales of Al is the moving, inspiring story of Cox's adventures on Italy's picturesque Lake Idroscalo, as witness to the rigorous training of one of these spectacular dogs at SICS, the famed school that has taught hundreds of dog owners how to train their dogs--Newfoundlands, German shepherds, and golden retrievers--for this rescue operation. Cox writes about coming to know the dog at the book's center, Al herself, from puppyhood, an adorable but untrainable chocolate Newfoundland--about the dreams, expectations, disappointments, and vision of her trainer and about realizing the dog's full potential; striving with all of her canine might to become an expertly trained, highly specialized water rescue dog.