A German Shepherd wearing a Red Cross blanket stands on a rough-hewn boulder. The dog stands in an alert stance with head and ears perked up and tail extended nearly straight. A canteen and helmet lie below the dog's front paws. The helmet has an indentation, possibly representative of a shrapnel hole. 

Erected in 1923 in memory of the 7,000 military dogs that served in World War I, the monument also serves as a memorial to all military dogs, many of whom are buried in the Hartsdale Pet Cemetery. The sculpture was reportedly modeled after a dog, who with its owner, daily passed the office of designer Walter A. Buttendorf. The monument was funded with public contributions, including pennies from school children. The cemetery donated the parcel of land.