Interesting Book: Secret Service Dogs by Maria Goodavage

As a dog dad I love books about dogs. Recently I came upon the book "Secret Service
Dogs" by Maria Goodavage and enjoyed it. The book  gives great insight into how dogs are chosen and trained. The author was given permission to follow along on some training, and interview some of the men and women who partner with these amazing dogs. The book identifies the different types of jobs dogs are assigned, from "friendly dogs" to bomb sniffing dogs. They scope out parade routes, buildings, even go down cliff faces with their handlers!
    They don't just go into a kennel at night, they go home with the handlers, which forms a special bond. In some of the chapters the author allows you to meet the handlers and the dogs, and show their attachment is much, much deeper than co-workers. These dogs become family members and when when gets hurt or passes, its devastating to the humans. The last couple of chapters were especially moving.
    Read this and you'll gain an appreciation for these dogs and the Secret Service men and woman who work with them and face all kinds of threats. Highly recommended!  - Rob

Hurricane and Marshall M. 

ABOUT THE BOOK:

In an age fraught with terrorism, United States Secret Service canine teams risk their lives to safeguard the president, vice president, their families, visiting heads of state, and a host of others. Unprecedented access to these heroic dog teams has allowed a fascinating first-time-ever look at a very special breed of heroes.

Wherever the president goes, there will be dogs. They’ll be there no matter what the country or state. They’ll be there regardless of the political climate, the danger level, the weather, or the hour. Tactical dog handlers on the White House lawn, handlers whose dogs sniff for explosives around the world, and those who walk their amiable floppy-eared dogs up and down Pennsylvania Avenue all live one common mantra: Not on my watch. Or my dog’s.

Secret Service Dogs immerses readers into the heart of this elite world of canine teams who protect first families, popes, and presidential candidates: the selection of dogs and handlers, their year-round training, their missions around the world, and, most important, the bond—the glue that holds the teams together and can mean the difference between finding bombs and terrorists or letting them slip by.

Secret Service Dogs celebrates the Secret Service’s most unforgettable canine heroes. It is a must-read for fans of Maria Goodavage, anyone who wants a rare inside view of the United States Secret Service, or just loves dogs.