The part about training police dogs and how they work is very interesting. There are some tangents, but all in all I think that people interested in dogs or police (or both) will enjoy this book.

Love dogs?
Support the police?
Combine the two and you get The Dog Lover Unit.
This book was so good!
The Dog Lover Unit revolves around our K9 Police Force.
Rachel Rose traveled around the world for five years to learn about police dogs and the units they are apart of. She got up close and personal with these dogs; I'm talking she put on the bite suits and let them attack her, just to know exactly how it feels to be on the opposing side.
She learned about the officer/dog relationship and how intense their training was. She spent time getting to know these officers and their dogs and saw the grueling days they spent training.
Most police K9's begin their training as puppies. They going through training courses with their handlers and are evaluated on how tough they are. By the time these dogs get matched to their officers, they are ready to hit the ground running, whether it be tracking a suspect, sniffing for drugs, or even searching for bombs, they are ready.
The police dog handlers have to trust and understand their dog because their dog is more or less their partner. They have to be willing to understand the risks that come with tracking a suspect with their dog. They have to understand that sometimes their dogs get hurt. Sometimes their dog is wrong (very rarely), but it happens. But not surprisingly, these officers are willing to lay their lives on the time to protect their dog, their partner, their child.
Many of these officers go through months of training to join a K9 force and be matched with a pup. Many of those officers only serve with one dog and then move on to a different force. The bond between dog and officer is so strong, honestly it may be stronger than a regular pup/parent relationship.
I also found myself incredibly happy to hear that some of the police forces are beginning to steer away from police dog breeds and instead have began adopting end of the line dogs that are on the verge of euthanasia. They have began adopting these dogs and training them to do the impossible. It was so heartwarming to see the success stories of these neglected and forgotten pups.

I want to send a huge thank you to NetGalley for sending me a copy of The Dog Lover Unit!

This book is not for me, I wanted to know about the dogs and their training and bravery, I did not need to know about problems with her private life and stuff happening with her children.

I have always been interested in the dogs that work to help police or the military. Thus, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book about police dogs and their handlers. I think anyone else who is interested in police dogs or in dogs in general should read this book because it provides a wonderful picture of dogs that one might never get otherwise and it only enhance their love and appreciation. The author describes the dogs’ selection, training, interactions with their handlers and their families and, most of all, how they interact with the perpetrators while assisting law enforcement. The author does not get into many of the harsher aspects of police dogs and their lives, though her words and descriptions are frank throughout. I found all this information fascinating and interesting, and it explained a lot of what I have often wondered about regarding police dogs and dogs in general.

Of particular interest were her discussions about the diverse ways these dogs are selected, trained and used in the US, Canada and Europe. I guess I never really thought about the differences, but there are some major ones.

After reading this book, my appreciation of police canines everywhere has grown. I am already a dog lover and this book only made me more so, while confirming my love and appreciation of these furry friends, who can do a myriad of tasks that provide substantive help to society.

I received this from NetGalley to read and review.

A Great Look at K9 Law Enforcement, when it stays on target


I admit to being a dog lover, and I have always been fascinated by police dogs. I have had the opportunity to meet a few, and am amazed at their ability to be a friendly, personable animal one minute, and then with a series of commands, willing to tackle and bite the next. Rachel Rose spent quite a bit of time with various handler/dog teams, and came away with a great series of stories to tell.


=== The Good Stuff ===

*Rachel Rose captures much of the day to day life of the police dog and their human handlers. She discusses the selection and training of the dogs, their day-to-day activities, how they interact with both perpetrators and the handler’s families, and even their retirement and end-of-life experiences. She doesn’t dwell on the harsher aspects of these areas, but she doesn’t sugar-coat it either.

* The author does a great job of examining the differences between canine policing in her native Canada and the US and Europe. Some of the differences are fascinating, especially with Europe. French police typically do not use the highly trained and selectively bred police dogs common in other countries. Instead, they rely on “garbage dogs”, often rescued from death row at the local pound.

* Rose captures some of the honest sentiments of canine handlers. These are not always “politically correct”, but they do represent the harsh realities of police work, canine or otherwise. For example, canine officers are often taught that if they need to shoot at a suspect, they should shoot “through” rather than around the dog. This makes sense from a purely tactical standpoint, although it has to be a tough thing to do.


=== The Not-So-Good Stuff ===

* The author makes no secret of her views on gun control or on the ownership of certain breed of dogs such as pit bulls. By the end of the book, I was sick of hearing about both.

* Similarly, the author can’t help but offer her suggestions on the use of firearms and lethal force by police, and makes comparisons between US and UK police tactics. She offers no references to support her position, nor does she present any credentials to support her opinions.


=== Summary ===

There were parts of the book I enjoyed, especially since I have always been fascinated by the abilities and training of police dogs. There were in-depth looks at the lives of canine and human officers in several countries, and no shortage of fascinating stories and information. However, the author’s own opinions on subjects began to get in the way and ruined both the continuity and my enjoyment of the book.

=== Disclaimer ===

I was able to read an advance copy through the courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher..

I read this book and loved it.. I was amazed and impressed at the training levels that go along with K9 dogs.
I have a German Shepherd myself and know that the breed are incredibly intelligent, unfortunately, ours isn't.. but she's amazing and very intuitive.
I recommend this book to any dog lover and anyone iterested in the levels of service and dedication from the police, not just in Canada, but all over the world.