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.
"If you let down your guard on the job," says Special Agent Bill G.,
canine program manager, "it can change the history of the world." It's a
burden Secret Service dog handlers take extremely seriously, regardless
of their specialty. 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.
"These animals will gladly run into a hail of gunfire," says Stew, a
Secret Service ERT tactical canine unit supervisor. "All they ask in
return is for their handlers to throw the ball with them, pet them, and
talk to them in an embarrassingly high voice."
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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.
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