Secret Service Dogs

The latest treat for dog lovers by Goodavage (Top Dog: The Story of Marine Hero Lucca, 2014, etc.) takes readers into the world of the canines and handlers who protect the president and the White House. The Secret Service is notoriously closed to journalists, which means that the author was prohibited from revealing much of the information she gathered in her interviews and restricted to giving first names and initials for most of her interviewees. While hardly a hard-hitting investigation of the role of canines in the sometimes controversial agency, her account will satisfy those curious about the lives of working dogs and their people. Goodavage covers a number of such comradeships, weaving them into the story of spunky Hurricane, who under the instructions of handler Marshall M. took down a "fence jumper" at the White House in 2014. Intriguing chapters explore the selection of dogs from a training facility in a small town in Indiana, where the Belgian Malinois, who make up the larger part of the guard, and bomb-sniffing dogs are brought after being raised for a couple of years in Europe, and the work life of the so-called "Friendly Dogs," unassuming, floppy-eared canines whose handlers cover the streets near the White House seeking out the scent of explosives on individuals. The author has a tendency to go off on tangents, seemingly depending on people with whom she had more extensive interviews: one chapter, for example, delves into the life history of a handler who spent his childhood in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge, and another examines the veterinary history of a dog subject to heat sickness. While the book suffers from the fact that the Secret Service is understandably reluctant to reveal any explosives that have been discovered or subjects disarmed under the watch of its canine patrollers, Goodavage's subjects and their companions are quirky and dedicated enough to engage readers wondering about those dogs on the White House lawn. COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 15, 2016
Goodavage (Soldier Dogs, 2012, and Top Dog, 2014) takes readers into the world of the dogs that protect not only the president of the U.S. but also the president's family, the vice president, visiting dignitaries, and those who tour the nation's capital. Though much of the work of these dedicated canines is top secret, and their handlers are referred to by first name only, Goodavage gives readers rich vignettes about the variety of roles these canines perform in protective service. Goodavage profiles bomb-detection dogs, the SWAT-equivalent dogs that take fence-jumpers down, and the floppy-eared pups that unassumingly sniff tourists who mill about Washington, D.C., sights, too. Readers will feel an appreciation for these working dogs' formidable skills as well as for their ability to turn it off and enjoy relatively normal home lives after hours. Appreciation turns to adoration, though, when Goodavage compels readers with stories of the bonds between Secret Service dogs and their handlers. A must-read for the dog lover.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)

May 15, 2016

The author of the New York Times best sellers Soldier Dogs: The Untold Story of America's Canine Heroes and Top Dog: The Story of Marine Hero Lucca reports on another group of bravura dogs: the U.S. Secret Service canine teams that guard the president, the vice president, their families, visiting heads of state, and more.

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2016

From sniffing out explosives to taking down White House fence jumpers and other threats, the canines of the Secret Service are on duty 24/7. Journalist Goodavage (Soldier Dogs; Top Dog) takes readers into the hidden professional and personal world of these service dogs and the humans they protect. With unprecedented access to the people and dogs serving today, Goodavage presents a compelling narrative of the selection, training, and work life of canine units and also includes stories of the partners when they are off duty. All of this is juxtaposed against the backdrop of the history of the Secret Service canine corps, which reveals an amazing record of bravery and dedication. The author further addresses the deep emotional connection that develops between handler and dog. This aspect is particularly heartbreaking when a canine is hurt or dies. This book is an important addition to the works that show how dogs really are man's best friend. VERDICT A wonderful account and history of these unsung heroes at work every day to make the world safer. [See Prepub Alert, 4/25/16.]--Lisa Ennis, Alabama Coll. of Osteopathic Medicine, Dothan

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.