The Dog Lover Unit ─ Lessons in Courage from the World's K9 Cops

An acclaimed poet, Rachel Rose never expected to spend her nights careening along the roads in high-speed chases or searching the woods for armed suspects. Yet once she decided to meet the people who devoted their lives to police K9 units, she found herself signing up for the ridealongs, training runs, and other challenges that the courageous people – and canines – face on a daily basis.

In this book, Rose introduces readers to police dogs and their handlers around in the United States, Canada, Britain, and France (where their group's official name translates as "the dog lover unit"). She's there to catch a criminal with Constable Matt Noel and Blackie; to patrol with Sheriff Gene Davis and Gunner; and to witness the tragic funeral of Constable Dave Ross, where K9 Danny follows the coffin, looking for his master.

With insight, humor, and awe, this book reveals the feats that these human and canine teams accomplish, and the emotional and physical risks that they take for one another, and for us.

RACHEL ROSE has won awards for her poetry, fiction, and non-fiction, including a 2014 and 2016 Pushcart Prize, and was named a Governor's General Award finalist in 2016. She is the Poet Laureate of Vancouver for 2014-2017 and was recently a fellow at The University of Iowa’s International Writing Program. She has published work in journals and anthologies in Canada, the U.S., New Zealand and Japan. She lives in Canada. Rachel's books include Marry & Burn and Song & Spectacle.