Hot Dogs and Cool Guys

by Femmes Guest D.D. Ayres

The Femmes are delighted to welcome guest Femme D.D. Ayres today. As Leigh Perry, my covers also include a dog and a mostly undressed guy. Yet the effect is very different than on D.D.'s books. Take it away, D.D.

How could I resist the offer from my editor to develop a series about cool K-9 dogs and their hot guy handlers? And not in the, “Lassie, get help. Timmie’s down the well,” sort of way. Only one problem. I knew next to nothing about K-9 teams. There was research to be done. I was pretty sure that highly trained K-9s were nothing like pets. I just hoped that they were nothing like the razor-fanged demons often portrayed in movies when someone is running for his or her life. 

Luckily, I was correct, both times. 

First piece of luck, was being introduced to  Fort Worth, TX Police Officer Brad Thompson as a resource. Brad worked for 22 years in the Special Operations/K9 Unit, responsible for training and deployment of patrol and narcotic detection K9s. Brad is a natural teacher. With a novella and three books behind me, he’s still my go-to-first person with K-9 questions. So lucky to have him.

Here are some of the things I’ve learned while researching the series.

1. K-9 canines are specially bred and trained. Most dogs can’t do what these animals do. Think of them as the Olympians/SWAT/Mensa members of the canine world. 
2. Many understand English but respond “on the job” to commands in German, Czech or Dutch. 
3. Handlers are a special breed and very passionate about “running a dog.” They routinely spend more time with their K-9s than with their families. They also understand the individuality of their dogs and are tolerant. If a trained dog misbehaves, it’s the handler’s fault.
4. K-9 teams train daily so that “First command” is habit. Add to that, a minimum of 20 hours a month of more formal training to stay fresh and alert.
5. The handler takes care of nearly all the dog’s needs. They keep a K-9 emergency kit in the cruiser, and can administer aid and dress wounds in the field.  
6. The Dual Purpose Police Dog is the most common type of K-9 dog, and works Patrol and Apprehension. The mad-demon dog is the last thing a patrol officer wants when dealing with the public. Balanced and professional are words I heard a lot. When commanded to “Fass” or bite, he’s a full-mouth takedown artist. But that same dog must also be able to tolerate crowds at local footballs games and parades. 
7. “Emotion feeds down the leash.” A trained K-9 will know if her/his handler is excited, upset, angry, scared, worried, happy, calm, or in pain and will act accordingly.
8. Handlers receive dogs that have already been trained for a minimum of two years. The training handlers receive is in how to work effectively with a trained dog.

After Brad established me in Law Enforcement methods I also spent time with breeders, and trainers.

I met breeders of Bouvier de Flandres for my new book, Force of Attraction.

No, that’s not a Bouvie on the cover. Hugo’s undercover!

Bouvies are new in the U. S. as law enforcement dogs. They look ‘soft’ like cuddly Teddy bears. But on the job a Bouvie is more like Batman in the bear suit, as my hero learns when he encounters the heroine’s K-9 partner Hugo. By focusing on a different breed for each book, I want to show the unique differences that make these dogs special.  

For the next book in the series, Primal Force (Sept. ’15), I spent time with Patriot Paws, a service dog training program in Rockwall, TX, to learn about service and PTSD dogs for veterans. These are calm/person-oriented dogs who can open a refrigerator, remind an owner to take meds, wake a patient about to have a seizure, answer the door, phone 911, force a veteran out of a flashback, call suicide prevention, pull a wheelchair, bear the weight of someone who’s momentarily lost balance, or move a person out of the situation causing anxiety. 

I could go on and on. I’m so impressed by the dedication of the men and woman who train and work beside these dogs. Doing my research, I’ve made new friends I would not otherwise have. Just last week, at the Police K-9 Conference in Las Vegas, I met a 50-year-old woman who’s a Search-and-Rescue K-9 handler.  She rapels out of helicopters into wilderness areas with her dog strapped to her body. So impressed!

Oh, and yes. The hot guys are the bonus.

Police Officer Brad Thompson and Ludo

 

Comments

[Charlaine Harris]

It's incredible that dogs can give back so much, isn't it? I envy you the experience of meeting the trainers and the dogs, and I had no idea anyone would ever agree to be lowered into a wilderness area with a dog strapped to her body!

[D. D. Ayres]

I know, Charlaine. She's a badass woman with mad skills. Wanted to know why there wasn't a mature man on one of my covers for her to ogle. Now you know I have to follow up with her. She's like a character dropped into my lap.

[Brad Thompson]

Being lowered with a dog strapped to you is a cinch compared to doing a parachute jump with them strapped to your chest. Special Operations Dog handlers occasionally have to use that route for insertion. And D.D., That "mature man" tag gets younger sounding every day. ;-)

[D. D. Ayres]

Too true, Brad. Though I have to admit that any kind of leaving a flying machine with dog attached is impressive to me.

As for that mature label, I think it's as much about attitude as age. I've always been attracted the mature type. Boys, whatever age, can stay home. Give me someone I can count on.