| Abstract | Over time, humans have formed intense bonds with canines that cross into many environments, including work as well as home. Canines have been used for work in law enforcement in the United States for over a century and K-9 units have become common in law enforcement departments across the country. Because of the prevalence of law enforcement canines in American society, they deserve a place in the literature. The bond between the canine and his handler in the law enforcement environment creates very different relationships than those formed between domestic canines and his or her owner. This study identified four types of canine-handler relationships, including the following handler orientations: canine as tool, as coworker, as kid, and as pet. These relationships create a unique bond between the handlers and the dogs that places the canines in a category not yet identified in Arluke and Sanders' (1996) foundational sociozoologic scale. Law enforcement canines must be between humans and good animals, in the category of police canines. |
