Trident K9 Warriors

My Tale from the Training Ground to the Battlefield with Elite Navy SEAL Canines

By: Mike Ritland, Gary Brozek

Narrated by: Jeff Gurner

The New York Times bestseller featured on 60 Minutes, this is the first book to take readers inside the world of elite Navy SEAL dogs.

As Seen on "60 Minutes"!

As a Navy SEAL during a combat deployment in Iraq, Mike Ritland saw a military working dog in action and instantly knew he'd found his true calling. Ritland started his own company training and supplying dogs for the SEAL teams, U.S. Government, and Department of Defense. He knew that fewer than 1 percent of all working dogs had what it takes to contribute to the success of our nation's elite combat units, and began searching the globe for animals who fit this specific profile. These specialized canines had to pass rigorous selection tests before their serious training could begin.

The results were a revelation: highly trained working dogs capable of handling both detection and apprehension work in the most extreme environments and the tensest of battlefield conditions. Though fiercely aggressive and athletic, these dogs develop a close bond with the handlers they work side by side with and the other team members. Truly integrating themselves into their units, these K9 warriors are much like their human counterparts—unwavering in their devotion to duty, strong enough and tough enough to take it to the enemy through pain, injury, or fear.

For the first time ever, Trident K9 Warriors gives listeners an inside look at these elite canines—who they are, how they are trained, and the extreme missions they undertake saving countless lives, asking for little in the way of reward. From detecting explosives to eliminating the bad guys, these powerful dogs are also some of the smartest and most highly skilled working animals on the planet.

Critic reviews

“After a stellar career in the Teams, Mike Ritland has gone on to train working K9's for some of the most elite units in the U.S. Special Operations community. These dogs are integrated into Special Operations at all levels of mission planning. They HALO parachute from high altitude, chase enemy squirters, and detect explosive booby traps, to name just a few tasks. If you want to learn about these amazing animals, the sacrifices they've made, and their effectiveness in combat, then read <i>Navy SEAL K9 Warriors</i>.” —Brandon Webb, Former Navy SEAL, New York Times bestselling author of The Red Circle, and Editor-in-Chief SOFREP.com

Warrior Dog Whisperer

Great to listen to. Mr.Rittland tells how he transforms dogs wuth a personality nobody would ever understand into dog versions of the Navy Seals. Outstanding. Thanks you for your continued service to our country.

Good summary of K9 heroes through 2007

an excellent summary of the work of canine heroes in Afghanistan and Iraq. great read.

Having served with these magnificent animals

And being a long time dog lover, how can I not max out this book? They are simply the best. I would’ve preferred more of an anecdotal approach filled with various tales of derring-do, but I also understand that much of what they do is classified. Anyway great book and hats off to both the author and his comrades four-legged and otherwise.

Dogs are Amazing

I appreciate your insight into these incredible warriors. it is amazing what they will do to support their human pack. thanks for sharing their journey and stories.

Story line

I RALLY Liked all of it! Good action. The story flowed naturally. It was a very good yarn!