Born and raised on a south London council estate, Dave Wardell has always loved dogs. The family dog, Jess - actually his father's dog, and also a German Shepherd - was a constant companion. As a small boy, Dave could often be found curled up with her at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for his father's return home from work - something that continued long after his untimely death just before Dave's first birthday.

Dave joined the police force in 2003, and trained as a dog handler in 2009. Since then, led by Finn, who was his crime-fighting partner for seven years, he's tracked murderers and rapists, burglars and missing persons, car thieves and assault suspects.

Dave is married to Gemma, and they have three young daughters; Jaymee, Tia, and India. Plus six dogs, one kitten and a parrot.