Blake Brotze is a PhD Candidate studying military history under the guidance of Dr. Bruno Cabanes. He is looking at the importance of the human-animal relationship concerning the First World War and its immediate aftermath in Britain, France, and the United States during the interwar period. More specifically, he studies the vital role that dogs played in the Great War, looking at both the relationship people formed with canines trained for military service and the strays caught in the conflict. He is also interested in understanding the impact that demobilization had on dogs, particularly regarding the spread of rabies in Western Europe following the war. In addition to military history, Blake is also interested in environmental studies, labor history, and the long nineteenth century in Western Europe.