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by Micky D on 03 February 2010 - 03:02
http://www.star-telegram.com/local/story/1941946.html
AZLE — A service dog named Major died Monday while protecting his home from two men who robbed and pistol-whipped his master., who used a wheelchair.
The unidentified master received seven staples from injuries inflicted during the robbery, a Parker County sheriff's deputy said.
Major, a 12-year-old German shepherd, died after he was shot once in the head and once in the shoulders with a .410-caliber shotgun and a .380-caliber handgun, according to authorities. Family members told deputies that the dog attacked the suspects, which was why he was killed.
The two masked men with guns beat the 37-year-old disabled man in his master bedroom repeatedly in the back of the skull, authorities said. The suspects demanded money, then escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash in a blue, early 2000 Chevrolet pickup with what appeared to be white magnetic signs.
Thesuspects got into the residence in the West 40 Estates community in Azle about 10:30 p.m. through an unlocked back door, a sheriff's department official said. A woman who lived in the house with the victim heard the shots then ran to the bedroom where the robbery occurred, a sheriff's deputy said.
The woman chased the suspects in her vehicle for about five minutes but lost sight of them near Silver Creek Elementary School, a sheriff's office news release said.
The woman's vehicle was shot at least once on the driver's side during the chase, and then she stopped pursuing the getaway vehicle for her safety, the release said. The woman was uninjured.
A 12-year-old boy was also in the residence at the time of the robbery but it is unclear what he saw.
Authorities have collected evidence from the crime scene, but it is unknown whether any human DNA was included in the samples. The evidence has been sent to a laboratory for analysis, said Lt. Mark Arnett.
The suspects were last seen wearing coveralls and pullover masks.
by LAVK-9 on 03 February 2010 - 04:02
by Micky D on 03 February 2010 - 05:02
by tuffscuffleK9 on 03 February 2010 - 05:02
I state this due to the female occupant being aroused and the assailants fleeing. She was even able to give chase, maybe not the smartest move, but a brave one. They even fired upon her vehicle showing they probably would have discharged their weapons on the humans had they not been required to do so in stopping Major.
Let's hope the minor occupant is safe.
AGAIN, from the way the story reads MAJOR LAID DOWN HIS LIFE AS A HERO. As I have no doubt this scene would have esculated with human death if Major had not intervened. Sad as it is Major crossed the Rainbow Bridge knowing he did his job.
Tuff
by LAVK-9 on 03 February 2010 - 05:02
Best wishes for him
~L~
by Micky D on 03 February 2010 - 05:02
And yet so many service dog training agencies pass the German Shepherd by for Golden or Labrador retrievers, because they don't want to use breeds that might frighten some member of the general public who thinks the breed is "mean".
This is why I ignore the service dog training agency in my hometown, and give my contributions to Fidelco, the last guide dog agency that uses the German Shepherd exclusively.
by LAVK-9 on 03 February 2010 - 05:02
~L~
by DebiSue on 03 February 2010 - 13:02
by ladywolf45169 on 03 February 2010 - 15:02
Christine
by Sunsilver on 03 February 2010 - 16:02
Gee, I think that would be pretty important information, if someone was looking for the suspects. Even though they were wearing masks, their skin colour still should have been obvious, unless they were wearing gloves that covered both hands and wrists!
As for GSDs as service dogs, a herding dog's mindset is to protect its flock. I remember reading one of the early books written about Seeing Eye dogs. The author was explaining why the GSD was the preferred breed. He said that standard poodles are really smart, but if a standard poodle brought its handler to the edge of an excavation in the sidewalk, and the blind person told it to go forward, the poodle would jump down into the excavation. The GSD would not, and would prevent its handler from going any closer, by blocking with its body.
I just don't believe that labradors and goldens have the same sort of working smarts that a good GSD does.
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