In a defense of a Dumb Dog. - Page 4

Crys,
Thanks for the kind words.  A couple of years ago our department moved away from the "hold and bark" and went to different tactics.  There are some neighboring agencies that changed as well and some that still utilize the hold and bark.  Like everything there are pros and cons to both methods the "hold and bark" and the "find and bite."  I prefer the "find and bite" as I mentioned earlier and our K9 unit has never had an accidental bite using this method.  It does cause us to be very judicious in our use and deployment of the dogs.  The other K9 officers in our dept are excellent and very serious, I think it is probably one of the best units on our PD.  The guys all get along great, they work hard, train hard and are always willing to help each other.  It is a very tight cohesive unit and we work hard to keep an excellent reputation in our PD and in courts.  Our testimony is rarely challenged and the defense atty's will often stipulate to the dogs ability and training.  



But looking back at the pic you posted on another thread of you and him, with his teeth bared, surely there aren't many times when someone is stupid enough to actually try him?! I surely wouldn't!

I love that picture of my dog, it's one of my favorites.  But, he doesn't act like that around people or in crowds. You'd be surprised how stupid some people can be.  He's a very confident, dominant, strong dog and doesn't view most people as a threat.  So I can walk through crowds at football games or even unruly crowds on the street and he is calm as can be.  He will let people walk right up to me and him as long as I'm calm and not agitated.  I've had loud angry drunks walk up and scream at me and he will just watch them.  This often gives people a false sense of security with him and will think they can challenge him.  But, I know the minute they try to pet him he will growl and if I go "hands on" he will bite in a second.  I can give him a command to bark or "turn on" if I need to, but I like his calm demeanor in crowds.  He has a very serious side and is no joke when it comes time to work.

I recently started cross training him for narcotics detection and he is doing great.  We should be certifying in a month or so, and I'm really looking forward to it.  I worked evenings last night and we had a shooting call in one of our high crime neighborhoods.  The responding officers found one suspect who had been shot then began recovering shell casings.  Evidentally, there were several suspects shooting with rounds going through walls and rooms of neighbors houses.  AK-47, 9mm and 10mm among other shell casings were recovered.  Of course the victim / suspect wouldn't cooperate and a gun was located near where he was found.   I responded to the scene and began an article search for evidence and the weapons with "Boomer."  I searched several yards that had already been searched.  I searched a yard that had a lot oof junk piles including and old pickup filled with crap.  Boomer hit on the pickup and dove underneath it and recoverd a back pack, a shotgun and a rifle.  In the back pack was a 9mm that had jammed and stove piped.  So it was a nice end to the shift at 2AM to recover all of those weapons.  I love my job.

Jim 

Jim; it shows!:)))
Prager (Hans)

Hans,
Thanks!  I may be going to Scottsdale in December, if I go I'll give you a call.

1doggie2, Thank you also.  It's fun for me and rarely seems like work.

Huss, Thanks!

Jim