Using the term "K-9" - Page 2

K9Unit when you are not would make you looka bit a fool.  K9 pretty much means a policedog these days, but I still see it being used to denote protection dog. 

To me using it to mean your dog "will bite" is not really accurate, as many real "K9s" do not,such as detection dogs on police dept. 

I've had Caution K9 on most of my vehicles, not quite yet on my new truck as I haven't found a design I like yet. There is no harm warning joe public and I can say I've never been pulled over for it. K9 Unit denotes a certified team wether patrol, detection, SAR etc... It does not have to be police but you'd better not lead on to be LEO if you are not. Police K9 is a no no, for obvious reasons (unless it IS a police K9) and I believe Caution Working K9 or Working Dog if you work your dog in an aspect pertaining to the public (cadaver, SAR etc..)

Melissa

NoCurs, my sticker is not to warn that my dog will bite.  He is *always* crated in the vehicle and will not even bark at a passerby unles they are provoking him.  It's just to warn that the dog is there, when the windows are down (the windows in my van actually go down).  I often have a dog in a lot of places where you wouldn't normally find a dog in a vehicle.  I don't want him to startle anyone .  Usually it's more startling to walk past a vehicle a foot from the tail and suddenly realize there's a dog there watching you than to have the dog actually bark at you and warn before you are close.

What's the point of a protection dog if they're crated! 

You guys are funny.....lol

I have a hat that a friend gave me that says K-9 on it.I'm not trying to impersonate a LEO by any means.I was once trying to catch a stray running about the road and another person that pulled off thought I was Animal Control cause I had the K-9 hat. So I wasn't thought to be a cop but more so AC. I have stickers all over my truck having to do with dog training or SchH.I don't care what people were to think if I had K-9 Unit on there.(I was thinking of getting it) My truck is pretty much FOR my dogs.So it is a K-9 unit!! I am just their chauffeur.lol

K-9 is simply an abbreviation for canine (canis familiaris - Latin name for domesticated dog; wolf - canis lupus...). K-9 or canine can be used to refer to ANY DOG.

So if you have "Caution K-9" on your vehicle. You are not doing anything wrong if you are not a cop or if your dog is not protection-trained. If you travel a lot with your dog and you don't want someone to get startled or get too close to your vehicle, I don't see why anyone needs to get their panties in a wad (or, if you are English - knickers in a twist). It is also perfectly avcceptable for a car carrying any type of service or assistance dog.

A lot of simpletons will use K-9 to refer ONLY to police or military dogs.

I have heard people wonder out loud if my dog is a K-9 or a German shepherd. Or ask "Is that a blind dog?" (Couldn't think of seeing eye dog?)

So if you don't go around saying you are a cop (if you are not) or that your dog is a police K-9 (if it is not) there is no problem. If people don't know the proper usage of the term, that is their issue.