DEAD!

[Palehorse]

I don't think he was that old; 4 years maybe?  The unfortunate aspect of this is that he was killed by other police officers who were trying to get to his handler to render first aid after the handler had been shot and the dog was doing his job protecting him.  We really need to teach non-dog handler officers better how to deal with this situation.  Killing the dog should be the absolute last resort.  This is so tragic on so many different levels it makes me want to cry.

I did not hear that. . . That sucks. . .    The dog was doing what he was trained to do. . . If that is indeed the case then you are right, they really need to train non K9 officers to deal with such situations!

[Palehorse]

I don't think he was that old; 4 years maybe?  The unfortunate aspect of this is that he was killed by other police officers who were trying to get to his handler to render first aid after the handler had been shot and the dog was doing his job protecting him.  We really need to teach non-dog handler officers better how to deal with this situation.  Killing the dog should be the absolute last resort.  This is so tragic on so many different levels it makes me want to cry.

According to the IndyStar the K9 was shot by his handler because he mistook another officer, pinned down by the gunfire, as an aggressor and attacked him. The article is a bit contradictory though in that it states the "officers" shot the dog. . .

http://www.indystar.com/article/20120727/NEWS/120727046/Anderson-officer-forced-shoot-kill-his-canine-partner-during-Pendleton-shooting

Still, it is a tragic event on several levels; the loss of the K9 and the human life as well. (Specifically the innocent victim that was killed by the perp, as well as the wounding of the officers. The POS perp not so much).

[Exterminator]

According to the IndyStar the K9 was shot by his handler because he mistook another officer, pinned down by the gunfire, as an aggressor and attacked him.

A correctly trained K9 should be able to be called off by his handler.

[Henry Hawk]

A correctly trained K9 should be able to be called off by his handler.

That is what I was thinking....

[Locutus]

A correctly trained K9 should be able to be called off by his handler.

That's true.  The whole story sounds strange. 

[Exterminator]

Don't get me wrong; this was an extremely difficult situation for all involved.  Under the best of circumstances, it would take at least two people to handle this situation...one to try to control the dog and one to render aid to the fallen officer.  Even then, it is almost a certainty that the person attempting to control the dog is going to get bitten.  I would have offered the dog my arm and taken the bite hoping that I could have gotten hold of his collar or harness with my free hand and wrestle him under control but I have a lot of experience with dogs and have been bitten...badly...more than once...I healed.  The likelihood of a novice succeeding in doing so, however, isn't good.  Additionally, there was a perp in a fortified position shooting at the officers with an assault rifle...it's a tough call and none of us were there.  Glad the guy shot himself...saves the taxpayer more wasted dollars.

Another K9 was injured in Lawrence last night by yet another jackass with an AK who got out of the car shooting at the officer who was pulling him over for a broken taillight.  The dog was injured by flying glass from the windshield, received stitches and is at home recovering.  Has the world gone mad?

[Henry Hawk]

good points Ex....under the circumstances, we have no idea what was going on, and I'm sure it was a very quick decision that had to be made by the officer...and you know as well as I do, he probably loved that dog very much....I too am glad the perp took his own life and ended a difficult and tragic situtation.

[The Troll]

A correctly trained K9 should be able to be called off by his handler.

   Dog are animals they can loose control just like humans do.  Just like well trained horses can go into prey mode and go wild.  When you think about it even computers can go wild.

   In our World nothing is perfect.  Even Henry's god can screw up.  Just look at all of the damaged children.   

[Exterminator]

Dog are animals they can loose control just like humans do.

These dogs are put under a tremendous amount of stress and pressure in training and are taught to work under a variety of distractions.  Any dog likely to "lose control" should have been weeded out long before it ever hit the street if it was correctly trained.

[me]

These dogs are put under a tremendous amount of stress and pressure in training and are taught to work under a variety of distractions.  Any dog likely to "lose control" should have been weeded out long before it ever hit the street if it was correctly trained.

This is a serious question here I'm not trying to be a smart ass but I am curious about this and know you would know the answer.  If the dog had been properly trained should he have known the other officers were friendly rather than the enemy or was it that he smelled the fear and mistook them for the enemy because of that since his trainer was not able to keep him at bay?  Too bad they can't train them not to attack someone in uniform since there are times when they may have to do just that although it would be rare, or at least one would hope.

[Sandy Eggo]

I think the dog was well trained, but the other officers were not. My best guess is that in the heat of the moment, those officers didn't approach the downed officer "properly" and it freaked the dog out.

[The Troll]

I think the dog was well trained, but the other officers were not. My best guess is that in the heat of the moment, those officers didn't approach the downed officer "properly" and it freaked the dog out.

  We see every day how police "officers" loose control.  Do you really think a dog can't be unreasonable once in awhile.  Just like cop can be unreasonable every day.

[Sandy Eggo]

I guess anything is possible, but I'd trust the instincts of an animal before I would those of a human. Especially an animal trained to use that instinct to it's fullest ability to protect.

[Exterminator]

If the dog had been properly trained should he have known the other officers were friendly rather than the enemy or was it that he smelled the fear and mistook them for the enemy because of that since his trainer was not able to keep him at bay?

The dog has no way of knowing if the other officers are friendly or not; his job is to protect the handler.

[Exterminator]

I guess anything is possible, but I'd trust the instincts of an animal before I would those of a human. Especially an animal trained to use that instinct to it's fullest ability to protect.

Correct; the dog will normally revert back to his training.  The dog was doing what he was trained to do; the people had not been trained to deal with a dog in the event the handler became incapacitated.