# Drug dog bites Ga. deputy during attempted selfie



## Twyla (Sep 18, 2011)

This is NOT to start another explosive debate  It is just the news.

Drug dog bites Ga. deputy during attempted selfie | www.wsbtv.com


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## HarleyTheGSD (Feb 13, 2012)

Wow....is it cruel of me to find this somewhat humorous?


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

This link has statement from the deputy, I feel bad for the guy.

Murray Co. deputy bitten during "selfie" with K-9 - WRCBtv.com | Chattanooga News, Weather & Sports


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

HarleyTheGSD said:


> Wow....is it cruel of me to find this somewhat humorous?


I don't know where the humor is.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Yeah not getting the humor myself either?? Dog and handler need to go back to school! Just a pet person but my standards are pretty high and that handler/dog combo is a fail in my book!


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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

Fama bit me 6 times. Sometimes it happens. Never needed stitches from her though.

Hopefully the handler learned something and they can work through their issues. Sometimes the right dog for the job can be hard on a handler until you settle in together. 

David Winners


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## volcano (Jan 14, 2013)

I expected the picture. Im also confused about the right dog for the job comment, police dogs should be more under control, im against hard aggressive police dogs. Its not like a police dogs main duty is to bite, isnt the nose the important part? Id prefer police dogs who bite the handler to never be allowed on the street- never ever. Obviously the dog shouldnt be biting the handler so how can they put that dog in public where it may bite other people it isnt supposed to??? If any regular dog did it theyd be put down.


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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

Some police and MIL dogs come from some pretty hard training. They can end up with pretty soft handlers. There is definitely a learning curve. 

I don't know the dog or handler in question. I do know that if you handle dogs long enough, you will get bitten at some point, sometimes by your own dog.

It can take a while for a dog to trust a handler, especially if they are new. Just because the dog bit when someone threw their arm around it's neck doesn't mean it's a danger to the public.

The handler made a mistake. He got bit. Bet he doesn't do it again.

David Winners


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

The PERSON made a mistake . The DEPUTY made a mistake.

Must have read the article in the link 3 or 4 times to make sure my interpretation was reasonable.

I don't see that it was the handler of the dog , because then it would have said HIS dog . Here we have A department dog.

Seems like the Deputy was part of a team serving warrants, perhaps the dog being instrumental in identifying and affirming presence of drugs .
Deputy all proud and excited with the team goes and puts the arm on the dog and the rest is history.
The piece does not say "drug dog bites handler"


"deputy was sitting near a department drug dog after serving warrants Monday "

Well now don't be doing that !


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## DobbyDad (Jan 28, 2014)

I agree. I don't think the handler us the one who got bit.


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## Susan_GSD_mom (Jan 7, 2014)

carmspack said:


> The PERSON made a mistake . The DEPUTY made a mistake.
> 
> Must have read the article in the link 3 or 4 times to make sure my interpretation was reasonable.
> 
> ...


I agree 100%. I read the same thing Carmen did--this wasn't the dog's handler. I believe that no one but the dog's handler should interact with a working dog, is that true Carmen or David? 

IMHO, when domesticated animals hurt humans, it is nearly always human error, whether bad judgement at that particular moment, or poor or inadequate training that led to the situation.

Susan


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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

Depends on the dog. If someone gets bit, it's always the handler's fault


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## daisyrunner (Dec 5, 2013)

I wish there were no "selfies".....just sayin'.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

carmspack said:


> The PERSON made a mistake . The DEPUTY made a mistake.
> 
> Must have read the article in the link 3 or 4 times to make sure my interpretation was reasonable.
> 
> ...


 This was my take as well. My reaction - why in the heck did this deputy put his arm around the dogs neck - close the distance to snap a selfie? He wanted to showboat and it turned bad.

I blame the deputy. I'm sure lesson learned for him - he made a mistake. I hope he's OK, seriously. From this short snippit of a story it does not appear this dog is a menace and I hope he carries on his work at the department.


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## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

I think the handler learned a lesson: don't let your K9 jump up on other people and expect him to act like a regular friendly dog. This shouldn't have happened, and I don't even think there are too many of us here who'd let our own dogs jump up on people - and allow them to wrap their arms around them. I know I wouldn't.


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

Re: K-9s biting officers. There's a dog who has bitten 6 police officers now in a local dept. near me. A break stick was needed to get the dog off the last officer. They're just now think in' they may have a problem. I told the officer who is a friend you guys think you've got a problem now, just wait 'til that dog latches onto a 6 year old kid.......he actually trains and hunts labs so he's dog savvy and was shaking his head. Police depts are all over the place when it comes to discipline and training these dogs and it's not funny, it's just wrong on a lot of levels.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Blanketback said:


> I think the handler learned a lesson: don't let your K9 jump up on other people and expect him to act like a regular friendly dog. This shouldn't have happened, and I don't even think there are too many of us here who'd let our own dogs jump up on people - and allow them to wrap their arms around them. I know I wouldn't.


You also make a good point by pointing out the handler of the K9.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

It must have been a real slow news day.

I could joke around and say -- must have been a malinois !

The dog could have done a whole lot of damage to the face .
Getting a clip on the lip showed restraint . Likely more of a knee-jerk reaction.

Think of the high emotions in a locker room after winning a game. Everyone must have been pumped , dog included . The deputy rushes the dog , slaps his arm around him and dog gives him a quick clip to the lip. 
Now if it had been the Sheriff I could have said "I bit the Sheriff , but I did not bite the De pu ty "

Ways to behave around dogs -- respect their space , don't be doing that .


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

"don't let your K9 jump up on other people and expect him to act like a regular friendly dog. "

no where is there any mention or inference that the dog was on his feet to bite the guy.

from the information given it sounds like the dog was sitting, the Deputy was sitting , the Deputy in a moment of excitement proactively went to the dog and put the arm around his shoulders for the picture.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Does anyone remember these incidents? They were discussed before on the forum.





 
K9 bites news reporter - Bing Videos

Again- awful, awful for the people who were bitten. 

The 2nd clip I remember well - dog was rescued from falling in a frozen lake then whisked away for a live local news story. Bad idea - you can just see how uncomfortable this dog was - the K9 was screaming to me back off - handler did not take note.


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## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

"The dog raised up and put his front feet on the other deputy's chest and then he did the same to me."

Murray Co. deputy bitten during "selfie" with K-9 - WRCBtv.com | Chattanooga News, Weather & Sports

That's the deputy's quote. Sitting or standing - if it was my dog involved, he'd have been pulled back and reminded that this isn't allowed.


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## ApselBear (Feb 10, 2014)

Selfies...


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

okay . I took the information from this site Drug dog bites Ga. deputy during attempted selfie | www.wsbtv.com

must have missed the other report --- so I just read it -- what? hold the press .

Directly from your Chattanooga News -- this "According to a Murray County official, the deputy knelt down beside the dog and put his arm around him for a "selfie." That's when the dog turned and attacked the deputy. Officials say the dog was probably feeling threatened and was protecting his handler as well as himself."

AND this " 
"I had my phone in my hand when the dog began rubbing its body against my legs and the legs of another deputy. The dog raised up and put his front feet on the other deputy's chest and then he did the same to me. While he had his feet on my chest and I was petting him with my left hand, I thought that would make a good photo. It was then that he bit me. There was no 'pre-planned selfie.'" 

Those are two distinctly different accounts of the events.

In any case the dog should have been put up to allow him to cool off after an intense session . Everyone was pumped.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

OMG - that guy and the train

It appears that selfies leads to no situational awareness for some. Yikes.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Courtney said:


> This was my take as well. My reaction - why in the heck did this deputy put his arm around the dogs neck - close the distance to snap a selfie? He wanted to showboat and it turned bad.
> 
> I blame the deputy. I'm sure lesson learned for him - he made a mistake. I hope he's OK, seriously. From this short snippit of a story it does not appear this dog is a menace and I hope he carries on his work at the department.


My take as well, wasn't the handler that got bit....handler doesn't know his dog well enough. 

Jumping on people? It's a working K9 not a "Golden"...opps!:blush:


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## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

I wouldn't blame the deputy, because unless the dog was growling/snarling/barking while jumping up then it would be a general assumption that the dog was being friendly. I think mals are cute, and if I didn't know any better then I might wrap my arms around a (what I thought was friendly) dog jumping on me too. The poor guy sure learned not to do this the hard way.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

ApselBear said:


> Kicked in the head by a train - YouTube
> Selfies...


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## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

This is all because of that selfie song .

Yep.
Anyone know what im talking about.

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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

With many k9 departments funded by donations, and the good will of the public so very important for the success of using dogs, I am really surprised that this was released to the newspapers. 

Pet dogs really are usually ok with getting hugs, even from perfect strangers. Usually. Not everyone out there is thinking that a dog is going to bite them if they give the dog a hug. And if your dog will, then you have to be 100% on top of that dog all the time, because yes, some little kid can run up while your back is turned and wrap its arms around your dog's neck (me and Cujo, years ago happens -- and most dogs are not going to react). K9s, well, I really don't know what goes into their training, socialization, and management. I expect that since they must be ready for anything, and they are expected to protect and bite, and they have to be able to continue on through opposition by humans, it is very likely that the type of the dog, and the conditioning and the training of the dog would make this scene far more likely than what we would expect in an ordinary pet, owned by conscientious people who gave the dog some training and socialization.

So by the two news stories (really slow news-day Carmen), if we have to point the finger of blame, we should probably point it at both the humans involved. I mean, I know enough to not go up to a police dog and hug it. And I also know enough that if I own a dog that is likely to bite under certain circumstances, then I need to be vigilent about the environment around my dog. 

So, 10 lashes to both LEO's. And 50 to the yayhoo that leaked it to the press.


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## Msmaria (Mar 2, 2013)

The first time I saw the video ( police dog and reporter) I was too inexperienced to see all the signs this dog was giving out that he was uncomfortable ie. ears back, licking lips. However I always assumed police dogs had a higher threshold. I think I expect too much. Glad Ive learned to read dogs a little better from this forum.


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## Msmaria (Mar 2, 2013)

carmspack said:


> Now if it had been the Sheriff I could have said "I bit the Sheriff , but I did not bite the De pu ty "
> 
> .


I can't stop laughing.


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## CelticGlory (Jan 19, 2006)

I wonder if this was the first time the handler (not the officer that got bit) let the dog roam the office area? Or even if this is the first time the officer met the dog in question? Otherwise, who is to say that he would have done what he did? I probably would pet and hug a dog I was familiar with and got along with before. Not a strange dog though. So I would say we are still missing all of the facts. Even with the officer's quote. It explained what happened but not if the dog was familiar with him or not. I wouldn't think a trained K9 would jump on a stranger in a familiar setting if it didn't do that before, correct?


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## deacon (Sep 5, 2011)

volcano may I ask how much experience you have selecting, training, working Police or MWD's?


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

On this one, I can understand where the handler went wrong. And I can honestly say I may have made the same mistake. Everyone was still excited about the job they had just completed. I'd think due to the fact the dog raised up and placed it's paws on it's handler, there was most likely a lot of "Good Boy!"s and patting going on. The deputy who was bitten was close to the handler, stated the dog was a good boy, the dog redirected to the deputy. When the deputy reached around the dog to hold it (for the selfie) the dog reacted. It was already in a hightened state. The entire group was in a hightened state. 

Lesson's learned.


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## Sarah~ (Apr 30, 2012)

misslesleedavis1 said:


> This is all because of that selfie song .
> 
> Yep.
> Anyone know what im talking about.
> ...


I love that song!

I feel bad for the deputy, I think he was just treating the dog like any other friendly dog and made a mistake. He probably surprised the dog or something maybe the dog would have been ok or has been ok before doing stuff like that and the deputy didn't think anything of it until he got bit.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Sarah~ said:


> I love that song!
> 
> I feel bad for the deputy, I think he was just treating the dog like any other friendly dog and made a mistake. He probably surprised the dog or something maybe the dog would have been ok or has been ok before doing stuff like that and the deputy didn't think anything of it until he got bit.


Maybe that ought to be part of your deputy orientation: Fellows, sometimes you are going to be working around K-9s and their handlers. These are working dogs, don't stare at them, don't pet them without permission, don't hug them. You will get bitten. 

I like the idea of police dogs that can sniff out drugs, subdue criminals, and do kindergarten demonstrations in schools, and patrol at community events like street fairs and parades. Perhaps that isn't reasonable. And departments sometimes have one dog that they use specifically for events where the community/children might be present, a dog that is rock solid around everyone, that is unlikely to attack someone who is non-threatening.


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## wyoung2153 (Feb 28, 2010)

I haven't trained any MWD or LE K9s. But I being in the military, I have been around them A LOT. ALL of them have been solid with people.. we used to get to play with them after they did their "job," bomb, drug, etc. Then again in the picture attached I asked the handler if I could take one with him.. Same with the girl who bunked next door to me when I was deployed.. every morning she's be taking her dog out and I'd get to pet and play with her. I would assume if they weren't good with people, they wouldn't be allowed to socialize.

IMO a dog shouldn't be brought out and allowed to socialize if he's not stable enough. I don't think every working dog needs to love people. They need to do their job, but it's a matter of know what the dog's thresholds are and not allowing it in a situation where it's going to be tested. 

Because we don't have all the details, I wonder about how severe this bite was, I wonder if the dog has been allowed to socialize before in that setting. I do believe it was a total accident but it could have been prevented. I would have never taken a picture with the dog below had I not asked.. that's just common sense. If he would have told me "no" I would have been fine with that too. Then again as a handler I probably would have been a little more on top of my dog's whereabouts and behavior too.. BUT like I said, I'm not a handler and I have never trained them so that's just my observation.


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## ApselBear (Feb 10, 2014)

misslesleedavis1 said:


> This is all because of that selfie song .
> 
> Yep.
> Anyone know what im talking about.
> ...


I die a little on the inside every time I hear it:headbang:


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

selzer said:


> I like the idea of police dogs that can sniff out drugs, subdue criminals, and do kindergarten demonstrations in schools, and patrol at community events like street fairs and parades. Perhaps that isn't reasonable.


IMO - I don't want a police dog to be a parade dog. I like the idea that when a dog is sent in that dog is nothing but business. As an innocent bystander, I'll take a dog bite before I'd take a bullet hole. As a tax payer, I want to think that the dog is going to protect the officer with it's life. Just as the officer is going to protect me with his/her life.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Lilie said:


> IMO - I don't want a police dog to be a parade dog. I like the idea that when a dog is sent in that dog is nothing but business. As an innocent bystander, I'll take a dog bite before I'd take a bullet hole. As a tax payer, I want to think that the dog is going to protect the officer with it's life. Just as the officer is going to protect me with his/her life.


I thought they had the dogs at parades, street fairs, fairs, community events, to kind of deter criminal activity.


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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

It's not all black and white. 

New dog, fresh off the plane from Holland, lived in a kennel it's entire life, new handler, just got out of school, doesn't really have a feel for things yet and is excited about his new partner, one of their first big missions so the excitement level is really high... accidents happen.

Experienced dog and handler, been working together for a while, been on a lot of missions, used to turning it on and off because it's a normal part of life now, dog understands what the other guys in uniform are... totally different outcome.

15 minutes after your first firefight, you will still be in fight mode, tunnel vision, sick to your stomach, can't feel your lips, all that fun stuff.

6 months in and it's still a rush, but it's only about 20% of what it used to be. You learn to cope with the stress and moderate your body. Dogs go through the same thing. Training only goes so far to prepare you for the real thing, and when it is the real thing and you are not used to it, it can be tough to handle.


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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

selzer said:


> I thought they had the dogs at parades, street fairs, fairs, community events, to kind of deter criminal activity.


I'd walk Fama through a schoolyard of kindergartners, and have done so many times. Sometimes they would even throw rocks and she would stay calm. I wouldn't do it the first couple months I had her though. She still thought she had to protect me from everything.

I definitely wouldn't let someone throw their arm around her right after an engagement, unless is was someone we trained with regularly.


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## deacon (Sep 5, 2011)

As a current Police Dog Handler, and former MWD handler, I for one do not allow anybody to socialize with my partner with the exception of saying hello and escorting me as backup on searches.

First and foremost my partner is not a pet as I have even told the mayor and a couple of councilmen and women, therefore he is not to be petted given treats nor to have pictures taken with unless I am included and they understand he is not going to be petted or held by anyone except me.

When conducting K-9 demonstrations I let the public know as well not because I don't want him to socialize but because he has been in several physical confrontations upon locating by scent or chasing bad guys then after being kicked, choked he has grown not to trust the human race as much any longer.

I have one other officer, our other handler(Drug) dog handler be friends with my partner in the event I become injured and can't handle him or if something should happen at home if I am not there. We often feed each others dog and play with them as well.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

David Winners said:


> I'd walk Fama through a schoolyard of kindergartners, and have done so many times. Sometimes they would even throw rocks and she would stay calm. I wouldn't do it the first couple months I had her though. She still thought she had to protect me from everything.
> 
> I definitely wouldn't let someone throw their arm around her right after an engagement, unless is was someone we trained with regularly.


My comment was specific to Lilie's where she said she did not want the dog to be a parade dog.

The police dogs in this area, though largely owner trained, are often at parades etc. And they do demos at the school. But yes, I think it is more like what Deacon says, the dogs are not handled, petted, hugged by anyone but the handler.


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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

Oh yeah. I was just putting some perspective on it.

David Winners


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## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

ApselBear said:


> I die a little on the inside every time I hear it:headbang:


 I listened to it today before I read this thread...it sorta hard to keep a straight face when you put the musical spin on situation. ..then with carmen"s whole I bit the sheriff but I did not bite the deputy post...my god its been random giggles all day. 

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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

deacon said:


> As a current Police Dog Handler, and former MWD handler, I for one do not allow anybody to socialize with my partner with the exception of saying hello and escorting me as backup on searches.
> 
> First and foremost my partner is not a pet as I have even told the mayor and a couple of councilmen and women, therefore he is not to be petted given treats nor to have pictures taken with unless I am included and they understand he is not going to be petted or held by anyone except me.
> 
> ...


And pretty much this is my take on "this" incident, the handler did not know his dog! The whole hopping on "folks" things...says "Hey I'm a "folks friendly dog" then without a command the dogs bites the crap out of someone???

Hopping on folks, K9 "acting like a family pet" is a screw up in my book! Handler did not know his dog...whatever training the dog had allowed this behavior???

That's where I see the problem, pretty much as simple as that to me?


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