Quote:
Originally Posted by yorkiemini
(Post 4727436)
You are so right Brister! K9 officers take their dogs to schools and the little kids are all over them, and these dogs than can take down a 250pound man love it:D
|
I would never, ever take that chance with a large, powerful canine possessing all of the much-desired, line-bred, natural instincts, aptitude and training and muscle-memory for attacking, bringing down and restraining flailing, fighting, screaming adult suspects. Little kids often act just like that at home. Not ALL officers have anything like total control over a locked-on, intense, hyped-up attack dog in the thrall of pursuit or during attack of fearful prey, shedding fear-adrenaline-laden sweat and pumping scent by the pint, which drives the animal even deeper into its extreme fervor. Not all K-9 officers are top candidates for the training, nor are they all graduates of the top training academies, nor their handlers always that well selected or well-trained. No K-9 program is perfect and even the very best aren't free of conduct or behavior problems with dogs and handlers with these special instincts, aptitudes and skills.
And during professional training and competitive matches, I've seen more than one K-9 on the chase unconsciously reach back and nip/bite his trainer/handler on the leg or other flailing, dangling body part out of sheer redirected excitement and certainly fail to back off restraining/biting his prey even after repeated commands to do so. Sometimes the handler has to actively drag the K9 off. They may tend to herd or police smaller beings on their own initiative. I've seen them roughly nip into their handler during rough-house play with nothing more than a stifled scream followed by a smirk-off by the handler as he knows the dog's intent wasn't to hurt but the dog was just super-hyped and acted off-guard. It's a rough-tough business they partake in daily and every sense is often driven to the limits and a few officers encourage it with a casual attitude, feeling they control the dog, whether they completely do or not.
I know many, many officers do bring their K9's home to young children after a heavy day of all of this intensity, all-too-sure they can control the dog; but I've also personally known at least one K9 officer's GSD that went for his family's toddler and the child suffered life-threatening, horrific injuries. And I know that wasn't the only one and I know many, many K9 officers who would never bring their K9 home to their kids when the handler cannot always be present when they interact. But there always are those very rare, unprofessional, over-confident K9 handlers who think a wildly over-hyped dog is a little too much fun or a K9 who just loses his composure if over-stressed or over-excited too often.
Don't get me wrong, the vast majority of K9s act as brave, supremely courageous, loyal tools of highly professional, wholly responsible police officers in 99 99/100% of the cases. A working team of officer and K9 daily readily put themselves in harm's way out of sheer dedication to duty, a servant's heart and never a thought for themselves when there is a need and they do it for nothing more than their sense of duty to serve and protect.
