I have a question out of curiousity; how is a police k9's behaviour altered by training, are they completly unsafe outside, lets say for example one gets loose in its neighborhood, is it acceptable for it to attack people or bite people through fences?

A loud "NO!" Absolutely not. I am not a cop so I won't get into details, but the dogs have to be stable. What you're describing is a public danger. The dogs are trained in situations, not trained to attack anything that moves.

thanks, i thought so. I know a handler whose dog did get loose and bit a child through a fence (couldnt have been provoked) i have also heard a handler who boasted that his dog would kill any man who came near. may just be alot of wind but the attitude shocked me since I thought that police dogs were touted as safe (under control of course) in public, that normal people could (if allowed by the handler) touch, or appoach the dog, meaning that it was possible; that the dog was not aggressive to all humans...just checking to make sure I wasnt missing something major

Why couldn't the behind-the-fence bite have been provoked?

Biting someone who approaches unwelcomed and going out and attacking people are two different things, too. Plus, you're always going to have your egomaniacs boasting about how tough their dogs are . I know several/many PSDs, and none are what you'd call a public liability as long as some common sense is exercised.

I have to agree with Jenni but with a couple interjections.

All dogs are different, whether they are pets, or police dogs. Just because it is a PSD does not mean that the dog will be polite all the time. PSDs have territorial issues like any other dog. They also have individual quirks like any other dog as well.

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since I thought that police dogs were touted as safe (under control of course) in public, that normal people could (if allowed by the handler) touch, or appoach the dog, meaning that it was possible; that the dog was not aggressive to all humans...

In a perfect world where every PSD selected was rock solid then that could be the case. Unfortunately there are far too many dogs working the street that are unsuitable for the job. Couple that with stupid handlers and you have a disaster in the making.

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i have also heard a handler who boasted that his dog would kill any man who came near. may just be alot of wind but the attitude shocked me

I have heard this many times. Why he boasted could be for any number of reasons.

#1} He's an idiot, and more than likely his dog would run from the pink panther.

#2} He's telling the truth because he has a nasty dog, though very few patrol dogs kill adult humans and when they do its accidental.

#3}He's speaking to scumbags or persons who might potentially come to his house and harm him or his family. (I've done this and I saw the benefit when I caught two teenagers in front of my house talking about how trying to avoid massive injury wasn't worth targeting my house)

#4}He's a new handler and easily impressed by biting dogs so he is conveying that impression by talking a big game to gain respect from his peers.

#5) He's an idiot.

Howard

There are so many variables it's not even funny.

Generally speaking, due to the liability factors and risk of being sued in the US, K9 departments seek dogs that are social and "situationally trained", as Jenni said, where they will bite on command, but are otherwise social happy dogs. This is different in Europe, dogs here don't have to be as social, and some of them are very bite-happy. Sometimes dogs like this make it over to the US too, it all depends on an unlimited number of variables.

However, every dog is different, and police officers are just people. All people have a different view on things, and can say stupid things, regardless of whether or not they have a badge.

If a police dog bit someone through a fence, without seeing the circumstances it would be impossible to say whether the dog was "provoked" or not. Things can provoke dogs (all dogs, of any breed, of any type of training, used for any purpose) that the average person may not realize will provoke a dog. Afterall, look at all the morons that let their kids play unsupervised with puppies that could bite them in the face. Without someone who knows what they are looking at analyzing a situation first hand, nobody can say whether something is provoked or not when it comes to dogs. If you want to provoke my dog Cujo, it might be something as simple as standing up from the sofa while looking at him.

I saw your name as "online" and was hoping you'd interject. I don't like saying too much about PSDs, b/c although I have worked/trained closely w/a few, I am not a K9 handler, so I wanted to stick w/basic generalizations. Thanks, Howard.

I like your reasons # 1 & 5.

Sadly, I have seen a couple "unsuitable" dogs on the street, too, and for a host of different reasons, they continue to "work". BUT-IMHO, Mary's question (the original one), for the most part, should be able to be answered with NO! (In a perfect world, that is.)

I meant that it was unprovoked in that the dog approached the fence himself (it was a daycare) and the child, who went over to the fence stuck its hand through and got bit. now as to why the supervisors *let* a toddler go over to the fence where a large stray dog was (probly marking its territory, knowing dogs )you can search me, I was suprised they didnt get sued.

Well, it's unfortunate, for sure, but fences and dogs and kids are a bad combo, IMO. I would not guarantee a few of my dogs' behavior through a fence. I had a dog who was fine until a toddler (brat) kept sticking his plastic sword through the fence and trying to stab him. Well, he now just hates that child, fence or no fence. "Provoked" can mean an infinite number of things. Remember, only the dog has to think it was provoked for something bad to happen.

It never ceases to amaze me how the ignorance of humans is transferred to the animal who is not at fault. Then the animal pays the price. Crazy!

Howard