I agree 100% with Ed.

This dog never should have been a service dog. Unfortunately, this was a hard way to learn the lesson. I think many of the previous poster's views would be different had the dog bolted and got hit by a car.

I hunt and know many hunters that will shoot a dog on sight during a hunt. I don't agree with this and don't do it, but the reality is that there are many who do.

Like Ed stated, the real issue here is why this dog was working as a drug dog and what could be the ramifications of improper selection testing. JMO.

Well, I originally was going to post the article about the gun shy K9, but I see you guys are one step ahead of me!

I would just like to address some of the other points that came up in the thread.

Coyotes. They are a problem in some areas and can be a danger...to pets AND small children. There are many documented cases of coyotes attacking small children...sometimes right in front of a parent. One case I saw, a coyote came right into the garage as a guy was unloading groceries from his car. The coyote grabbed the guy's 1.5 year old daughter and tried to make off with her. It happens. Around my area, coyotes are shoot on sight (Michigan has an open season/no limit on them). I have heard many, but seen few. We do not leave garbage or anything that may attract them out, and the dogs and kids are never allowed out unsupervised.

As far as shooting dogs. I live quite rural, and people really tend to let their dogs run (this bothers me to no end....for a number of reasons). We have at least two wild dog packs roaming the area (I live next to a rather large hunting club, and all the other land is quite open). Wild dog packs, in my view, pose a greater danger than coyotes.

It is legal here to shoot dogs that are running deer, although, I probably would not automatically shoot a dog. Just speaking for myself, I will try and ID the dog. If it can be determined that it is most likely a pet that has escaped, I won't shoot. If it looks to be a dog running with one of the packs, well....

To get back to the original topic.....just how does a gun shy/noise shy dog get on with a department anyway?

 Quote: Michael Lanting

Well, I originally was going to post the article about the gun shy K9, but I see you guys are one step ahead of me!

I would just like to address some of the other points that came up in the thread.

Coyotes. They are a problem in some areas and can be a danger...to pets AND small children. There are many documented cases of coyotes attacking small children...sometimes right in front of a parent. One case I saw, a coyote came right into the garage as a guy was unloading groceries from his car. The coyote grabbed the guy's 1.5 year old daughter and tried to make off with her. It happens. Around my area, coyotes are shoot on sight (Michigan has an open season/no limit on them). I have heard many, but seen few. We do not leave garbage or anything that may attract them out, and the dogs and kids are never allowed out unsupervised.

As far as shooting dogs. I live quite rural, and people really tend to let their dogs run (this bothers me to no end....for a number of reasons). We have at least two wild dog packs roaming the area (I live next to a rather large hunting club, and all the other land is quite open). Wild dog packs, in my view, pose a greater danger than coyotes.

It is legal here to shoot dogs that are running deer, although, I probably would not automatically shoot a dog. Just speaking for myself, I will try and ID the dog. If it can be determined that it is most likely a pet that has escaped, I won't shoot. If it looks to be a dog running with one of the packs, well....

To get back to the original topic.....just how does a gun shy/noise shy dog get on with a department anyway?

Coyotes and Wolves are not a problem we have over here as there are none left in the wild.

How far out of town do they need to be before you consider not shooting them? Is that a consideration?

I don't have any real affection for coyotes, I DO like Wolves a whole lot but I do appreciate the need for management in populated areas.

I'm not saying I disagree with shooting them in these circumstances (and given the problems cited under most any circumstances while close to people) but I just wanted to understand the rationale behind the shoot on sight policy.

Anyway I must apologise for taking this off topic.

I agree also that a dog with a fear of noise (loud or otherwise) dos NOT make a good candidate for any type of work, let alone police work.

All the bad guy has to do is shout at the dog and it turns and runs? Not good!

John

Just a note on one of Ed's points... That is a good point you brought up - on a back firing vehicle. I was thinking that possibly this dog was not used as a patrol dog, but for more specialized tasks. However, even though your point is valid, perhaps this department does not share your sense of duty; be it because of a low standard for their service animals or even a lack of availability for suitable candidates. Yet, it is still a tragic end for the poor dog. I'm sure the shooter doesn't exactly feel good about it and probably hasn't come forward for fear of legal ramifications.

Sorry guys. Just don't understand shooting a coyote in the woods, on his own turf. I can understand it's fair game in your own back yard. If he's that close to your place, he's probably up to no good. But you step onto his turf, it seems like he should be the one carrying the gun. You feel me?

The fact is, it's not a coyote problem at all, there are just too many people. We've pushed ourselves into their territory. And now, they're forced to share their turf with us. But because we carry guns, I guess we get the last word...

Ed's Comments edited in:

Mike you need to do your home work. Coyotes are in places they have NEVER BEEN BEFORE. We have not taken over there territory.

My family has a farm here in WI that has been in the family since 1854. When my father was a boy he never saw a deer. Today you can buy an extra doe lisence for $5.00 - because there are so many of them.

Management of gamer is a critical part of hunting. Assuming the attitude that you have reflect a lack of understanding of the facts.

In the last 4 months we have had a coyote on my sidewalk - 30 feet from the house. That was the luckiest coyote in our county - because Cindy saw it and I DID NOT.

let's see, me, mine and family, or a diseased/preditory Latrans

guess what, Wyle E Coyote gets a dirt nap, Thats all folks

Pittsburgh QB's response to another K9 that was shot ...
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/football/nfl/12/01/bc.fbn.roethlisberger.police.ap/index.html

and, to address one of the first questions "how can he mistake a dog for a deer...?", well how do hunters mistake a cow for a deer? a person for a deer? a horse for a deer?

it happens every year--livestock and ppl are injured/killed during hunting season. b/c the person w/gun thought it was a deer. it moved, therefore it was a deer.

i cannot comment on the dog's suitability for k-9 work. i CAN comment on coyotes here where i live: they are a nuisance, there are PLENTY of them around, the hides are worth money, and i promise you, the few that are shot by hunters are made up for next spring when they whelp.

they do sound cool at night in the summer though...

I guess I was just being naive in my original post. I never thought a hunter would shot an animal they were not legally allowed to hunt. Who ever shot the K9 must have known it was a dog, how else do you get such a clean shot? I'm sure it wasn't an accident.