I think both the dog and handler need to go through some continuing education. It sounds to me that the dog thinks he is the alpha and will do what HE wants, when HE wants too. for example the heal position on someone other than the handler. The department should take the dog off the streats and do a couple week re-training program with him and the handler. The liability is just too great. Just my .02.

DSO

dso, thank you for returning everyone back to the original subject.
as for the corgis, they dock the tail. they are born vertically challenged.
but great things come in small packages.
anytime you want to see what a corgi can really do, let me know.
if i was looking for a circus act, i'd have a rainbow wig and big red nose.
can your dog handle a cattle drive???????????

Hi:
The dog has completed his required training and the handler is capable (he's been a handler for about 5+ years). I think probably a majority of this had to do with lack of "additional" training on the part of the handler. Call it laziness or complacency or just doing the minimum to get by, but it's not fair to slam him since he isn't here. I guess my point was, can a dog who has been selected and trained and is currently in service revert back to "undesirable" traits if his handler isn't constantly trying to correct this type of behavior. Also, does anyone have any advice or suggestions about the socialization or training of the K9 in deployment situations around multiple officers (i.e. foot pursuits, taking combative subjects into custody, etc).
Thanks for sticking to the subject matter
Regards,
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Brandon

Sorry if my comments sounded like I was flaming the handler, I was not. My main point was to give an "opinion" on a possible reason on why the dog had arrived at this point. The reason I suggested for the dog to "retrain" was so the dog AGAIN learns the rules of the game and follows the orders from HIS handler.
Also, just because he has been a handler for 5+ years does not mean he knows everything about handeling a dog. IF he did, this wouldn't have happend, or wouldn't have gone so far as you almost becoming chew toy. SO, in the end, can a dog who does not keep up on his training revert? Here is another seceniory, If a alcoholic does not keep up on his meeting will he revert to his old ways?

Sorry if it sounds harsh, but once again this just my .02.
DSO

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"Also, does anyone have any advice or suggestions about the socialization or training of the K9 in deployment situations around multiple officers (i.e. foot pursuits, taking combative subjects into custody, etc)."
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I believe that if the dog is going to be around officers,civilians, kids and even felons, yes the dog should be socialized. I believe there is a big liability if it has a bad bite. If the dog is ONLY going to be used for protection and NEVER be taken out of the unit unless he going to bite, the call would be the departments or handlers. But my opinion is hander supervised socialization is good. IF the dog is trained and has continued training it will still work when needed. We have 4 PSD on my department, they train EVERY friday for 8 hours and are socialized with people of all ages. They have NEVER had a bad bite. We have one Bomb detection dog, he is not protection trained. This team is considered one of the best in Illinois. However, his dog has had several "close calls" and a few bad bites on fellow Deputy's. Other than the handler and his family he is not socialized much.

DSO

if the training is not maintained, then yes the dog can revert back to previous behaviors. this goes for any dog, any training. whether it is socialization, control, scent, or competition precision.
keep in mind these are dogs. they are living, breathing, thinking animals. they are not robots. sometimes dogs make wrong decisions. sometimes people make handler errors. just because a dog is on the street doesn't mean he is done with training. sometimes a "finished" dog or "experienced" handler need to go back to basics.
as for the socialization, all dogs need socializtion. and that needs to be maintained, too.
but socialization does not HAVE to mean being petted by strangers. it means being exposed to all types of situations: people, animals, weather, noise, traffic, etc. if the dog is across the room from you, or sees you in the parking lot, he is getting socialized to you.

Originally posted by corgipower:
socialization does not HAVE to mean being petted by strangers. it means being exposed to all types of situations: people, animals, weather, noise, traffic, etc. if the dog is across the room from you, or sees you in the parking lot, he is getting socialized to you. Corgipower- nice post. MY PSD is taken everwhere with me, drop off/pickup kids at School, pet store, parks etc. I have found it to be very helpful.

DSO

one more thing. I use these areas of socialization for training purposes as well. I will "down" my dog in an isle of the pet store and goto another isle and call him to me. On a walk I will just down him in motion. I will leave him for anywhere from 30 seconds to a couple full minutes. if he breaks, he goes back and we do it again. So just because the dog is socialized doesn't mean he will be "soft" or won't bite. It just means he will respond NO matter the enviroment.

Thanks for the rant.
DSO

Hello All:
No offense taken on my part. I agree, the dog and the handler both need to continue to work on training each and every time. We only do 4 hours every two weeks (not enough in my opinion). Also I feel its very important that handlers take the extra effort and time to work their dogs while on or off duty. Like someone said, taking the dog into the pet store and doing the downs in motion, etc. I wonder if there is any information out there in internet land on the status and training programs of some of the larger and more successful Police K9 programs in the nation. It seems like almost every department has their own training methodologies. I wonder if there are any schools of thought on this?
Regards,
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Brandon

Training certainly is the cornerstone to any police canine unit. Training in and of it's self however is not the only answer to all questions or problems. A department must have clear cut, established policy AND handlers that understand those policy. There is no doubt that the liability rests squarely on the handler, which automatically transfers to the "big pockets" the department. Yes a dog should be exposed to any situation that can be replicated in training. While some of us may disagree that dogs think " a condtioned response is just that, there is not thought process involved on the dogs part" it is the handlers responsibility to ensure the dog is employed, or deployed correctly. Just like a fire arm, once fired, the officer owns that bullet until it stops. When a dog is deployed, the officer is responsible for who gets bitten. If you don't have a clear shot, you don't take it. If you don't have a clear, intended target, or you don't have immediate control over the canine once released, then it should not be deployed. There is certainly a difference in a clear and intended target, that turns out to be the wrong person and one that was bitten and the bite was not intended.

DFrost