Michele,

You are correct that the dog was not doing something it was trained to do in that there was no command and the victim was a child. However, it also was, in the other sense, following its protocol, so to speak. This is a very touchy subject and I think I may have touched it too much already. But I agree with you.

I have heard of the "thumb in the bum" technique to be quite effective actually. Haven't had to try it yet (knock on wood) but an aquaintance of mine with two or three APBT says it works very well. As far as choking them out... pretty much a no-go. A close friend of mine had two boxers, to make a long story short, they started going at it over the course of a few months and choking them was completely ineffective! They did not redirect their aggression but we may as well have not even bothered. The "wheel barrel" with the back legs does work but sometimes it takes a while until the dog turns around. Especially if you are alone and have to do it to both dogs yourself! I've gotten in the middle of about a dozen dog fights and it's never fun but I can tell you that beating them seldom works.

The choking has worked on my female, but that was with another dog and I must say she is what they call an onion in the pit bull world....she is more interested in dominating than "sealing the deal", so she probably is not a good measure.

I would be afraid of getting too near the head of a GSD or Mal to try the choke, would not want to end up lookin like swiss cheese. I would think hitting a police dog would just make it stay on the bite longer because that is what you would expect a bad guy to do....

Val,

I'm sure choking would work in some cases but when I go in I'm not prepared to test the dog at that point.

As far as your second point goes, I'd have to agree. Maybe not longer but harder for sure. Not to say that is how the police train (hit the dog in training during the bite-that is abuse and I doubt any police dog units would do that), but I would be willing to bet a good PP dog would and should be ready and willing if not eager to continue to fight through a bit of abuse from a suspect.

 Quote:

Not to say that is how the police train (hit the dog in training during the bite-that is abuse and I doubt any police dog units would do that

I should have been a police dog.

I think I'm missing the joke, Steven.

Is somebody hitting you? -- Do you need to speak to an adult?

ok, so i have a quick question here.

Are police dogs trained to bite harder if the criminal they are apprehending gives them a fight? I am not talking about re-directing then biting harder. But on the first initial bite if the criminal resists or fights back (hitting the dog etc etc), will they bite harder?

I am asking because if that is the case, is it possible that the adults bashing this dog may have very well caused the animal to bite down harder and causing more damage to the boy's arm?

Please note, i am in no way knowledgeable in the police dog training biting thing, so this is just something that I was wondering about that popped into my head.