Reptile & Amphibian Forums

In retrospect, I should have used the suit. OK, this is for ANYONE that does bite work...DON'T LET YOUR EGO GET THE BEST OF YOU!!! I have always prided myself on the ability to accurately present the target. Puppy tug, sleeve, hidden sleeve, leg bites, shoulder bites, etc. Yeah, mistake number one. Mistake number two occured while doing running apprehension without a suit. This I believe to be the lesser mistake...ego always wins (and usually looses in the same breath). The other day I was out with an officer and his K-9 which will BOTH remain nameless. We'll just call the officer "Sir" and the dog...um...we'll call him "Teeth". This particular dog is a mixed breed that has been trained solely on narcotics, and his prime motivator is a small jute tug.

I was approached by "Sir" and asked if I thought that "Teeth" would have the hardness to make for a good manstopper. We did some civil agitation, and bitework and decided that, with a little work, he would indeed make a good bite dog. Needless to say, this training was NOT provided by the dept. nor was it AUTHORIZED. I didn't care, if he wanted his primary partner to be able to "back him up" should the need arise, I was more than willing to help. Indeed "Teeth" was quite motivated for the bite and was doing quite well at it. I was proud, "Sir" was proud and "Teeth" was SURE proud. Well, one day "Sir" wanted to work some short distance apprehension work. That last bite really...well, it bit. I was on the move when I heard "Teeth"'s approach. I extended the sleeve and was just about to turn, when WHAM! right on the shoulder guard. Two canines on the front of the guard, ONE lower canine on the back side of the guard, and one canine......you guessed it, the the fleshy stuff that I call my ARM. Do NOT let this happen to you. My swolen head could have popped off and floated around that park like an unknotted balloon...My father always said it and I guess I'm still rebelling, but it bears repeating....USE THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB!!!

Tom
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"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion."
--Unknown

>>In retrospect, I should have used the suit. OK, this is for ANYONE that does bite work...DON'T LET YOUR EGO GET THE BEST OF YOU!!! I have always prided myself on the ability to accurately present the target. Puppy tug, sleeve, hidden sleeve, leg bites, shoulder bites, etc. Yeah, mistake number one. Mistake number two occured while doing running apprehension without a suit. This I believe to be the lesser mistake...ego always wins (and usually looses in the same breath). The other day I was out with an officer and his K-9 which will BOTH remain nameless. We'll just call the officer "Sir" and the dog...um...we'll call him "Teeth". This particular dog is a mixed breed that has been trained solely on narcotics, and his prime motivator is a small jute tug.
>>
>>I was approached by "Sir" and asked if I thought that "Teeth" would have the hardness to make for a good manstopper. We did some civil agitation, and bitework and decided that, with a little work, he would indeed make a good bite dog. Needless to say, this training was NOT provided by the dept. nor was it AUTHORIZED. I didn't care, if he wanted his primary partner to be able to "back him up" should the need arise, I was more than willing to help. Indeed "Teeth" was quite motivated for the bite and was doing quite well at it. I was proud, "Sir" was proud and "Teeth" was SURE proud. Well, one day "Sir" wanted to work some short distance apprehension work. That last bite really...well, it bit. I was on the move when I heard "Teeth"'s approach. I extended the sleeve and was just about to turn, when WHAM! right on the shoulder guard. Two canines on the front of the guard, ONE lower canine on the back side of the guard, and one canine......you guessed it, the the fleshy stuff that I call my ARM. Do NOT let this happen to you. My swolen head could have popped off and floated around that park like an unknotted balloon...My father always said it and I guess I'm still rebelling, but it bears repeating....USE THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB!!!
>>
>> Tom
>>-----
>>"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion."
>> --Unknown

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The last time I watched a competition among working police K-9 dogs, I saw either 2 or 3 bites miss the sleeve and catch the decoy. LOL, you would think after the first one, they'd start suiting up more! They seemed to take it as a matter of routine. Some of the dogs were excellent.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series at www.veterinaryforum.com

My swolen head could have popped off and floated around that park like an unknotted balloon...

he nice imagery there

Thanks for the story, lol. I won't be taking any bites from any dogs for a LONG time... if ever. They tried to mooch me into doing it a couple weeks ago but I (literally) ran away, LOL. Another girl was gutsy enough to do it and she got PLOWED by the trainer's rottweiler. I have a vid clip of it, if you're interested in a good laugh. The dog is very well trained so there was nothing to worry about with her (yah yah... anomolies... ok). It's a very funny clip though.
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Lesya & Sophie

A Dog Owner's Prayer

Author unknown
Thanks to Pattie Lawler
http://www.behaviour-problems.freeserve.co.uk/2/Poems/dogownerpray.htm