My Life As A Dog Trainer: NC Trooper Abuses His Fellow K-9 Officer

OK, my last two posts have been about dog abuse. I had something else to write about today, until I saw this on the news this morning. It was shocking to the news crew on Fox & Friends. One of them was looking away and could not even look at the monitor. To me, I knew this stuff went on. Not only do some, and only some, police officers do this, but trainers do it as well. In fact, there is a Doberman that we have in Behavior Modification right now that at 4 months old was trained by a local training facility in our area known for using such methods as "helicoptering" and "front leg tie ups with punishment". The family has been told about theses methods by the trainers themselves. The dog was even abused with his own lead so that every time he sees it and it is on him he knows "what could happen if he doesn't comply". You can tell people about these things but seeing it is another.

The story on the news this morning is about a NC State Trooper who wanted compliance out of his dog. His dog would not release his toy. So he was abused until he released it. What the officer doesn't realize is that the dog was probably holding onto the toy for comfort. This dog is a Belgian Malinois. They are herders. It is common practice of humane trainers to teach a herding dog to mouth and hold onto a toy. This gives the dog comfort and allows him to give into his instincts to herd and nip to a toy in its mouth. Teach your herding dog to carry and bite on a tennis ball and it will release stress, and bite the ball instead of nipping at your heels going down the hall. Over time the dog learns to control the instinct. So, I believe the dog found the toy, used as a reward in all of his training, comforting. After seeing the video you can understand why the dog would need comfort and hold onto anything that gave him pleasure, security, comfort.

Reports in news articles report that the video was made by a fellow officer on his video phone. The phone could only record 15 seconds at a time so there are two short videos. The articles also stated that this is common practice. Along with other methods of training that include hitting the dog with a plastic bottle filled with rocks, and tazering the dogs. The K-9 Officer, 7 year old Ricoh, was first helicoptered (not taped). That means swinging the dog in the air on its leash. Literally spinning the dog around until it comes off the ground suspended by the collar on its neck and then letting it slam to the ground. This gives physical pain and fear. The officer then is recorded on video by the other officer tying Ricoh up off of his front feet to a railing. His lead, connected to his collar is tied up until the dog's front feet are suspended in the air. The officer then proceeds to kick the dog on through the second video. The dog swings in the air at the result of each kick. The dog cannot be heard making a noise. He has the toy still in his mouth. No doubt this is not new to Ricoh's 7 year life.

Here is the video:

The dog was examined three weeks later and found to have no injuries. Sure, it may not have broken bones, but to say there were no injuries? That dog had to hurt. It did.

The officer wants his job back, and could possibly get it back since there are no policies in place on how to train the dogs and what is and is not acceptable. If this is common practice among the other officers, what will they do? Fire all of the officers?

I say there needs to be policies put into place. Now.

My husband, Brad, said that if K-9 Officers are treated with respect by the community and public, and even fellow officers mourn and decorate in death the service and loss of a K-9 officer when lost during duty, then why not give them the same respect while on and off duty.

There was a report saying that the dog's tail was wagging and it wanted to follow his handler. They state this like it is a testament that the treatment was not bad, at least not bad enough to ruin the relationship between the dog and his fellow officer handler. Are you kidding me? What choice did the dog have? What choice do they ever have? They have to comply, or defend. If they defend themselves, and begin to give behavior that is defensive they are further punished or they lose their life. Those that comply will continue to receive this type of training and it is normal to them. Just as humans that are victims of abuse begin to feel this is a normal way of life. They accept it, and so do the dogs.

Do not listen to those trainers that would tell you that some breeds need a harder hand. I have a 90 pound, male, intact Doberman, all muscle, conformationally correct (so he can move like he should, and can do it better and longer than a dog without the correct build), has passed a temperament test that involved protection behavior to an agitator (this test is usually passed by very few that take the test), and that dog has NEVER had a pop of a collar, a pop to the nose or under the chin, no choke collar training, no aversive training what so ever. He is confident, sure of himself, and an independent thinking dog that is very compliant and obedient. He is allowed to be the noble, intelligent dog that he was bred to be, instead of a dog confused and making decisions based on fear and how it will be inflicted. He is obedient because he respects his owners. To the "T" as one would say.

In some ways I feel for the officer. He is probably doing what he was told by someone else that trained his own dog this way. There are probably other officers all over the country that have done the exact same thing. There are pet dogs in my own community that have been trained this way. He just got taped, otherwise there would be no issue. He needs to be punished. His own morals and standards for his dog should have made him not do it. The officer that taped him knew it was wrong, and that is why he was concerned, taped it and turned in the tape.

Maybe if this issue gets attention on the level that is with this officer, other officers and their superiors will find better ways of training these dogs. Ways that produce confident, compliant dogs, ready to serve, without the possibility of receiving pain at the hands of their own handler. If the issue is addressed, then maybe trainers like the ones in my own community, and probably in yours will no longer be able to convince a new dog owner that they better "get control now before it is too late". They will go out of business as dog owners no longer will be talked into handing over hundreds of dollars to let someone physically and emotionally abuse their dog.

Never leave your dog with anyone to train it. Never. If you aren't allowed there, then ask yourself why. If you don't have the time to do it, then you don't have time for the dog. If the trainer won't train the dog with you, then go elsewhere! Whether it is for hunting skills, guarding and protection, or just obedience. NO trainer that uses sound, proven and humane methods will need you absent. The owner is part of the learning process, not absent from it.

Meanwhile, once again, shout and give voice to the dogs that cannot speak for themselves. Richo and every other dog trained this way, and receiving corrections this way need you to speak up.

Here is the link to the NC State Highway Patrol Contact Site: NC State Highway Patrol

Maybe tomorrow we can take things down a notch. Meanwhile, hug your dog today. If you hit your dog. Stop. Go to a class of a trainer that uses positive reward based methods. I mean really uses them, not someone that claims to and then squirts your dog with a water bottle or recommends using a choke collar or prong collar. Do you and your dog a great service, do your homework and find a REAL PROFESSIONAL TRAINER. Someone that trains, not intimidates. Someone that knows psychological methods, theories, and understands canine behavior.

Be a responsible dog owner. Do your homework, find a trainer, and then learn. Together. Don't forget to voice your thoughts to NC State Highway Patrol, and while your at it stick your own state's name in a search engine and let them know you hope they are setting new standards as well. You'll be glad to know that Ricoh was retired and hopefully that means retirement from the treatment he received as well.

Till later, woofs.