[Colonel_Flagg]

Per the article, the owner was home at the time. If the dog was trained, she could (and should) have given the command. Never assume a dog just ‘knows’, or that any visitor ‘knows’ a dog is safe. Virtually any dog can appear to be threatening.

That said, the officer needs to use a bit of common sense in this case.

[driftdiver]

Why thank you for your condescending response. golly gee its good to know that

[Robert Teesdale]

Virtually any dog can appear to be threatening.

Even the most violent and savage attack by a twelve-pound Jack Russell can be resolved by kicking across the room.

Escalating it to gunfire is unnecessary.