When the deputy rolled up to the farm the dog immediately started her warning barking. At that time instead of trying to talk nice to the dog he should have sat in his car and waited for the owner to restrain the dog.
As far as the deputy knew there was no urgency to get out of his car. Waiting for the owner was a logical option.
I know I am second guessing the deputy but for me it seems the obvious action to take. He knows the owner is home and he has no need to get out of the car.
I have had deputies come to my house and they asked me to put my dog in another room before they came in to the house. It seems obvious to me that you would do this.
Some blame can be put on the owner as well. He should have locked up his dog in anticipation of the deputy’s arrival but of course I can imagine the state of his mind after having his home burgled.
It took the cop 2 1/2 hours to get there after his call.
“Waiting for the owner was the logical option.”
That is correct. He was close by.
I don’t disagree with you on any of your points other than neglecting taking into account human nature.
I work with a lot of dogs for a living. Out on a ranch or farm, I would expect a dog in the bed of a truck is going to stay there, especially a trained dog put there by the owner.
Now, having said that, as a person who works with dogs of all levels...I know the minute her front paws were up on the edge of the bed she wasn’t reliable to stay. I would have rolled up and got out of my vehicle too, but when the front paws on the edge of the bed, I would not have continued to approach, at that point it is stand still or get back in the car.
Can we really reasonably expect cops to be that savvy around dogs of all breeds? Or is this really more an owner issue with unreliable dog training?
As vetvetdoug has noted, trained “cow dogs,” can come off aggressive. I think a lot of FReepers in this case are jumping to the conclusion as if the dog is not a working dog. As a training ‘cattle dog’...the dog is trained to bite as part of its job.
That’s twice now you have suggested the LEO should have gone and hidden in the car. I’m still not defending shooting a dog in the back of the head, but to go get in the car?
You gotta be kidding me.