HIGHWAY PATROL (IN TENNESSEE) BEGINS DOG SAFETY CLASSES

The Nashville Tennessean ^ | 13 February 2003 | Leon Alligood

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

When a peace officer has to quickly size up a canine as friend or foe, wagging tails don't tell the tale, two experts from American Humane told Tennessee Highway Patrol supervisors yesterday. ''A wagging tale is the worst indicator of aggressiveness,'' said Emily Weiss, who works at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kan., and is an animal behavior consultant for American Humane. The eyes, ears and body are better indicators of whether a dog might bite, Weiss said. In aggressive mode, the whites of a dog's eyes will be more visible, his ears will stand up straight and the body will be tense.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

I just can't bring myself to say much. Besides, I don't want my thread pulled after the flamewars start.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Ever see a basset hound's ears stand up straight? The little beggars could fly. Flying dogs are displaying an agressive behavior and should be shot immediately to be retrieved by a trained police duck.

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

If the polite and responsible motorist had kept Patton in his car, we wouldn't be having this discussion. The canine training session for the THP reminds me of the 'Sensitivity Classes' that we old white guys have to attend in today's enlightened corporate culture. Load of crap.

[Conspiracy Guy]

The Trooper would not allow the motorist to close his door so how could he contain the dog? Maybe you don't know all the facts on this one. Hope no trooper ever shoots your dog.

[drjoe]

The JBSHTs [Jack Booted Shovel Helmeted Thugs] LET Patton out of the car after the INNOCENT family asked them not to, They then proceeded to shoot the dog after the INNOCENT family asked them not to. This 'old white guy' is as rabid a conservative as they get. He;s just not an 'old white jerk'.

[Conspiracy Guy]

If the jerk shot my dog he'd better shoot he before my handcuffed body head butted the little basturd to death.

[The FRugitive]

The job of the police is only easy in a police state.

[Wolfie]

That's gotta be flame bait, right? Anybody even remotely familiar with the case knows that the couple repeatedly asked the Officers to close the car door so the dog wouldn't get out, but the Officers refused.

[Diddle E. Squat]

I'm not sure what the problem is with the police taking steps to try and prevent the problem from happening in the future.

[Diddle E. Squat]

I've noticed that anyone who uses the term "jack-booted thug" usually shows themselves to be a rabid knee-jerk cop-hating idiot.

Thanks for further proving that correlation.

[Conspiracy Guy]

I don't think he hates cops. I think he hates power hungry cops. I've known a few that shouldn't wear the uniform and have no business with a gun. The one in this story is on the wrong side of the badge. He should be the skinny drunk guy with no shirt who just got the crap beat out of him by his fat old lady, the trailer park manager.

[Rifleman]

I know some cops who are some of the best men I know. I know others who are badge heavy arXeholes and are well descriged as jack-booted thugs. Unfortunately most cops are no longer peace officers, instead we have law enforcement officers, a very different thing.

When a cop earns the jbt label why not apply it?

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

Yes, it's flame bait. I did this last week over a similar posting on this subject. Man, did I get flamed! People get more upset over a dog getting shot than the thousands of babies murdered through abortion each day in this country. Go figure.

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

I thank you for the trailer park imagery.

[Wolfie]

Oops. Sorry if I scared the fish off. ;^)

[drjoe]

I did NOT call the cop a 'jack booted thug". I called the cop a "jack booted shovel helmeted thug." As Lao-Tse said, "The beginning of wisdom is to know the true name of things." You try to learn to read and I'll try to learn to spell.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Parsing like Clinton.