Read this story about what happened to this officer.
"South Bend Officer Loses Finger During Dog Training
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - A South Bend police officer lost a finger after it got stuck in his new police dog's collar during a training exercise.
Sgt. Steve Noonan says he was reaching for an animal treat on the ground when his right index finger got caught in the dog's choke collar on Wednesday. The dog pulled away while the finger was stuck, and three-quarters of the finger was ripped off.
Doctors could not reattach the finger because the damage was too severe.
Noonan was released from the hospital Thursday. Things could have been worse as he is left-handed and the finger he lost is on his right hand.
Noonan's supervisor says the injury was bizarre, though officers often get their hands caught in the dog collars."
Has this ever happened to you?? It makes you realy think now. I have gotten my fingers caught before with nothing more serious than bruising.
2007-06-01 12:02:50 · 7 answers · asked by bear 2 zealand © 6 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Even if you're not training that could happen. Just a freak accident.
It's much more common for playing dogs to get their jaw stuck in another dog's collar.
2007-06-01 12:05:35 · answer #1 · answered by DaBasset - BYBs kill dogs 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Lotta broken, sprained, wrenched fingers, not ripped off in my sports (then again they are mostly smaller than a GSD & we all know how eager our dogs are to go so take care)...
Trainer in my area insists everyone put their thumb through the loop on the dog leash. I grew up showing cattle in 4-H - you never wrap the lead around any portion of your body. If the dog (cow) bolts you probably will get them back if you loose the grip on a lead - but you'll miss the thumb.
2007-06-01 12:15:11 · answer #2 · answered by ragapple 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Nope never had that happen.. But I have held a dog's collar and him start to turn. I can see how easy that whole thing could go down. Wouldn't be hard to do, expecially in the excitement of the moment.
2007-06-01 12:06:00 · answer #3 · answered by DP 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No never happened to me either. I can see this happening with the kind of intense training these dogs go through. Just a bizarre accident.
2007-06-01 12:32:09 · answer #4 · answered by ♥Golden gal♥ 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Never happened to me, but I've heard stories about things like that. (With horses, cattle, etc.) When I was younger I was in 4-H, and they always reminded us to be mindful of where our fingers were, not to get them in chains, not to get caught on the loops holding horse-halters together, and not to wrap lead-ropes and such around our hands, but instead, fold them and hold the folded portion inside our hand so if the animal spooked and took off, it wouldn't either drag us or we'd lose a finger.
2007-06-01 12:21:14 · answer #5 · answered by abbyful 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like the handler should use a prong collar instead.
I've never had that happen, but I knew a handler that put the leash around his wrist. the dog took off, snapped the handlers wrist, and drug him about 20 feet.
2007-06-01 12:07:28 · answer #6 · answered by k9handler23 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
That happened to me, but i didn't lose a finger, just a bruise. That must be one strong dog...
2007-06-01 12:07:29 · answer #7 · answered by t3tran333 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋