# Not mean, but, can't understand strangers' love of K-9 dogs... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 10, 2014, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-mean-but-cant-understand-strangers-love-of-k-9-dogs/698129 "2014-09-10T23:47:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-mean-but-cant-understand-strangers-love-of-k-9-dogs/698129/21 "2014-09-11T14:33:18Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > A friend of mine is a cop who has worked with several dogs that he has trained or co-trained. He is now a master trainer and moonlights in that area, traveling to Europe to pick out dogs for other departments. > > His first dog was exceptional. The local papers did a few stories a year about his heroics. On at least two occasions he took down suicidal people, armed with knives, who otherwise may have been killed by cops. He tracked amazingly well, finding lost kids after human grid searches failed. He could be a snarling scary beast one minute, then lick the ice cream off a kid’s face the next. > > My friend spent 8 hours a day with the dog at work, then came home and spent his evenings with him. The dog was his best man at his wedding, complete with a tuxedo. He was a part of his kids early lives. When, at 8 years of age, the daily stresses of police work became too much, the dog was retired. My friend had to come up with the cash to purchase him from the department. > > When he died two years later (10 or so years ago now) my friend called to tell me the news. When I answered the phone he asked how I was doing, then broke down crying. I’d never heard him cry before, and knew right away what he was calling about. > > This post took me a half hour to write. I keep stopping to pet my dogs and blow my nose. > > As to the **OP** , I just feel sorry for him. **Kayaker** - The guy down the road from me was a K-9 handler for the local police. When his last dog was ready to retire, he retired, too. In fact, he stayed on despite health issues until the dog was ready to retire because he wanted them to stay together. And my local police force, when they retire a dog, will continue to pay for all it’s expenses for the rest of the dog’s life. StG ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-mean-but-cant-understand-strangers-love-of-k-9-dogs/698129/22 "2014-09-11T15:03:22Z")
Well, perhaps I’m fucked in the head too, but if someone came up to me and cried about a k-9 dog that died but that they didn’t actually know, I’d think that was weird unless they were a particularly sympathetic person who cried every time they say the obits. ---
**Author:** ![Whiskey\_Dickens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9fc348/32.png) [@Whiskey\_Dickens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whiskey_Dickens)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-mean-but-cant-understand-strangers-love-of-k-9-dogs/698129/23 "2014-09-11T15:25:33Z")
I remember seeing a panhandler panhandlin’ with a dog by his side many years ago. My then girlfriend cried about the sight later, and I remember thinking that it was a little messed up that she could see a thousand marginalized human beings begging, but a homeless dog was enough to cause tears. The bloody dog probably doesn’t even understand the concept of homelessness. Not a direct comparison to the OP’s experience, but I do cringe every time someone implies a dog is worth more than a human, or somehow more worthy of love. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-mean-but-cant-understand-strangers-love-of-k-9-dogs/698129/24 "2014-09-11T15:32:02Z")
If you think dogs are mindless, your ignorance is so profound it is pitiable. I’m also trying not be a dick so I won’t say more, although you deserve it. Police and military K-9s are not only extremely highly trained, they have to possess a very exacting set of personality traits which allow such training to be absolutely reliable. Very few dogs have what it takes. They have to be courageous, discerning, devoted, focused, and highly intelligent. These are exceptional dogs doing life-saving work – and they are perfectly aware of it when they do. ---
**Author:** ![sachertorte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sachertorte/32/3727_2.png) [@sachertorte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sachertorte)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-mean-but-cant-understand-strangers-love-of-k-9-dogs/698129/25 "2014-09-11T15:34:52Z")
I don’t think the OP is nearly as monstrous as many others apparently do. 1. The dog died of natural causes 2. The people he’s talking about didn’t know the dog. I totally get that people close to this dog would be sad and upset. But total strangers? I’d feel weird going to the funeral of a dog I don’t know. However, if I were in the OP’s situation, I might have said what his co-workers said to his weepy co-worker, but not really mean it. ---
**Author:** ![anu-la1979](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@anu-la1979](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anu-la1979)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-mean-but-cant-understand-strangers-love-of-k-9-dogs/698129/26 "2014-09-11T15:35:17Z")
I cringe every time it becomes a “of course humans are worth more than animals” look-down-on-the-sad-animal-lovers. Because while it’s true that in a fire I’d save my kid before I saved my dog, it doesn’t mean I don’t believe we can’t treat animals with dignity, understand that they are part of the fabric of our social lives and aim a little higher in terms of how we interact with them and our physical environment. I also felt genuinely bad when I read that elephant with the enormous tusks got poached recently even though I didn’t know the elephant “personally.” I’m sorry, but no one needs a tusk other than an elephant-and I think people who actively buy them should be weeded out of the gene pool. Also people who abuse animals and kick puppies in elevators and all that. All low-grade sociopaths, we’d probably be better off as a species with the elephant with the big tusks and the puppy rather than the buyer/kicker who are humans. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-mean-but-cant-understand-strangers-love-of-k-9-dogs/698129/27 "2014-09-11T15:40:56Z")
> [@anu-la1979](#): > > I cringe every time it becomes a “of course humans are worth more than animals” look-down-on-the-sad-animal-lovers. Because while it’s true that in a fire I’d save my kid before I saved my dog, it doesn’t mean I don’t believe we can’t treat animals with dignity, Now I admit the OP wasn’t clear about this lady’s relationship with the dog, but I maintain it’s weird to go to the funeral of a dog you do not know, if were the shoe on the other foot, you wouldn’t go to the funeral of their human partner. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-mean-but-cant-understand-strangers-love-of-k-9-dogs/698129/28 "2014-09-11T15:47:56Z")
I think the reason the deaths of dogs move many people so much, even if they don’t know the dog personally, is really complicated. Dogs are a little like children, they live in the present moment and are innocent, whatever that means. They also possess qualities that we can only aspire to, such as devotion and unconditional love, and in the case of K-9s they also are astonishingly brave, willing to die for their master. There is something about the combination of all these qualities that is extraordinarily compelling for those who find noble brave loyal innocence a moving thing. The truth is that few dogs are that noble, but K-9s actually are, and that is why they are particularly a focus – they really are that Lassie or Rin Tin Tin romanticized type of dog. Those who despise animals can’t understand this. I can only imagine this contempt is caused by never having had any deep relationship with an animal, an impoverished state of being that I wouldn’t wish on a dog. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-mean-but-cant-understand-strangers-love-of-k-9-dogs/698129/29 "2014-09-11T15:54:50Z")
I think in many ways we think of pets, and service animals in a similar way we think of children. Not so much with respect to worth, as in “my dog is just as important as your kid” but in terms of the fact that they are dependent on their care givers, who decide their fate. The K-9 didn’t choose to be a police officer, he didn’t decide to put himself in danger after weighing his career opportunities and personal interests. He was taken as a puppy, trained to be a cop, and when he’s told to take down the dangerous guy with a knife, he jumps into action, all for the same cookie his pet-destined litter mate gets for waiting until he’s outside to poop. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-mean-but-cant-understand-strangers-love-of-k-9-dogs/698129/30 "2014-09-11T16:14:35Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > Inspired by this thread: [So sad, but so sweet too - Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733772) Not to be a dick or anything, but did you happen to notice that the _human_ died, not the dog? > [@](#): > > **Last Sunday a police officer was shot to death in my city, at a traffic stop. He left a wife and two children.** > > Today his obituary appeared in the paper. **His survivors were listed, the wife, the kids, his parents and sisters.** > > And, since he was a K-9 officer. his canine partner, Magnum, was listed too. > > The community is mourning the death of this officer, and I wonder if Magnum can tell his partner isn’t coming back. Sniff. Now, unless they changed the laws in this country while I wasn’t looking, I didn’t know that dogs had wives. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-mean-but-cant-understand-strangers-love-of-k-9-dogs/698129/31 "2014-09-11T16:31:45Z")
One of my favorite “Cops” episodes featured an officer and his K-9 partner who was sitting in the front seat during filming en route to a call. The cameraman apparently leaned forward a little too close to the dog, prompting the beast to turn around and fix the guy with a “what the hell do you think _you’re_ doing, buster?” look). The cameraman quickly settled back in his seat. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-mean-but-cant-understand-strangers-love-of-k-9-dogs/698129/32 "2014-09-11T16:47:48Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > … when everybody else chimed in about having wanted to go, what a big loss this was, about what his officer/master/partner was feeling, what the department was feeling, and somebody else mentioned that they had wanted to go. A mid-20s Arabic-American person joined in the chorus, with a 40 year old rake, a newly mustered out GI (altho, ex-MP), a 25-30 year old Euro-American, college student, and I can’t remember the other one or two. I’m with you here (although “Arabic” is the language, not the people). This is somewhat insane, and I’m surprised to see so many people here giving you shit for thinking it’s weird that people would want to go to the funeral of a police dog they never even knew. Would they even go to the funeral of a police officer (you know, a human) they never met who didn’t even die on duty? Because that would be weird, too. Actually, it’s weird to have a funeral for a dog at all, although I can see why a dog owner might want to have a funeral for their own pet. I would expect people who didn’t even know the dog to have a slightly more reasoned reaction, though. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-mean-but-cant-understand-strangers-love-of-k-9-dogs/698129/33 "2014-09-11T17:47:00Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I will leave it to others to tear you the new one you so richly deserve, and will settle for saying that you have absolutely zero idea what you are talking about, are making a complete ass of yourself, and that I would hate to live in your world, or your head. _Ever want to be a complete, nonempathic asswipe? Now you can! Call H.H. Inc on the 7-1/2 floor of the Mertin-Flemmer Building._ Stranger ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-mean-but-cant-understand-strangers-love-of-k-9-dogs/698129/34 "2014-09-11T19:39:13Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Not to be a dick or anything, but did you happen to notice that the _human_ died, not the dog? Did you notice that **handsomeharry** wasn’t talking about the K-9 handler from the other thread, though? He was talking about his personal experience from work. > [@handsomeharry](#): > > I’m not trying to be a dick, but, I am actually stunned, no, STUNNED by the people who are such goobers when a K-9 dog dies. I was at work the other day, and an adult woman, roughly 65 years of age, had actually gone to the funeral of a K-9 who had just, IIRC, died. Not even KIA. OK, sappy old retiree, dog lover…she mentioned it in a room of about 5-7 other co-workers. I was tempted to make some witty (obnoxious) remark, but, I was beaten to the punch when everybody else chimed in about having wanted to go, what a big loss this was, about what his officer/master/partner was feeling, what the department was feeling, and somebody else mentioned that they had wanted to go. He couldn’t understand why the woman in his office wanted to go the funeral of a dog, not that of the handler, who was still very much alive. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-mean-but-cant-understand-strangers-love-of-k-9-dogs/698129/35 "2014-09-11T19:44:03Z")
Yes, however, he took one thread and misrepresented what it said so he could express his rant. Since the cited thread had nothing to do with a dog dying, why this thread? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-mean-but-cant-understand-strangers-love-of-k-9-dogs/698129/36 "2014-09-11T19:48:29Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Yes, however, he took one thread and misrepresented what it said so he could express his rant. Since the cited thread had nothing to do with a dog dying, why this thread? I see no misrepresentation. The title clearly was about _K-9 dogs_. He said he was inspired by the other thread, but he made no mention of the handler in his title or his OP. This thread is clearly about K-9 dogs. It was related to the other thread, but it was a tangent from it. I don’t see where your confusion is. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-mean-but-cant-understand-strangers-love-of-k-9-dogs/698129/37 "2014-09-11T19:53:00Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Yes, however, he took one thread and misrepresented what it said so he could express his rant. Since the cited thread had nothing to do with a dog dying, why this thread? **HandsomeHarry** is baffled. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-mean-but-cant-understand-strangers-love-of-k-9-dogs/698129/38 "2014-09-11T20:30:36Z")
Moved to the Pit (from MPSIMS), so y’all can just let loose. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-mean-but-cant-understand-strangers-love-of-k-9-dogs/698129/39 "2014-09-11T20:42:51Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > He couldn’t understand why the woman in his office wanted to go the funeral of a dog, not that of the handler, who was still very much alive. Probably because many people go to funerals to offer support for those still living. I’ve been to many services for people I never met in my life. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-mean-but-cant-understand-strangers-love-of-k-9-dogs/698129/40 "2014-09-11T20:51:14Z")
OP’s a moron. Forget about him. Go read this article about The Hero Dog award. It’s got pictures of the eight finalists, including Bretagne, the last known survivor of the dogs who help the 9/11 recovery. > **[Who will be Hero Dog of the Year? Meet 8 fearless, furry finalists](https://www.today.com/pets/american-hero-dog-meet-8-fearless-furry-finalists-1D80135473)** > > Dogs are adored the world over for being friends, allies and trusty dispensers of unconditional love. But sometimes they do even more, saving humans’ lives and helping them in other profound ways.On Thursday, eight furry finalists for the American... The Hero Dog award is a competition by the American Humane Society to recognize top service dogs and their people from around the country. Here’s the website where you can vote (until September 14) for your favorites. [http://www.herodogawards.org/](http://www.herodogawards.org/) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-mean-but-cant-understand-strangers-love-of-k-9-dogs/698129.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-mean-but-cant-understand-strangers-love-of-k-9-dogs/698129.md?page=3)