Police dog goes into "bite mode" on cop's 4 year old son. Son loses part of leg

[Liberal_in_LA]

4-year-old loses foot, part of leg in police dog attack


HESPERIA, Calif. (AP) — A 4-year-old Southern California boy who was bitten by his father's police dog had to have his leg amputated below the knee, and the canine probably will be euthanized, police said Thursday.

Hunter Mastaler remained hospitalized four days after the Belgian shepherd dog clamped onto his left leg in the backyard of the family's Hesperia home.

Neighbors knocked over a fence and pried the dog's jaws open to free the boy.

Hunter will remain hospitalized for another week, Rialto police Capt. Randy De Anda said. With a prosthetic he could be able to run again within six months, he said.

The 7-year-old dog, Jango, was assigned to the Rialto police force, and Hunter's father, Michael Mastaler, had been his handler for about two years, De Anda said.

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Mastaler's wife had gone shopping with their 18-month-old son and Mastaler went upstairs to change "for about two minutes" when Hunter opened a sliding glass door and screen and went into the yard, De Anda said.

For an unknown reason, Jango went into "bite mode" and clamped onto the boy as he was trained to do in some criminal situations, De Anda said.

The boy's screams alerted neighbors who called 911 and rushed to help.

http://www.sfgate.com/news/us/article/4-year-old-severely-injured-in-attack-by-father-s-6077887.php

this is what a belgian shephard looks like(this is not the dog in question)

[femmocrat]

1. Wow, that is unusual for a Belgian.

They are super-smart dogs, but i never heard of one being vicious. I used to have gorgeous Tervuren. I had a young child at the time and he was a very sweet dog.

What a terrible ordeal for that family.

[Drahthaardogs]

11. The maiinois are always more mentally fragile than a good german shepherd dog

They come apart at the seams more easily and are flighty and bitey dogs. Their athleticism is superior but they are not nearly the mentally stable dog that a good GSD is.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

16. Well he was trained to bite legs and not let go until commanded.

I would really hate to see him put down.

Put him in a home with no kids maybe?

My neighbor's dad was a Manchester England dog cop. He tells the story how his retired police dog grabbed the mailman's arm when he reached in the door to hand him a package.

[Glassunion]

2. You sure the dog just won't get a few weeks of "paid administrative leave"

While there is an "investigation" where the department "eventually" will report that the dog had acted in accordance with department policy?

[OnyxCollie]

3. Belgian sheepdogs and four-year olds should not mix.

Police dog or otherwise.

I would have less trust in the kid than the dog.

Here are my Belgians.

[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]

[Hassin Bin Sober]

4. Beautiful puppers.

I always assumed they were "onyx collies" in your avatar - if there is such a thing.

[OnyxCollie]

5. No such thing.

I just made that up when people would ask if they were black Collies.

Btw, thanks!

[pnwmom]

10. Less trust in the kid? A 4 year old can't seriously injure a large dog, but the reverse isn't true.

That's the issue. That man should have been in control of his dog.

[elias49]

13. I've often wondered why the top right pooch

is smiling.

[OnyxCollie]

17. Because she loves her daddy.

Here's a pic of her when she's REALLY happy.

[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]

[elias49]

18. Haha...Yikes!

[undeterred]

6. Never leave a dog and a young child alone.

Not even for two minutes.

[ga_girl]

7. GSD, not belgian shephard

[img]?w=258&h=300[/img]

[OnyxCollie]

8. No, Belgian shepherd.

BTW, that looks like a Belgian Malinois.

[femmocrat]

9. How does the Malinois differ in temperament from the Shepherds?

I usually see the Malinois instead of the shepherds being used in police and military work. The only Tervs I have ever seen were in obedience and the show ring. They are so beautiful.

[OnyxCollie]

14. Although purely anecdotal evidence,

the temperament of the Mals I know go from really sketchy to slightly less so. (My friend's rescue Mal went by the name "Sketchy" for a while.) And it's not that they warm up to you, it's that they find you less intolerable.

I've only known two Tervs, but they were friendly.

I think the main reason Mals are used is because of the coat. The thick undercoat needs to be brushed or else they'll get mats. Plus, the hair gets all over the place.

[Drahthaardogs]

12. Same thing really, just differences in color and hair length

at least among FCI dogs. A belgium shepherd and malinois are the same dog.

[OnyxCollie]

15. Yes, I know, although the general "Belgian shepherd" term

usually refers to Belgian Groenendaels (black dogs.)

However, the poster I was responding to claimed the dog in the article was a German shepherd, not a Belgian.