Is ok for the public to ask a k-9 police officer if they can pet the dog even they on duty?

Novarobin

There is nothing wrong with asking. Some may allow it, others may not. It depends on the situation, the dog's tempermant and the officer's own feelings on the situation.
A well bred, well trained German Shepherd should have an "on/off" switch. Meaning when it is time to work, they are focused and aggressive. When they are not, they are social dogs.
Dogs know the difference in situations. Take for example my DH's dog. At home, he is a goof. He gets excited to see me and comes running over, tail wagging, looking for attention. Now, when I go out on training days, and he is taken out of the vehicle to do bitework, building searches, tracks, etc, he does not even acknowledge me.

One of the big things they do with the dogs here is using their harness. When the harness is on, its work time. There is no petting or play. It is work.

That's not saying they wont react if someone attacks the officers. But these dogs are used to normal human encounters.

Our K9s are also used as ambassadors. They visit schools and give demostrations. It is a great way to get kids to talk to Police. They have to able to be approached. They are also tough street dogs that do not hesitate to apprehend a suspect.

Not all dogs are like that. Not all departments want their dogs to be like that.

trooper3316

You can certainly ask, but don't be surprised if they say no.
Almost all police dogs are taught to protect the officer. The dog may react with a bite, and the handler is not going to take that chance.

Stevie

Depends on the K9 handler... but no one I know lets anyone touch their dog...especially on duty.
I have a little sign for my dog that say "Service Dog: Do Not Touch"

ihop

By all means ask. There are times where a handler may say no because not all dogs are suitable for public demonstrations. There are some dogs that are just plain nasty and won't tolerate it, then there are some very strong police dogs that are very social and love to be petted. I have one such dog. He is a serious police dog but at the same time is very social and I love to have people pet him at demos to put to rest the misconception that they are vicious animals.
trooper3316 is correct that the dog is probably trained to protect the handler, but that doesn't mean all dogs will bite at a demo. The handler knows his dog best and should take the proper precautions if he/ she thinks it might be a problem.

**A**

They can ask and the worst that can happen is that the cop says "no.."
I wouldn't because I would be afraid the dog would attack. They are trained to be suspicious and attack.

Teekno

The rules for petting a police dog are exactly the same as they are for petting any other dog:

Always, always, always ask first.

who farted?

They can ask.

yep8778

From experience was at a event where state police were attending. They had the K-9 unit there as well for demonstration. Never did pet, but if you ask the trainer of the dog they probably will let you know. Hope that helps.

Reagan

You can ask, but the dogs are not pets, they are police officers. It's never a good idea to pet a police dog, and no real handler would allow it. 1 - The dog is trained to protect the handler and may bite out of instinct. 2 - The lawsuit that would follow would bankrupt the municipality and make the officer lose their job.

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