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Hey LEOs-- Being pulled over with GSD in car

10K views 61 replies 39 participants last post by  dazedtrucker 
#1 ·
This is something I've thought about a lot, but still am not sure the best method to handle it. I'm curious on some other member's opinions.

I use a Champion seatbelt harness with Pimg in the car. She is not able to reach the driver's side windows of the car. She can reach (and stick her head out) the passenger side, rear window. She also will bark, loudly, perhaps even aggressively, if people walk up to the car with me in it. (Interestingly, she does not bark at people who walk beside the car- literally a foot or less from her with an open window even- when I'm not in the car.)

So anyway- say I were to get pulled over with her in the car. This hasn't happened yet, BTW- just hypothetically. I imagine the officer would be very put off, perhaps very nervous even, by the barking GSD that won't shut up. S/He doesn't know that the dog can't get to him... And I sure as crap can't get her to shut up. She will bark and it will be loud, and it will sound scary.

So what's the best approach? I've thought about this a lot, and I just don't know. Here's my thoughts- I'd like opinions if you have one...


  1. Getting pulled over...
  2. Put on hazards/slow down/move over to indicate I see the cop, but don't come to a stop.
  3. Call 911- tell them I'm being pulled over, relay name, vehicle identification, location, etc, and that I have a restrained large dog in the car. Have them relay the message to the officer.
  4. Pull over, turn on interior lights so the cop can better see inside. Ensure all windows other than the driver's side are up.
  5. Hope the cop gets the message from dispatch...
I would be somewhat worried that the cop thinks I am trying to avoid them by not coming to a stop. Yet at the same time, if I did come to a stop prior to calling 911, there could be a timing issue where the cop isn't relayed the message in time.

Note that I have a small car where a crate won't fit inside. So let's not get into arguments about crating vs harnessing. Assume a harness is the only practical method of restraint.
 
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#36 ·
I agree with what most have said. I would suggest pulling over immediatly to avoid any sort of confusion. When the officer approaches you can ask him if its ok for you to step out of the car. If its restrained he should be alright because the officer shouldnt be reaching in the window for your items he should have you hand them out the window to him
 
#37 ·
I would roll up the window where the dog is, put my hands on the steering wheel and wait for instructions. I have never heard my GSD bark while she is in the car. I take her to drive thru's and to get gas all the time. I have also had her meet several police officers in different places and she always has a good reaction(although they might think I'm a little weird). The reasoning behind this wasn't so much getting pulled over, but in case police have to enter my home. The uniform and radio did not phase her, which I'm very happy with. I'm confident that she would remain calm. Now my other two are a little different:crazy:
 
#39 ·
If there are people impersonating cops and you are afraid for your life, maybe that would be sufficient reason to call 9-1-1. Thinking a cop might shoot your dog in the back seat really isn't something you should call 9-1-1 about. But if you need to call 9-1-1 due to some type of emergency, I would definitely let them know you have a dog in the car that is restrained. And if possible/necessary tell them who to contact to take charge of the animal.
 
#44 ·
Depending on your state laws, if you dont pull over and you call 911 you COULD get a ticket for driving and operating a cell phone. if the cop wants to take it there. but everything else is SPOT on!! hazards until you find not only a safe spot for you to pull over but for the cop to get out of their vehicle (they hate when you pull onto a half shoulder) interiour lights on hands in view and be honest. keeping the other windows up is a great idea so the dog can not get to the officer. and as stated above voicing that the dog IS restrained will be helpful.
 
#45 ·
it gets put in the paper here every couple years. there are often reports of someone having a small flashing light in their car and pulling people over. The sheriff announces that, if you have doubts, to call 911 and drive to a well-lit public location. And yes, put on your hazards to let the (hopefully real!) officer know that you have seen him.
 
#49 ·
I was also told years and years ago in driver's training that when in doubt call 911 to find out if it is a legit stop. We weren't told to do that for every stop, but if you were unsure if it was really a cop you shouldn't just pull over and hope you don't get murdered.
 
#51 ·
Mainly I try not to get pulled over, but my dog does ride in a crate and I have a sticker on the back of my car that says "Peace, Love, and German Shepherds". If the officer walks to my front window he will see the crate in the back because I would turn on the interior lights. I would tell the officer right away "For your safety and mine I want you to know I have a concealed weapons permit and there is a loaded gun in the car." while keeping my hands on the steering wheel in plain sight. Then follow whatever instructions the officer gives. I was taught this by local sheriff's officers. They told me they would rather a person tell them ahead of time than to find out later. As for not pulling over in a remote spot. There are too many remote spots here so I would try to pull over in a lit spot at least if I had doubts. If they asked me to turn off my car and it was summer I would request that I be allowed to leave the car on for the air conditioner for my dog but I would willingly get out if asked. For the most part, cooperation is the key.
 
#52 ·
I've only been pulled over once and let go without a ticket.

However, while I am worried about all those horror stories, I believe to have found the best possible way to deal with it and that is to NOT make it a bigger deal than it is. Once you make a huge deal out of it, you get nervous, when you get nervous, you make mistakes. Ergo... keep cool, calm and assertive, be friendly to the officer, keep the dogs restrained in the car, and you should be fine.
 
#53 ·
I would do #4. Strangely, Heidi loves police officers and when I did get pulled over, she did everything except salute. If a civilian she doesn't know approaches the car, she often growls. She used to bark ferociously, but she now that she is a senior, I think it is just too much trouble LOL.
 
#54 ·
If you are being pulled over in a secluded area that is not well lit and the nearest public well lit area is miles away call 911 to confirm you being pulled over by police.

If you are in the middle of a city or suburb that has street lights, businesses, well populated and a high traffic area you do not need to call 911 unless for some other reason you feel that it is not a police officer pulling you over.

If the police officer is afraid of your dog chances are they will just do a non-approach. Meaning, they will ask you to step out of your vehicle. Like a lot of people posted before this don't make it a bigger deal then it actually is. It happens all the time and you only hear about the "bad" situations because it is newsworthy for the media to get a rise outta people.
 
#56 ·
This is what I was trying to say when I said that Hunter Green's daughters instructor was wrong.

If you are in the back woods then call 911. However, if you are in Dallas or Houston in the city and do this, you will likely piss off or scare the cop with the "pulling your window down 1 inch"

Feel free to try it lol
 
#55 ·
I was pulled over on the way back from the park one day (tail light was out). Gabe was very calm in the back seat, and the officer was totally unfazed. He just casually commented, "big dog". And I agreed, and that was it.

HOWEVER, I did see something on "World's Dumbest" once where a woman was pulled over with a pit bull in the back of her car. He jumped up on the armrest while barking at the officer and lowered the rear window. He lunged through the now-open window and latched onto the officer's arm and wouldn't release. She was arrested, I think for "assault with a deadly weapon" or some such.
 
#57 ·
I'm waiting for the day this happens when I'm headed home from training at 1am with 2 dogs I just worked in high aggression. I'll just call 911 in that scenerio. Now that I have a trailer clearly marked as having "caution working dogs" it should be very clear to the cop
 
#58 ·
6.- Train the dog to shut up.

Really. If you can't get the dog to be quiet on command it's not about the noise but about taking control of the situation.
 
#59 · (Edited)
Mine don't even bother to lift their head most of the time when someone approaches the car without posing a threat. :)
It would drive me crazy having a barking dog in the back. Since we drive in and out of post on a daily basis, the car is approached by the MP's and our ID's are checked. In Germany we got pulled out and the car was searched almost on a daily basis and they didn't care if I had dogs in the back. I had to take the dogs out, since we didn't have any crates in there back then, and we stood on the side while the guards searched the car.

Mine are used to a loooot of things.
So as long as there is no threat, they won't even bother. :D
 
#61 ·
I actually went to school with a guy who was arrested for impersonating a police officer. He drove the crown vic and special ordered lights he could install to make it appear to be a sneak patrol. He would try to pull people over. He even issued bogus tickets and all that. Here, we've always been told, if you're in an area and unsure if the car behind you in an actual LEO, dial 911 and tell them where you are and that you have an unmarked vehicle behind you encouraging you to pull over. They'll keep you on the line while they radio out to any LEO's who might be in the area. They will confirm or deny if there is actually a LEO attempting to pull you over. If it IS a LEO, they are supposed to stay on the line with you until you can safely pull over and they will also let the officer know your intention. Because its a matter of safety for you and the issue with unmarked vehicles (primarily), they're not supposed to ticket you for being cautious and calling in. Its different in every state but thats what we've always been told here in CO.

In terms of getting pulled over with your dog in the vehicle, windows up so your dog cant put their head out and act normal otherwise. Hands on the steering wheel until the cop is at your window and giving instructions. Pretty much common sense stuff.
 
#62 ·
As my "name" implies, I'm a trucker... I pulled into a scale just into LA, and they were doing random inspections... I had Axel in the truck, unrestrained. ( I would tie him in the back at time, when needed)... officer walks up to my truck, climbs the steps, and orders me to open the door. I told him I had a German Shepherd inside, who was very protective, and loose. He said "open the door" again, so I did. I was scared to death what was going to happen next, as I am sitting on my seat, and if Axel attacks, controlling him is going to be a nightmare. (Axel is somewhat unpredictable with who he likes and who he doesn't, and is downright ferocious about ppl coming near the truck...) officer completely disregards what I have said, leans over my lap to look around the truck... Axel half jumps on my lap and starts licking his face, like he just found his long lost best friend... :eek:
I was dumbfounded and in shock and still half scared to death...
Officer petted him, it was election night, ask me who I was going to vote for.. I told him I liked Romney, but wasn't getting to vote... he told me "get outta here and have a great night"... :laugh: yeah, no problem, you too....
 
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