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When he had completed his training my father had a companion that responded instantly to his commands, and was willing to lay down his life for the safety of my father, without hesitation. This was not so much because of his training, but rather because my father trained him without abusive tactics.

Frederick E. Taylor
Zebulon

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I have a black lab. This breed is commonly used to assist the blind. My dog was so obsessed with the game of fetch and taking every item in our home and making it her toy that I am confident she would have endangered a blind person if she were a guide dog. She wouldn't have been chosen because of her temperament.

Ricoh, the Highway Patrol dog, is probably a wonderful dog. He clearly was not meant to be a police dog. All of the abuse in the world will not turn him into a good police dog. It will only turn his trainer into a monster.

The monks at Newskete have the best and most well-known German shepherd training program in the world. They have trained the best dogs in the world, and never kicked one of them.

If the police don't know how to handle a dog without abusing it they should not have dogs. Isn't that the law anyway? Mary Carey
Chapel Hill

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The video of the state trooper kicking his canine 'partner' makes me sick! I resent having to pay the salary of any state employee who mistreats another living creature. Thank God the Highway Patrol will not be working with dogs in the near future.

There are humane, established national guidelines for working with canines in law enforcement.

Hopefully the Patrol will learn better techniques for management of its employees; both two-legged and especially four-legged. Kicking a dog is never an acceptable training method. Maybe some of the officers who can't keep their pants zipped should be kicked instead!

Polly E. Moore
Durham

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Sgt. Charles Jones said, "There is nothing that I did to that dog that prevented that dog from doing its duties ... there's no abuse." Maybe the sergeant should ask himself how he would like it if someone suspended him by his neck and then kicked him several times.

His treatment of this dog, who might well could save his life at some time in the future, is cruel, macho and ineffective to boot. Any experienced dog trainer will tell you that treating an animal like this will not only warp its temperament but will also make it undependable.

It also saddens me to see the Highway Patrol's reputation sullied by this kind of behavior on the part of one of its troopers. But more than anything else, I am saddened that anyone finds it necessary to treat a helpless animal so callously.

Mary Cook
Cary

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It would be an understatement for me to say that I was nothing less than sickened and infuriated by Trooper Jones' treatment of his dog in the much (over)publicized video. The most disturbing part of this whole thing is that other troopers actually came to his defense, saying that it is common practice to mistreat and abuse loyal animals like this.

How can I possibly have respect for the Highway Patrol, knowing many of its members think it's OK to abuse animals that have no choice but to work for them?

I have two dogs of my own, whom I love dearly. They are obedient and respectful, only because I have trained them in a loving, respectful and humane manner .I would rather die than to consider treating them the way Jones treated his "friend."

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