RJ reporter willingly attacked by Las Vegas police dog

In a game of two truths and a lie, people would think this is the lie: I have been bitten by a police dog.

But it’s true.

I was a chew toy for exactly 22 seconds.

I first met the dog, Argos, and his K-9 handler, Jason Dukes, in July, while covering a Metropolitan Police Department luncheon at Red Rock Casino. I sat in the front row and watched as Dukes was taken down by a 100-pound Dutch shepherd, which had a running start across the casino ballroom.

After the demonstration, I introduced myself to the officer, who has been with Metro’s K-9 section since 2005, as he shimmied out of a padded suit that made him look like the Michelin tire company mascot.

“I wish I could do that,” I told him, half kidding.

Fast forward a month, to a simmering August afternoon, and there I was, being yanked around like a rag doll by Argos at a northwest Las Vegas park.

I was in the same padded suit Dukes was wearing on the day I met him. At first I wasn’t too worried because Dukes and several other K-9 officers, who watched and recorded the dog bite on their phones, told me the suit would absorb most of the pressure from the bite. Dukes even kept Argos on his leash, because I was worried that this dog, which weighs as much as I do, would knock the wind out of me.

The officers also placed me next to a tree trunk, thinking it would brace my fall when Argos lunged at me. It didn’t.

“Oh man, I’m scared,” I said. I could feel everyone staring at me.

One of the officers, Mike Marano, joked: “He can smell it. Don’t let him smell fear.”

I looked down and studied Argos, who was lying in the grass and panting. His tongue was out, and it kind of looked like he was smiling at me.

And then, without warning, Argos jumped. He wrapped his teeth around my left arm, just above my elbow. I shrieked, surprised at just how much it hurt, and the next thing I knew I was on the ground.

The pain was instant. It shot up to my shoulder and all the way down to my fingers.

After Dukes commanded Argos to let go, I lay in the grass motionless for a second. My arm was throbbing, and I couldn’t get back up on my own.

Marano and Sgt. Matt Harris pulled me onto my feet.

I honestly felt a little embarrassed, but Harris, still laughing, said, “Good job.”

That whole day was a slow build-up to this dog bite. When Dukes had first picked me up from the Las Vegas Review-Journal newsroom at dawn, for an assignment shadowing the K-9 section, one of the first things he told me was: “Today’s the day you take a bite.”

For the next five hours, Dukes walked me through an average day in the life of a Metro K-9 officer.

Quickly I learned that K-9 officers are some of the best in the department. I also learned about the extensive training that happens behind the scenes.

In fact, just to test for a spot in the K-9 section, officers must complete a minimum of six months of decoy work. In simple terms, that means getting in the suit, pretending to be a bad guy, and getting bitten and tackled by the dogs over and over again.

I did it once, and I’m glad, despite the pain in my arm lingering for more than a month — because I have a cool story to tell, and because it was humbling to experience this little piece of Dukes’ journey to land his dream job all those years ago.

But would I do it again?

Hell yes.

Contact Rio Lacanlale at rlacanlale@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Follow @riolacanlale on Twitter.