City lawyers canceled the filming when they couldn't agree on legal language, including "what they would do with unused footage, for example,'' city spokeswoman Meg Olberding said.

The decision comes five months after the brouhaha over Chief Tom Streicher allowing the Fox TV show Cops to ride with officers here and film them. After sharp criticism from City Council, Streicher rescinded the invitation, then extended it again after an outpouring of public support for the filming.

Cincinnati's dog team was chosen because it took top honors last year at the U.S. Police Canine Association's national trials. The film crew wanted to film the winners preparing for this year's national trials next month, said Russ Hess, executive director of the national association, in Springboro.

Cincinnati's dog unit has been under scrutiny for three years by the U.S. Department of Justice as part of the federal review of Cincinnati police procedures. So the officers in the unit were excited about publicity they thought was guaranteed to be G-rated and positive for the city.

The legal decision upset the canine handlers, who viewed it as another example of officials not being proud of their officers, said Sgt. Harry Roberts, president of the Fraternal Order of Police:

"They wanted to showcase what they do. We all do.''

City officials said the decision wasn't meant as a slight. Instead, they wanted to protect the city and police from possibly being filmed during a controversial situation, such as a police dog biting a suspect, and seeing that footage aired on a program other than Animal Planet.

E-mail jprendergast@enquirer.com