NORTH ANDOVER - Kyzer, the 3-year-old police dog, is in the doghouse for biting a Police Department dispatcher.

Inspector Daniel Cronin said acting Sgt. Chuck Gray, Kyzer's handler, and dispatcher Nathan Kenney were in the parking lot behind the police station when the dog bit Kenney on the right arm.

Kenney was treated at Lawrence General Hospital for a minor bite and was released, Cronin said. Kenney is on injury leave because he has a sore arm.

Kyzer was being withheld from duty pending completion of an investigation into the incident, Cronin said.

According to notes on the police log, Gray suffered scrapes to his knees and elbows trying to restrain Kyzer during the 7:30 p.m. incident.

Cronin said the incident was the result of a chance meeting between Gray and Kenney in the parking lot.

Gray was at his K-9 police cruiser retrieving equipment when the dog, not on a leash, bolted from him and ran to Kenney.

Kenney was leaving the building for a lunch break when Kyzer bit his arm.

Kenney, 35, is a seven-year veteran of the Police Department's dispatch center. He is a resident of Leominster, police said.

It was the first time Kyzer has bitten someone since he has been with the department, police said.

Kyzer is a German shepherd, whom Gray described as "more social" than his previous canine partner.

The dog, he said last August, behaves according to his training when he's working.

Kyzer has had training in protection work, patrol work, and tracking and apprehension tactics.

Cronin said the investigation of the incident was being done with an eye toward preventing it from happening again.

He said if the dog was found to have been acting within his training at the time of the incident, likely no action would be taken.

But if Kyzer was found to have acted outside his training, he could be sent for retraining.

Any decisions about Kyzer's future would have to be made by Chief Richard Stanley, Cronin said.