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HAMILTON — Taking a bite out of crime — or criminals rather — has landed Fonzie in the dog house.

The first dog to be part of Project Free Inmate Dog Obedience — a new program with prisoners at the Butler County Sheriff's Office — had a setback in his training Friday, June 27.

After biting two inmates during recreation time, officials said the 1-year-old shepherd mix is being isolated, or quarantined, from the rest of the jail population for 10 days. The only contact he can have is with his handler, a 19-year-old male serving a six-month sentence for probation violations.

Project FIDO was launched about two weeks ago and pairs inmates with dogs rescued by the Animal Friends Humane Society in Trenton. The program is geared to help free space at the shelter and provide therapeutic benefits for the prisoners.

Fonzie is the first and only participant so far. On Friday, Fonzie was getting some exercise off his leash inside the "H Block" basketball court when two inmates entered to play a game, according to police records.

About 10 minutes later, Fonzie and the two inmates went chasing after a loose basketball. Both inmates were treated for minor injuries after Fonzie bit them on their ankles, said Sgt. Monte Mayer.

"The dog probably didn't understand that the ball wasn't his," Mayer said.

Fonzie was rescued with neck wounds from being chained up 24 hours a day. He needs good discipline and training before being adopted into an appropriate family, said Leland Gordon, executive director of the Humane Society.

"He's a young immature male dog. He's going to want to play," Gordon said.

A professional dog trainer visits the jail every week to give Fonzie, and his handler, new tasks to work on. Though he?s supposed to be on the leash when walking in the hallways or around other inmates, some of the training calls for being off the leash, which is allowed inside the small recreational areas, Mayer said.