Dunedin-Clutha police area commander Inspector Dave Campbell said the 6-year-old dog was euthanased by a vet yesterday.
He said the dog bit the officer as the armed offenders squad had been cordoning off a house in Waikouaiti.
Police were called to the house after a man inside allegedly directed threats at staff at an insurance company in Dunedin.
The exact details of what happened would be the subject of an internal review.
The officer drove himself the 42km to the Dunedin Hospital emergency department for treatment after the incident.
Insp Campbell said he received "a number" of stitches. However, it is understood he received up to 50 stitches to his face.
The officer was a highly trained and experienced dog handler and also a qualified AOS dog handler.
Insp Campbell said he had spoken to the officer, who was "sore and of course saddened by the outcome [that the dog had to be euthanased], but accepts that outcome was inevitable".
The decision to put the dog down had been made after an initial review of the incident and the dog's overall performance.
The officer would return to work after a week, and would then be allocated another dog.
