Life as a hard-hitting bounty hunter is certainly no fairy tale. Nonetheless, the A&E reality TV series Dog the Bounty Hunter, starring Colorado man Duane “Dog” Chapman, was beloved by audiences as they experienced through the cameras all the action-packed thrills of a real-life bounty hunter.

However, the show was canceled in 2012 after only eight seasons when Dog’s darkest secrets began leaking out, which left many people even more intrigued by the Chapman family. Although several false rumors have spread, some truth has been revealed as well. Let’s separate fact from fiction.

Beth Got Arrested For Cussing Out A Teen In 2013 – True

While on a family fishing trip in Colorado back in 2013, Dog’s wife, Beth Chapman, reportedly got upset with some teenagers who recklessly pulled up next to the Chapmans, asking for autographs. When one teenage girl emerged from the car, Beth yelled at her, calling her various expletives.

Beth then called 911 when she saw that the teenagers had a gun. However, the Chapmans were no longer there when the police came, so they talked to the girl instead. The girl pressed charges of harassment against Beth, and the police issued a warrant for her arrest. Eventually, Beth turned herself in.

Dog Received Death Threats In 2012 – True

As a bounty hunter, Dog probably has a long list of enemies who wish to do him harm, so it wasn’t really that surprising when he started receiving death threats in 2012. Somebody began emailing threats of violence against the Chapman family over the course of four days.

The Chapmans decided to take the threats seriously when the emails persisted, with the sender even threatening to harm Dog’s children. The FBI then conducted an investigation for them, though the authorities have yet to disclose the names of any suspects or make any arrests.

Dog Got Into A Barroom Brawl – True

Dog’s work entailed looking for people who had bounties on their heads wherever he could find them, which sometimes led to violence. In 2011, the bounty hunter was confronted by the owner of a bar in Colorado for storming into the building in search of that person’s father.

While Dog and the owner were shouting at one another, one of the members of Dog’s team punched a customer in the face. Taking his brawl outside, Dog pulled out his stun gun after the bar owner threw a plant directly at him. So if you thought the Dog is all talk, maybe this will change your mind!

Dog Is Of Native American Descent – False

Judging by how often he brings up his Native American heritage and wears Native American jewelry and other accessories, Dog seems pretty proud of his presumed lineage. He claims that his mother was a member of the Cherokee Nation, but many Cherokees have denied this claim.

Rather, a lot of Native Americans say that Dog’s just doing these things to make himself look good. There are even rumors that his mother was a Polish immigrant to the United States who started telling people she was Cherokee after she became fascinated with Native American culture.

Dog Was Convicted Of First-Degree Murder – True

As Dog’s jail records show, he had quite a few run-ins with the law. At age 13, he abandoned his education, dropping out of school to join a motorcycle gang. He was incarcerated numerous times, usually on charges of armed robbery, but his life of crime was undeterred.

Eventually, though, Dog found himself in way over his head. While he was waiting with his friend to complete a deal, the friend shot and killed someone. As an accessory to the crime, he too was convicted of first-degree murder and sent to the Texas State Penitentiary, where he turned his life around.

Dog’s Daughter Died The Night Before His Wedding – True

The night before Dog married Beth Smith, tragic news came that 23-year-old Barbara Katie Chapman, one of his daughters from a prior marriage, had passed away. She and a friend were killed in a stolen SUV that had swerved off the road, hitting some trees.

Police concluded that the collision may have occurred because the girls were drunk and high. Despite their sorrow, Dog and Beth tied the knot as planned, deciding to simply relay the sad tidings to their guests at the reception, which they used to celebrate Barbara’s life.

Dog Chose To Never Use A Firearm – False

Those of us who’ve seen Dog the Bounty Hunter know that Dog always wore armored vests and had a selection of weapons, including his signature stun gun. However, there’s one weapon that he never carried: a firearm. Unlike other bounty hunters, he’s barred from owning one.

We don’t need a law degree to know that it’s against federal law for felons to buy or be licensed to own any firearm. As an ex-convict, therefore, Dog can’t apply for a permit to carry a firearm. Fortunately, this never impeded his success as a bounty hunter.

Beth’s Body Underwent Cosmetic Changes – Unconfirmed

It is said that people appear to be around 15 pounds heavier onscreen, so being a reality TV star usually comes with a lot of pressure to look a certain way. This is especially true for women, and Beth was no exception. Her body noticeably changed throughout the series.

Although Beth never confirmed undergoing any cosmetic procedures, rumors began circulating that she had gone under the knife more than once. When comparing before-and-after pictures of her transformation, it seemed to be particularly obvious that one of the procedures she’d undergone was a tummy tuck.

Dog’s Son Had Leaked The Recording That Got The Show Canceled – True

Most of Dog’s children have a strained relationship with him, particularly his son Tucker Chapman. After the audio recording of a phone conversation between the two was leaked, Dog the Bounty Hunter went off the air for quite a while. It was later revealed that Tucker himself had leaked the call.

At several points in the recording, Dog can be heard using the “n” word to refer to his son’s African-American girlfriend, whom he didn’t like. Although the bounty hunter later apologized and got his show back for a few seasons, his tarnished reputation never fully recovered.

Dog’s Crew Was Shot At By A Fugitive They Were Trying To Arrest – False

In 2009, Dog claimed that Hoang Minh Phung Nguyen shot at his team members while they were trying to capture him for ducking out on a bail bond. However, the charges against Nguyen were dropped by the assistant D.A. because of insufficient evidence and conflicting statements from the crew.

Nguyen lost his job and reputation even though he wasn’t charged, so in 2011 he filed a lawsuit against Dog and his crew for defamation. In the suit, Nguyen also asserted that what was shown in the TV series episode didn’t accurately portray the actual events.

Dog Violated His Own Daughter – False

With all the controversy surrounding Dog’s family life, it seems pretty obvious that he isn’t the best father in the world. His daughter Lyssa Chapman even wrote a book titled Walking on Eggshells describing how her mother and father did a terrible job raising her.

In its pages, Lyssa wrote that at age 11 she had accused her father of violating her even though his friend had actually been the one who’d abused her. She further stated that she’d had more stable living conditions with her alcoholic mother than with Dog and Beth.

Bobby Brown Sued The Show For Not Paying Him What He’d Been Promised – True

It seems that Dog is no stranger to litigation. In 2011, a bail bondsman named Bobby Brown sued Dog the Bounty Hunter, claiming that he hadn’t been paid the amount promised in his contract. Although he made appearances in numerous episodes, he apparently was never compensated as a full cast member.

In its first seven seasons, Dog’s show made over $400 million. But according to Bobby, his total pay during that period was only $6,000 even though he had behind the success of most of the bounty hunter’s arrests, working around 50 hours for every episode.

Dog And Beth Got Robbed In Los Angeles – True

Dog projects such a strong tough-guy persona that we would think no one even tries to mess with him. But that didn’t stop criminals from successfully breaking into his luxury hotel suite in Los Angeles, California, in 2017. The robbery was discovered when he and Beth found that the cash was missing from their safe.

Yet besides more than $5,000, nothing was taken from the room, not even the expensive jewels and the luggage that had been left just lying around. Investigators didn’t find any indication of forced entry, so they believe it may have been an inside job.

Dog Was Given Custody Of His Grandson – True

In addition to the terrible accident that ended his daughter Barbara’s life just before he married Beth, Dog heard more horrifying news, this time about the father of his grandson Travis. A recording captured by a concerned neighbor proved that the man was beating his child.

Authorities quickly removed Travis from his father’s home and handed custody of him over to Dog. The bounty hunter told reporters that hearing the audiotape of his grandson being abused was torturous. He then added that he had advised his son-in-law to get some anger-management training.

Dog’s Second Show Was Canceled Due To Changes In The Legal System – Unconfirmed

Thanks to CMT, everyone’s favorite bounty hunter was given a second chance with a new series titled Dog and Beth: On the Hunt. However, the show was carried for only a few seasons. There has been much speculation as to why it ended so abruptly.

The most likely reason could be the changes taking place in laws related to bail bonds. These changes will eventually render bounty hunters obsolete, which means that people like Dog will be left unemployed. And when Dog isn’t a bounty hunter anymore, television networks will no longer be interested in him.

Dog Captured Serial Violator Andrew Luster – True

Perhaps the biggest fish that Dog has ever caught in the sea of fugitives is none other than Andrew Luster, the serial violator who was an heir to the Max Factor fortune. In 2003, Dog and his team found the heir hiding in Mexico, where he was living under an alias.

Despite not receiving a penny of the $1-million bail that the heir had fled to avoid paying, Dog got a major boost in his reputation as a great bounty hunter. He still thinks that he earned a portion of that amount for tracking down and detaining the criminal, though.

Beth Was Dog’s First And Only Love – False

Beth may have been Dog’s only love interest in each of his TV series, but he actually had been married and divorced four times before he finally settled down with her. The couple tied the knot four years after he finalized his most recent divorce.

It’s interesting to note, though, that the two had known each other long before they were joined together in holy matrimony. Dog and Beth had a riotous off-and-on romance that spanned a few decades and several marriages, including Beth’s marriage to the bounty hunter’s best friend.

The Chapmans Made A Donation Page – False

As the Chapman family continues to grieve for Beth and adjust to life without their beloved matriarch, they’ve also had to deal with some fake donation sites. It appears that people have been taking advantage of the situation, trying to make money off of Beth’s death.

On Twitter, Dog has already warned fans about this scam, explaining that the Chapmans don’t need any donations and that fans can support them in other ways. It is clear in his interviews that the bounty hunter just wants the memory of his great love to be honored properly.

Dog And Beth Loved Tanning – True

Some people think Dog is wearing a $500 mullet wig. While that rumor’s never been proven, we do know that he and Beth used to frequent tanning salons together. Back in 2012, the couple was seen paying a visit to Sunset Tan in Los Angeles.

The reality TV stars would share a tender display of affection every time they finished one of their tanning sessions. This was around the time when the couple was recording for Dog and Beth: On the Hunt, reportedly being paid $200,000 for each episode.

Beth Had Throat Cancer – True

In September 2017, Dog and Beth shocked everyone when they announced the awful news that Beth had a stage-two throat malignancy. After months of suffering a nagging cough, she was diagnosed and told that surgically removing the cancerous mass would give her a 50-50 chance of survival.

A few weeks after the news was broken to everyone, Beth underwent a 13-hour surgery to prevent the malignancy from advancing any further. An incision was said to have been made from ear to ear so that the plum-sized tumor could be extracted from her neck.

Beth Felt Bad About Her Chemotherapy Hair Loss – False

After the grueling surgery that Beth had to undergo, physicians told her that the tumor was finally in remission. Sadly, it didn’t last for long: the malignancy eventually came back, this time spreading to her lungs and resulting in a stage-four diagnosis. Around January 2019, she began chemotherapy treatment.

At the time, Beth posted a selfie on Instagram with a hashtag dismissing the loss of her lustrous locks. In the photo, she smiled demurely as she showed off her signature blond tresses. While battling the malignancy, she was filming with her husband for their new WGN show Dog’s Most Wanted.

There’s No More Da’Kine Bail Bonds – True

In January 2019, the Chapmans also closed their Da’Kine Bail Bonds landmark office and Dog the Bounty Hunter shop located on Queen Emma Street. The reason for the closure was that the landlord had found a buyer for the land and planned to demolish the building.

The Chapmans sold off all the items in their store at affordable prices, including office furnishings, vehicles, fixtures, and a lot of items from their hit TV shows. They also took pictures with customers and signed books, along with merchandise bearing their logo, during their last days at the shop.

Leland Knew Dog Was His Father – False

Dog’s second-born child, Leland, didn’t know that the bounty hunter was his real father until he was a teenager. Because Dog was jailed when Leland was only seven months old, he grew up under the impression that he and his stepfather shared the same DNA.

Leland was such a difficult child that his mother ended up putting him in foster care. He only found out that Dog was his biological father after he ran away and was apprehended by the authorities at 13 years old. Fortunately, father and son were able to form a late but solid bond.

Lyssa Got Divorced At Age 24 – True

Lyssa, Dog’s ninth child, had a baby of her own at the young age of 15. The child’s father, who was 24 years old when he impregnated Lyssa, later went to prison for violating a minor. In 2009, she married Brahman “Bo” Galanti, who was 14 years her senior.

Lyssa also had a child with Bo before they split up about three years into their marriage. Negative publicity has also come Lyssa’s way due to her drunk-driving charges, criminal property damage, and aggression toward the police. Despite her father’s success, she’s been estranged from him and Beth.

Cecily Was The Youngest Agent At Da’Kine – True

Cecily Chapman, the third-youngest of Dog’s children, is his adopted daughter, born to Beth from her former marriage to his best friend. At just 24 years old, she was already recognized as a certified bail agent, working at Da’Kine Bail Bonds before it was closed.

At the height of Dog the Bounty Hunter, Cecily was frequently seen in the office as a child. When she grew up, she became a regular on Dog & Beth: On the Hunt. The young woman has now amassed around 158,000 Instagram followers of her own.

Dog Used The “N” Word – True

As we’ve already noted, Dog did use the “n” word, but we haven’t yet discussed why. It seems that the bounty hunter had no idea what the word meant at the time. He genuinely thought that it was just a cool thing to say between friends.

But that wasn’t the only time Dog found himself at odds with the African American community. In 2017, he received a lot of backlash from African Americans for criticizing Barack Obama, the former president of the United States, during an interview for the Next News Network about federal law enforcement.

His Ex-Wife Married His Best Friend – True

When Dog was convicted of murder in 1976 and sentenced by the court to five years in the Texas State Penitentiary, LaFonda, his wife at the time, divorced him. After that, the woman actually went on to marry his best friend! This story seems awfully familiar, doesn’t it?

Dog ended up serving only 18 months in prison, which must’ve been a bit awkward for his ex-wife and his best friend. Yet if it weren’t for his prison sentence, he wouldn’t have become the man he is today. Just before he was released, a judge told him that he’d make a good bounty hunter.

Dog Has 13 Children – True

In addition to his bounty-hunting skills, Dog is known for having a lot of children as well. The most recent reports state that he has a total of 13 children, which also includes Cecily, Beth’s child whom he had claimed as his own through adoption.

Making an accurate list of all 13 of Dog’s children is rather difficult with so many conflicting reports. However, the following is an honest attempt: Christopher, Duane Lee, Leland Blaine, Wesley, Zebediah, James “J.R.,” Nicholas, Barbara Katie, Tucker Dee, “Baby” Lyssa, Bonnie Jo, Garry, and Cecily.

Duane Lee Is Still Close With His Father – False

According to reports, Duane Lee, one of Dog’s sons with LaFonda, has not been on great terms with his famous father since 2012. The strain in their relationship arose from a heated argument between the two over how much the younger Chapman should be paid.

As filming of Dog the Bounty Hunter’s final season wrapped up, Duane Lee demanded a pay raise, but Beth claimed it wasn’t possible. The conflict escalated when Dog took his wife’s side and then didn’t cast him for the series Dog & Beth: On the Hunt.

Leland Cheats On His Wife – Unconfirmed

Leland’s current wife is a makeup artist named Jamie Pilar Chapman. After they got married in 2016, the couple has been in a lot of fights that they often make public on social media. They regularly friend and unfriend one another on Facebook and Instagram.

The status of the couple’s social media accounts has thus become an indication of the status of their marriage. They clearly have a long way to go before their relationship stabilizes. Even in blogs and social media comments about Dog, Jamie is frequently called a doormat and Leland is said to be unfaithful to her.

Leland Was Engaged To Lynette Before He Met Jamie – True

Even though Leland has tied the knot with Jamie, rumors have continued to circulate that he still loves his former flame, Lynette Li, the mother of his five-year-old daughter, Leiah. Leland had actually put an engagement ring on Lynette’s finger just before he met Jamie.

However, it is reported that Lynette broke off the relationship after she found out he cheated on her, even though he tried to make amends. Some even claim that he’s still seeing her in secret. She is, after all, the mother of his child, and he and Jamie don’t have any children together yet.

Youngblood Really Is Dog’s Brother – False

Many people thought Tim “Youngblood” Chapman was Dog’s brother in real life, but he doesn’t actually share the same parents as the bounty hunter. Even though it’s just a coincidence that Youngblood’s last name is also Chapman, Dog still treated him as a brother for many years.

Just like Dog, Youngblood has also run afoul of the law. He was first arrested at the same time the famous Luster chase happened in Mexico. Although the charges against him, Dog, and Leland were ultimately dropped, he got arrested again in 2008 for indecent exposure and making terrorist threats.

Beth Recently Died Of Cancer – True

As sad as it is to confirm, Beth did indeed pass away at the age of 51 on June 26, 2019, at a medical facility in Honolulu, Hawaii. When he spoke outside their home in Honolulu a few hours after her passing, Dog told the whole world how much he loved her.

Both he and his family have tried to celebrate Beth’s life, but it was hard for them not to mourn her death. After all, it was a sudden loss for the entire family. The Chapmans eventually decided to have two funerals for her: one in Hawaii and one in Colorado, where she was from.