‘I Still Had God Inside Me’—Dog the Bounty Hunter Shares How He Got His Nickname

Duane “Dog” Chapman rose to reality TV stardom on “Dog the Bounty Hunter.” His life includes it all—being in prison, working as a bounty hunter, riding with a motorcycle gang, and fathering 13 children. Chapman isn’t afraid of talking about his bad choices that helped develop his faith and shape the man he is today.

“I was completely evil,” admitted Chapman, speaking about before his transformation. “I wasn’t demon-possessed; I was demon-oppressed.”

Dog the Bounty Hunter ‘Wasn’t Completely Turning His Back on God’ When He Earned the Nickname ‘Dog’

Growing up in a church in Denver, Chapman spent his weekends playing the tambourine while his mom, a pastor, played the organ. His father, however, was an abusive alcoholic. Chapman, at just 13 years old, confronted his dad with a knife. His dad got angry and threw Chapman out of the house, he shared recently with Eric Metaxas.

At the age of 15, and with a “cheap” fake ID saying he was 19, Chapman became the Sergeant of Arms of the National Chapter of the Devil’s Disciples, a biker gang.

Chapman’s adulthood was sprinkled with spiritual acts from his Christian heritage alongside poor decisions paired with devastating consequences.

“I wasn’t completely turning my back on God, just three-quarters of the way,” he said.

As a first-time father at age 16, Chapman said he held up his newborn baby towards God and said, “I dedicate this baby to you.” Chapman went on to have 12 more children from multiple relationships.

Chapman told the New York Times that he had been convicted of robbery 18 times and has captured 10,000 fugitives as a bounty hunter.

Biker gang members gave him the nickname, “Dog,” because he was “always talking about God” and prayed before meals. The nickname was “God spelled backwards.”

His biker gang participated in armed robberies and drug dealing. “We were as dangerous as the mafia,” recalled Chapman, speaking of his time participating in “organized crime” in the Devil’s Disciples.

When a drug deal and robbery went bad, Chapman was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. While Chapman was in jail, a preacher came in to spend time with him. The preacher said he would pray for God to lower Chapman’s sentence. Later, one of his friends admitted to the crime, but a jury found all of those in the group guilty.

“I still had God inside me,” said Chapman.