Dog Bites The Trainer - Page 1

This is my 1st working dog, 2.5 yr old male, imported from Germany in February this year.
Trainer know's the dog has a PSP1, also a BH, failed IPO, tracking portion<- needed a lot of work. Had been working with this trainer, he sends out the weekly email blast for his Friday night training groups. We had been doing a private sessions as well, as he know's I wanted to get the dog ready for a trial coming up.

Long story short, during the end of a good tracking session, the trainer came and stopped me and then took him on the last leg of my track, to try to slow the dog down some. All went well, he brought him back over to me and said to put him away.
Then trainer said, just get him back out, but I want the prong collar on him this time. Done.
Trainer laid a short track, I put the dog in a platz, the trainer took the lead to the dog, tossed a chunk of food out, the dog immediately went for it, so the trainer yanked on the prong collar yelling no at the dog. End result, the trainer got bit.

I get a call from the trainer the next day, saying my dog is a fear bitter, he's aggressive and that he's not welcome to do anymore training, I said that's fine.
I've been sent a rather decent size walk in clinic/Er bill, with a note saying let me know when the checks in the mail.

What would you do?
 
 

If I were the trainer of your dog, suck it up. That's one of the hazards of "playing with fire" is the possibility of getting "burned". I doubt your dog is a fear biter, given the context and without knowing more.

I would have another, well respected trainer eval your dog (and have something in writing) in the chance that the original trainer stoops even lower and either calls AC for a "dangerous dog" or decides to sue.

Maybe its just me, but when you choose to work with these dogs, (sport, K9 whatever) that you know the risks involved. Anyone who has been working dogs for many years has bite stories to tell. The client doesn't get the bill (IMO).

Melissa
 

Change trainers.
Pay up or get a lawyer.
He paid for his mistake now he wants you to pay for yours.
A trainer who's not prepared to get bit is no trainer at all.
The prong was the wrong tool.

 

I'm not sure about the dog training, but it seems it would be similar to a horse trainer getting bucked off, then litigating owner of horse.. A reputable horse trainer wouldn't charge the owner responsible. Shouldn't this trainer have insurance, incase he is injured? I mean it's not like he is training toy breed dogs to dance in tutus.. Working breed dogs are serious, and anyone claiming to be a trainer should realize they could be hurt and have insurance for this.. If it's feasible, I'd hire a lawyer and new trainer to eval dog and fight his claim, just on principle..

Bleeding is just part of the trade,
I have the scars to prove it.
Dogs and horses..

Again, I think the trainer made a bad choice, nothing to do with the bite.
That's not how you slow a dog down on a track.

The prong was not the wrong tool, the prong was used incorrectly.  Many dogs will tag a person that gives them a hard correction.  My dog has done it and will do it again.  In many cases it has nothing to do with the prong but a dog that won't take corrections from others.  My dog will not nail me for a fair correction, but will nail anyone else that picks up his leash and gives him a "jerk."  Not too mention a prong correction.  The "trainer" got off easy, my dog would have sent him to the hospital and it would be a few weeks before he was able to correct another dog.  

There are better ways to slow a dog down on a track.  The track can easily be designed to slow the dog down and teach it to work at a consistent speed.  How you "bait" the track can slow the dog down.  There is nothing wrong with tracking on a prong collar, even two leashes and two prongs like reins.  But, how you administer the correction is critical.  I'd pay the bill and find a new trainer that doesn't mind working with your dog. Remember, the track teaches the dog to track.  The design and construction of the track it what teaches the dog how we want the dog to track.  

Did this happen in florida?

I wouldn't pay the bill. He is the one that took the action of taking the dog he asked for the prong collar. He gave the correction in an irresponsible way and got bit. 

I think if he tried to sue you you would have a legitimate defense. Jockeys do not sue thoroughbred owners when a horse buck or break down as mentioned above. If he is a dog trainer and a real business he has insurance including workers comp. he has health insurance from somewhere i bet more than likely a spouse that works. If he isn't then he was involved in a criminal action (running a business without a license) and he would not want to be shut down if it went to court and fined. 

If this is the incident i'm thinking it is. The dog bit the trainer in the forearm, then when choked out because the owner could not get the dog off. Rebit the trainer in the face. Slicing his eyelid in half and nearly doing serious damage to his eye. Man could not work for 2 weeks. Loss of wages. Personal injury. He is licensed, and has insurance. But since he asked the bite to NOT be reported as he should have. (In my opinion) the client was informed he would be getting the bill. If the bite had been reported, clients dog could be under pound seizer. Police could have been involved. This is not a snap that got a finger. This was an ugly mess.
Everyone is quick to blame the party not present. But this person is new to protection dog training. The dog was trained somewhere else (Germany) and was sold to some unsuspecting newby, who may or may not be capable of handling such a dog.
If this is the dog i'm believing it is, i'm happy your not welcome to the training group with your loose cannon.
If it is not i am sorry for my assumption. Based on the information give by 1 side of the equation.
Fry

Sounds similar, but, not the same. When my dog was corrected by this trainer, the dog jumped up, hit the trainer in the corner of his eye with his k-9, and was pushed away by the trainer and the dog bit him in the arm, deep puncture wounds. But, my dog didn't re-bite the trainer as he was put away.