Uncontrolled dogs at dog agility class

[Serephin]

I am still a bit annoyed about my experience at dog agility last night.

We are still quite new to it, been going about 8/10 weeks now - dog is excellent, picked it up really quick and its great fun for both of us.

But it seems that the people running the class allow people who have no basic control over their dogs to take part. Which results, more often than not, in that person getting behavioural training just to be able to stop the dog from barking for 15 minutes constantly at a time - or to actually walk on the lead. Its one person in particular, with a big alsatian, and my heart sank last night when they turned up to the class, as the dog lunges at other dogs and the small woman has no control over it at all.

Last night it tried to attack my dog (which is small) and she did nothing, just stood like an idiot at the end of the lead with a blank look on her face.

Is it normal for dog agility to do this? I would have never have considered taking my dog to dog agility before she was trained to a basic level to obey me, sit, wait, recall, etc.

The woman should be able to to control her dog before taking it out to classes like this - my poor dog was so scared last night, and she isn't scared of any dogs usually, she is happy little thing.

What do other people think? Should I say something to the trainer or not?

 

[noodle_]

no thats not normal!

we had a couple of "nasties" in our class but they were ALWAYS well handled and controlled by their owners

talk to your trainer or change clubs....!

i wouldnt want my dog attacked and have a bad experience because of a few idiots

 

[CorvusCorax]

We're not a dedicated agility club but we have a course and you are not allowed to share the equipment unless your dog is under control.
My old dog was quite arsey (lunging, barking, screaming) and he stayed on a long line initially and away from group sessions. Waiting in line was quite tense for him. He actually calmed down quite a lot given work/an occupation.

Basic things like control need to be established separately from agility sessions. It betrays a lack of commonsense to have potentially reactive dogs in a stressful situation (lots of activity, dogs waiting in line, dogs entering/exiting) which cannot be nice for either the dogs themselves or the owners of settled dogs like yours.

Also try not to mirror your dog's behaviour or fuss her or feel sorry for her, be businesslike.
My dog was attacked by a much larger male on Sunday when he was doing a downstay, but it was just handbags and he was fine afterwards. Bit annoying as my dog was under control, the other wasn't, but no harm done, it was all a lot of noise and spit!

Give your dog a purpose/command/function to take her and your mind off it, if you are constantly on the alert, she will be too.

 

[Dobiegirl]

I would have had a go at the woman tbh, the fact she did nothing would have pi**ed me right off, I would also be having a word with the trainer, sounds like they are turning a blind eye.

If no joy op change clubs, the club I go to is very strictly run and nothing of this nature occurs.

 

[moppett]

it doesn't sound like a class i'd be going back to! the first training class i chose, i went once and never went back! The other dogs weren't in control, barking, over stimulated, and it was total chaos and my little dog was a quivering wreck who tried to hide under the table.

But now we go to great training classes and after a series of 1-2-1's we have just joined a weekly fearful fido class and its great. everyone is control and no dog ever gets the chance to be reactive as work is done at the threshold and never too much for the dogs to cope with - but this is probably unnecessary for dogs that aren't really wimpy.

I'd say not only the woman with the dog that lunged at yours is in the wrong, but more importantly its the trainer at fault. She is there to manage, lead, and instruct - so that every dog benefits.

 

[Serephin]

Thanks guys - I didn't know if I was over reacting - it really upset me.

Have just spoken to the trainer and he agreed with everything I said, and myself and my dog will no longer be in the same class as the other dog. The owners of the offending dog will be spoken to and behavioural classes suggested.

I do enjoy the class immensely, but I think they have only been running for a year, so have a learning curve as well with regard to who they allow to join the agility.

Feel better for getting my feelings across and knowing my dog will be safe.

 

[Holidays_are_coming]

Glad you have it resolved, I love our agility classes, we have dogs of all sizes and shapes and my dog was a bit naughty to start with and ran off when he lost confidence so I got out the way and let the others continue. We also have a lovely dobi who thinks it is a tough guy and he charges at the other dogs until get gets seriously told off by his owner then he decides to behave.

 

[Annette4]

I have a dog agressive dog who used to go to agility but she went to naughty class and learntto concentrate on me before she was allowed and I made sure she was under control at all times! I would have been mortified if that was me, I would be finding a new class.

 

[blackcob]

Great news that you don't have to put up with it any more.

I do sympathise - I was once that owner with the uncontrollable dog, and still am very occasionally now - but that's what obedience classes and one-to-one behavioural stuff is for, not an agility class where you're spending more time correcting the dog than teaching them blummin' agility.

We have ishoos at class sometimes, it's only natural given the high drive that some dogs have for it that they go a bit bonkers and gob off but we have coping strategies, mostly involving placing the YELP-YELP-YELP-YELP-YELP collie and the 'I'm going to race up and down the line of waiting dogs, stare at them and occasionally rush at them' collie behind a beach windbreak type thing in between their runs so they can't bother anyone else. Dax took a chunk out of the latter one before we sorted it. We only have one dog off the lead at any one time and they're not allowed to come face to face.