ponyparty
Well-Known Member
I'll try to keep this as short as possible... Hired a dog walker/trainer to get F's confidence up around other dogs after many negative experiences. Seemed really good, ex police dog handler, all the relevant qualifications etc. Had a very lengthy assessment with me and F, went through all his behaviours etc, I said we don't play ball etc with him as he loses his mind completely (this is relevant).
He then had F on 3 occasions:
Week 1: Collected F (who was very nervous of him still). F accidentally jumped into open driver's door of the van, instead of the dog compartment, and cocked a leg on the drivers seat (mortifying!), the guy grabbed him round the tummy to try and lift him out which F objected to quite strongly - he was frightened and went to bite him, just grazing his knuckles with his teeth. He still took him out for a few hours and they made friends, and the guy was keen to come back again. I was shocked that he'd tried to pick F up, knowing exactly how nervous he was - there's little more dangerous than a frightened dog - but thought, ok, he just panicked as his van was getting peed on, and obviously I felt mortified about both the pee and the bite and was very apologetic. This is not really relevant to what then happened, I'm just painting the picture that it didn't get off to the best start...
Week 2: F came back with both carpal pads skinned. Managed to get them to heal over at home with combination of buster collar and bathing in cooled boiled salt water. Asked trainer what he'd been doing, he mentioned ball play and I said well we don't do it with him as he loses his mind and doesn't have any self preservation (again).
Week 3: F came back with his left carpal pad skinned, and very badly this time. I was SO ILL at the time, didn't raise it immediately with trainer, I was literally just trying to get through each day with a horrible flu thing and a poorly toddler. Buster collar back on, bathing it with salt water etc. At the weekend he managed to get the collar off and was unattended for a few hours and licked it absolutely raw, it looked even worse than when he first did it so I ended up dressing it with Manuka honey. On Sunday night there was heat in the leg and no improvement by Monday morning so off we went to the vets, course of antibiotics, pain relief and hibiscrub. Took a further week to heal over enough to remove the collar, he couldn't use the dog flap and had us up every night to go out, all in all a bit of a disaster.
Trainer said, when I messaged, that he'd done it through ball play again. Decided probably best F didn't go back to this trainer - on reflection, not really paying him to play ball with my dog, he was just meant to be getting his confidence up around other dogs. Feeling quite irritated by this point. I've got a sick child, a cold/flu thing myself which turned into sinusitis, I'm super busy at work, got my mother and her two dogs living here, ongoing issues with my gran who has dementia.... this was meant to be reducing my stress levels, not increasing it!
Trainer brings me invoice today, delivered by hand, took me completely off guard as I'm working. Whilst sat here at my desk, I realise I'm still really quite irritated. I have half a mind to just send him partial payment - less the value of my vet bill, and forward the bill and vet report on to him. What would you do? Pay it or contest it? I get the impression that he will probably tell me where to go and demand his money in full, but I feel I may as well try - the whole experience has really peed me off!
He then had F on 3 occasions:
Week 1: Collected F (who was very nervous of him still). F accidentally jumped into open driver's door of the van, instead of the dog compartment, and cocked a leg on the drivers seat (mortifying!), the guy grabbed him round the tummy to try and lift him out which F objected to quite strongly - he was frightened and went to bite him, just grazing his knuckles with his teeth. He still took him out for a few hours and they made friends, and the guy was keen to come back again. I was shocked that he'd tried to pick F up, knowing exactly how nervous he was - there's little more dangerous than a frightened dog - but thought, ok, he just panicked as his van was getting peed on, and obviously I felt mortified about both the pee and the bite and was very apologetic. This is not really relevant to what then happened, I'm just painting the picture that it didn't get off to the best start...
Week 2: F came back with both carpal pads skinned. Managed to get them to heal over at home with combination of buster collar and bathing in cooled boiled salt water. Asked trainer what he'd been doing, he mentioned ball play and I said well we don't do it with him as he loses his mind and doesn't have any self preservation (again).
Week 3: F came back with his left carpal pad skinned, and very badly this time. I was SO ILL at the time, didn't raise it immediately with trainer, I was literally just trying to get through each day with a horrible flu thing and a poorly toddler. Buster collar back on, bathing it with salt water etc. At the weekend he managed to get the collar off and was unattended for a few hours and licked it absolutely raw, it looked even worse than when he first did it so I ended up dressing it with Manuka honey. On Sunday night there was heat in the leg and no improvement by Monday morning so off we went to the vets, course of antibiotics, pain relief and hibiscrub. Took a further week to heal over enough to remove the collar, he couldn't use the dog flap and had us up every night to go out, all in all a bit of a disaster.
Trainer said, when I messaged, that he'd done it through ball play again. Decided probably best F didn't go back to this trainer - on reflection, not really paying him to play ball with my dog, he was just meant to be getting his confidence up around other dogs. Feeling quite irritated by this point. I've got a sick child, a cold/flu thing myself which turned into sinusitis, I'm super busy at work, got my mother and her two dogs living here, ongoing issues with my gran who has dementia.... this was meant to be reducing my stress levels, not increasing it!
Trainer brings me invoice today, delivered by hand, took me completely off guard as I'm working. Whilst sat here at my desk, I realise I'm still really quite irritated. I have half a mind to just send him partial payment - less the value of my vet bill, and forward the bill and vet report on to him. What would you do? Pay it or contest it? I get the impression that he will probably tell me where to go and demand his money in full, but I feel I may as well try - the whole experience has really peed me off!
he's usually right! 
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