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**Gadarett** · 03-09-2009, 07:56 PM

Hello, I need some advice...I adopted a female pitbull, Tasha, now she is approx. 3 years old. We live in a community with a lot of dogs in which she was showing signs of dog aggression while on walks. I never had her off leash with another dog before. Trying to be a responsible dog owner, I enrolled she & I in a 8 week training course geared towards dogs with dog agrression issues (4 dogs per class, but by the last class there were only 2 dogs, mine, and one other- a lab mix). The doggie school was referred to me by someone from the rescue group that I adopted her from. I was looking for a doggie school that had lots of experience with the breed.

The incident happened on the last day of class. On the last day of class, my dog was doing really well. The other dog was lunging and barking at her at times during class, but she wasn't reacting and listening to my ques, etc. which was an improvement compared to previous weeks. With about 20 minutes left of the last class, we went outside per the instructor (never had taken them outside before). Tasha was on a harness and head halter that the trainer requested she be on (they had loaned the head halter to me). The leash was attached to the head halter, which the trainer instructed me to do. We went outside, the two dogs, owners, and trainer & asst. At the time we were practicing walking on a loose leash, practicing sitting/downs. Tasha was doing really well, not reacting much, while the other dog was so reactive that the trainer stopped and put a head halter on him. All of a sudden Tasha's head halter fails, falls off of her, and once Tasha realizes it (realized it before me), she starts running after the other dog (whom was being walked by his owner and only a few feet away) and they start fighting. The trainer & asst. tell us to be quite, asked me not to intervene or say anything to my dog. The fight lasts about 5 minutes and eventually the trainer puts something in between them for the second time, and I pull my dog away by the harness that she still had on.

The other dog had to go to the emergency room and incurred a vet bill of $950. While Tasha had minor bite wounds and cuts. The other owner who does realize it was an accident, and admits it could have been her in my shoes as her dog is highly dog aggressive, want me to pay for the vet bill. I feel the other owner should not pay, but I think the school is somewhat responsible? Any thoughts??? Thanks for any advice.

03-09-2009, 07:56 PM	#1
Gadarett Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 445 Senior Member	Advice - who pays? Hello, I need some advice...I adopted a female pitbull, Tasha, now she is approx. 3 years old. We live in a community with a lot of dogs in which she was showing signs of dog aggression while on walks. I never had her off leash with another dog before. Trying to be a responsible dog owner, I enrolled she & I in a 8 week training course geared towards dogs with dog agrression issues (4 dogs per class, but by the last class there were only 2 dogs, mine, and one other- a lab mix). The doggie school was referred to me by someone from the rescue group that I adopted her from. I was looking for a doggie school that had lots of experience with the breed. The incident happened on the last day of class. On the last day of class, my dog was doing really well. The other dog was lunging and barking at her at times during class, but she wasn't reacting and listening to my ques, etc. which was an improvement compared to previous weeks. With about 20 minutes left of the last class, we went outside per the instructor (never had taken them outside before). Tasha was on a harness and head halter that the trainer requested she be on (they had loaned the head halter to me). The leash was attached to the head halter, which the trainer instructed me to do. We went outside, the two dogs, owners, and trainer & asst. At the time we were practicing walking on a loose leash, practicing sitting/downs. Tasha was doing really well, not reacting much, while the other dog was so reactive that the trainer stopped and put a head halter on him. All of a sudden Tasha's head halter fails, falls off of her, and once Tasha realizes it (realized it before me), she starts running after the other dog (whom was being walked by his owner and only a few feet away) and they start fighting. The trainer & asst. tell us to be quite, asked me not to intervene or say anything to my dog. The fight lasts about 5 minutes and eventually the trainer puts something in between them for the second time, and I pull my dog away by the harness that she still had on. The other dog had to go to the emergency room and incurred a vet bill of $950. While Tasha had minor bite wounds and cuts. The other owner who does realize it was an accident, and admits it could have been her in my shoes as her dog is highly dog aggressive, want me to pay for the vet bill. I feel the other owner should not pay, but I think the school is somewhat responsible? Any thoughts??? Thanks for any advice.
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