[Gadarett]

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.

[rvadipoldkov]

Id be willing to pay half. But only if they signed something releasing me and my dog from further financial or legal action. Id have it notarized as well.

[Proodustommor]

Did the scholl have you sign any liability forms before you started the class. If you did not sign anything I would say they are responsible.
If you did sign something you need to look into what that means.

[Xxedxevh]

Did the scholl have you sign any liability forms before you started the class. If you did not sign anything I would say they are responsible.
If you did sign something you need to look into what that means.

I agree. Usually when you enroll in anything they have a contract. Read over your contract to see if there is anything stated in there about liability or about hold harmless agreement. You need to do your research first.

[dgdhgjjgj]

When we signed up for class, we signed a waiver that the store/trainer would not be held liable if our dog were to get into a fight... I'm not sure exactly the wording, but I got the message. The school is in no way responsible, nor is the trainer. It's a risk you take when you sign up for class, just as you take a risk everytime you get in your car and drive.

Offer to pay half the medical bill, and let the other owner pay the remainder. That's fair, and being as they have already admitted that their dog was being aggressive, they should assume half the bill.

[Gadarett]

On the first day of class, they gave us a packet, inside was a waiver form saying they couldn't be held responsible if something happens to me, my guest, or my dog. But, the school never collected the waiver and never went over the contents of the packet with us. So they don't have a waiver that I ever signed.

[Proodustommor]

Now that is getting tricky. I might call a Lawer and see what they have to say.
Or
I would talk to the other owner and see if you can work it out. He went to that same class and knew what he was getting into.

[dodsCooggipsedebt]

split the bill with the other owner and be done with it. by the time lawyers and everything get involved the cost will not make it worth it.

just never recommend the school and post a bad review on yelp.com or another popular review site.

---------- Post added at 11:35 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:34 AM ----------

also i do believe that the dog that is off the leash is totally responsible by law (at least in california) so even though your dog was leashed, because he was able to slip out and was off leash at the time you would be at fault.

[dgdhgjjgj]

split the bill with the other owner and be done with it. by the time lawyers and everything get involved the cost will not make it worth it.

just never recommend the school and post a bad review on yelp.com or another popular review site.

I agree with the first part. By the time you pay a lawyer, you'd both be in the hole. However, I wouldn't post a bad review regarding the store. It's not the store's fault the dog's got into a fight. Just split the bill with the other owner and be done with it.

[Oriesssedleli419]

I would suggest you try to work it out with this owner to pay half the vet bills. Get everything in writing, and make sure you get a copy of the vet bills.

If you can't work it out with the owner, get a lawyer.

Did you sign anything at the training school?

---------- Post added at 02:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:38 PM ----------

[quotealso i do believe that the dog that is off the leash is totally responsible by law (at least in california) so even though your dog was leashed, because he was able to slip out and was off leash at the time you would be at fault. ][/quote]

This is where it gets tricky because the owner was instructed to put the leash on a certain way, by the instructor who works in the store.

---------- Post added at 02:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:39 PM ----------

I agree with the first part. By the time you pay a lawyer, you'd both be in the hole. However, I wouldn't post a bad review regarding the store. It's not the store's fault the dog's got into a fight. Just split the bill with the other owner and be done with it.

IF the other owner agrees. If not, there's going to be problems.

[dodsCooggipsedebt]

yes this is a tricky situation. i hope you can work it out in a civil manner and not have to get the law involved.

[MicoSiru]

I'm going to echo what most have said and offer to split the vet bill in half. I think it will be the easiest way to deal with the situation as well as the most civil.

[pedFlicle]

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. Let me understand something....they did nothing, and allowed you to do nothing to stop the fight?

[Gadarett]

I do feel I should pay vs. the other owner. I wouldn't even know how to approch it with the other owner that they should be responsible for half. My dog attacked theirs, but the dog school should take some onwership. The owner wants me to pay 100% of the $950 emergency room visit, and they would cover any other follow up appointments. The dog school never had me sign a waiver and it was their head halter that they had me put her on that randomly fell off. Also, I have read on this site how to break up a dog fight, and they didn't seem to follow anything that I've read. I let the 2 trainers take control as they teach a class for dog aggression. They didn't even have a break stick on the premise, and they have a pit bull in each class.

[Sdinozes]

I don't really think it's that big of a deal I would offer to pay half the cost or if necassary i would pay the whole cost of the vet bills.
I don't see how the trainer can be held responsible for this in any way.

Edit*
I just read the part about the trainer not seperating the dogs if that was my class the dog's would have been seperated right quick although he was right in telling you guys not to do anything. I always tell the people in my classes if the dogs start fighting back away and let me take care of it.

[prehighaltitudesjj]

Offer to pay half of the vet bill and get something saying that this will not go beyond.

The trainer probably didn't want any you guys getting injured if you broke up the fight...but you would think the "trainer" would be trained in breaking them up.....

[Bobobsdo]

I would think that ultimately you are responsible.

However, if you get an attorney, you can go after the trainer as her interfering with y'all trying to break up the fight allow much more damage to occur that what would've been done at the fight been broken up from the get-go.

If you don't wish to discuss the issue with an attorney, I would believe you would be liable for 100% of the bills.

And no offense, but if I'm at a training class and someone's dog breaks loose, attacks mine, and my dog has a following vet bill, I WILL have the owner of the other dog pay. Why should I have to pay if my dog was still on-leash by me?

I'm not being harsh, just being honest and thinking it out. Accidents happen and they suck but they still have consequences.

[drlifeech]

hmmm I agree you more than likely are liable for the cost, whether half or all I dont know. I guess that would be what can be worked out. As far as this whole dog aggression class... I dont think I've ever heard of that. I'm not saying that its not out there cause it obviously is, but I'm wondering why on earth would they even start off with 4 DA dogs? Let alone 2? That sounds liek a disaster waiting to happen. I'm no professional so someone feel free to correct me, but wouldnt DA lessons start with the one dog itself, and then working up to introducing another dog little by little. Like showing another dog in the distance, seeing how they react, and then continue training little by little? Thats how I've seen it done before. But please correct me if I'm wrong

[MilenaMKB]

hmmm I agree you more than likely are liable for the cost, whether half or all I dont know. I guess that would be what can be worked out. As far as this whole dog aggression class... I dont think I've ever heard of that. I'm not saying that its not out there cause it obviously is, but I'm wondering why on earth would they even start off with 4 DA dogs? Let alone 2? That sounds liek a disaster waiting to happen. I'm no professional so someone feel free to correct me, but wouldnt DA lessons start with the one dog itself, and then working up to introducing another dog little by little. Like showing another dog in the distance, seeing how they react, and then continue training little by little? Thats how I've seen it done before. But please correct me if I'm wrong

that is exactly what I was thinking...

if YOUR dog runs up to someone elses dog and starts attacking it, you should entirely pay for the vet bill IMO.
I wouldn't expect someone trying to make me pay half just because I admitted my dog was DA, especially knowing the dog was on leash and in controle.
I'd laugh at them and turn away while I'll let court fight it out if necessary but that's JMO.

[Teomaderm]

Your responcible for your own dog. You should have taken care of the aggression as a puppy or young adult. Also haulties do not work for breaking aggression. You need to have a trainer show you how to properly use a prong collar.