I had a rather interesting last few days with my rescue... and was REALLY looking forward to the ringcraft class. Normal people, normal dogs - or so I thought. After searching high and low for ringcraft classes I finally found one which would require an hours drive each way - not so bad considering I live in the middle of nowhere.

Got there all excited and happy. I wasn't too happy about the fact that the dogs weren't allowed to be introduced to each other beforehand but I said nothing being a novice etc. My bitch isn't overly interested in other dogs anyway as she lives in a pack here.

Four of us were asked to imagine a big square and stand in a corner each and then walk diagonally through the square to the corner opposite. One by one we walked. I was second and my dog walked quite nicely into the corner with me, the next person started off from the same corner (I hope I am making sense..?). So anyway, I was standing in my corner with my dog, she was standing sideways in front of me quite relaxed and leant against me. She didn't look at the other dogs but faced out of the square.

Next in line was a middle aged guy with an 8 months old Giant Schnauzer and, working with difficult dogs, I could see disaster looming, the first half was ok but then the dog shot across in front of his owner, sent him flying over the lead and went straight for my dog who at that stage was standing with her back to him. I tried to shelter her by stepping in the way but he bypassed me, attacked her from the front and attached himself to the base of her left ear.

The owner was next to useless, he stood rooted to the ground in the middle of the square like a passer by. It was left to me to pluck his dog off mine. She was screaming, blood streaming down her ear, sporting a big hole. I had the GS by the scruff of the neck as I didnt trust the thin lead and shouted at the owner to come and get him. That got him going and he called to me: "Don't mark him!" (???)

I was so mad, I couldn't believe he was so stupid and didn't have his dog under control. Bella was whimpering and I handed the GS (who still tried to get to my dog) back to his owner who kept saying: "Oh the good boy, oh, the good boy"..

So now I have a dog which sports a hole in her ear which required two stitches, an GS owner who refuses to take any responsibility and an organiser who tells me it's not their responsibility but the GS owner. Meanwhile, I have a traumatised dog, a traumatised 5yro (he was about 20m away) and a vet bill.

Now what?

What a nightmare for you Ringcraft is supposed to be fun for everyone who turns up. I would write a letter of complaint to the organiser, and to the owners of the hall where it was held. And don't go back. Not every dog needs ringcraft. As your dog already mixes with other dogs this isn't going to be a major problem. The only one I see is how you do your training when you are new to the game. Go to as many small shows as you can with her. Watch the other exhibitors and let the stewards know that you are just learning. Go along to watch first if you don't feel up to joining in yet

Must admit, though, I have never heard of the dogs being trained in the way you describe. I've been to several and we tend to sit around the edge of the hall, with each dog taken up and gone over by a 'judge' before moving up and down a mat. There are usually oonly 2 dogs moving at any one time, and they are on different mats. Unless we are doing a 'class' where here are several dogs on the mat to be looked at first before being moved around the hall. I would try to find another ringcraft if you think you need it.

I have a dog with a tear in his ear. Quite a large one, about 2 cms long. Thankfully his hair grows over the end of his ears so it isn't noticable. He has still won well in the ring, including a CC with BIS at the breed club show, so hopefully you won't be penalised for any scarring.

I thought it was rather odd as well and I wasn't very impressed . Thank you, I think I'll start on my own at a few small shows or agri shows. I am really diappointed though, I was so looking forward to it.

I don't have any advice, other than to agree with what Lindylou suggests. What a nasty experience for you all. I do hope your dog soon recovers, both physically and mentally, and your little lad recovers from such a horrid incident, with his love of dogs intact. It must have really frightened him. We had a nasty dog related incident, when one of my daughters was around five. She has never forgotten it, but she retained her dog loving nature.

Best wishes

Gosh, that sounds like an awful club! Ok anyone can lose control of a dog, but if the owner was useless, the trainer should have been running over to get control of the dog! Either the club or the owner should pay your vet bills, there is no way they can refuse responsibility, can you get them through the small claims court? I hope your dog and child get over the shock ok.

I was under the impression that clubs had to have insurance for just such eventualities.

Surely the club running the classes can't wash their hands of it, though I don't know how it is under Irish law. 

Is this and IKC affiliated club, as I would be writing to them about it.

disgraceful.
if its kennel club affiliated in any way I would write there to complain too.

I do hope your dogs are ok now.   If you possibly can do try and get them with a friendly undercontrol GS for a nice calm social lead walk where she can see the dog behaving and not being horrible.  my olddog was attacked by a gs and she remembered-having a real issue with the breed until I was able to find a good one to reassure her.

Like Brainless, I thought the club had to carry insurance for the classes.   I can't see it being legal not to.  What happens if a dog does very serious damage?

I am so sorry that you've had such a rotten experience.

I found the club via the IKC website and they do hold their own shows (I was there last year). I had to pay for all the lessons in advance and I had to pay membership fee as well before I was allowed to participate. There is no way in hell that I am going back there with my dog. She is such a soft girl and loves other dogs, being a pack hound she is the least offensive dog I have. What worries me is the behaviour of the GS, entire male attacking an entire female who was with her back to him.

GS are very very few and far between here, I can only hope that Bella will not have become afraid of the breed. My APBT is terrified of GSD's - having been attacked then he was a wee fella 8 years ago in a park.

> GS are very very few and far between here, I can only hope that Bella will not have become afraid of the breed. My APBT is terrified of GSD's - having been attacked then he was a wee fella 8 years ago in a park.

You are lucky there in having such a tolerant, stable breed. With some of the more sensitive types, they take out a fatwah on any breed that gives them a funny look from across the road... lol

I do hope there are some better classes you can find. When signing up for puppy classes here a few years ago, without knowing much about the various options back then, I did find one that insisted on money up front and an "extra" membership which they said was for insurance.

It was the easiest for me to get to, so I did... they did KCGCS. But they turned out to be money grabbers and spun me a load of lines, after I had signed up for what I believed was the 8-wk Bronze course, only to find there was no test and I would have had to sign up for another 8 wks or 'come back for the test later'. I was even told the KC would not allow them to do tests more regularly. It took 4 months to find a better class (note, not 'club') and that was not a good period for my dog to pause in training.

Have never done ringcraft, but I can imagine there are dodgy ones as it is not regulated... I thought KCGCS was, but apparently not so. I will now always be wary of up-front and "extra" type clubs of any sort... the ones that do it for the love of it are far more flexible, it would seem.

why should the club be responsible for this incident??

> why should the club be responsible for this incident??

Otterhound needs to check what the extra fee 'for membership' entails. In the dodgy 'club'  I was in, I was told it was for insurance. What kind of insurance was never made clear. It might be worth further investigation.

>why should the club be responsible for this incident??

Incidents which take place within the jurisdiction of a club are in part the responsibility of the club organisers. That's why they take out insurance.

and an organiser who tells me it's not their responsibility.

I'm in agreement with others here re: the insurance, you can't move any which way with any business today without insurance of some kind. This sounds like an employee who was running the ringcraft class as they should know that they need insurance for anything like this going wrong. Without insurance they are leaving themselves open to prosecution, so if they don't have any then more fool them.

I don't understand why anyone would bring a dog aggressive dog to ringcraft, they should also have clauses to make owners responsible for their dogs actions this is what any business does to cover themselves and hence the owner of this dog would then be responsible for any vets bills etc. Why everyone there just shook their heads and said it wasn't their problem, and you have had to walk out with an injured dog and a bye bye is just not on.

I would certainly be in touch with the ringcraft class, ask about their insurance and if they have any, then contact your own pet insurance and see if they feel there is a case to answer here too, as they will do everything for you, check your small print.

I am getting a solicitor involved. I got a response from the Club which states that the event was not insured *due to an oversight*. It also states that they are being in touch with the owner of the GS to *recoup losses*.

> I got a response from the Club which states that the event was not insured *due to an oversight*. It also states that they are being in touch with the owner of the GS to *recoup losses*.

Theirs, or yours? Insurance 'oversight' doesn't sound too responsible to me.... If not covered for a week or two, the class could have been cancelled til it was. It hints at poor organisation, and lack of concern for the dogs & owners.