Mean dogs at training class. Opinions, please!

[Stacy]

Sorry, this got long. I really did try to make it concise. This is what concise looks like to me. :D

I took Maggie to agility class today. She did so well! But I would like to chat a little about the training facility. It’s a place that has a really good reputation. And I like the punch card/drop in class format. But it means that we don’t have the same dogs in our class all the time. The last time there were a couple sweet kind of timid dogs in class - Maggie looked like the outgoing one.

Today there was this German Shepherd that wanted to eat Maggie. He was barking when he came through the door. And not just barking, it was scary barking. Maybe German Shepherds always sound like that? But he came up the stairs barking like that and he lunged for us. Of course he was on leash. They blocked him off and said that he would be fine. He had taken a couple other classes and he always starts that way and then settles down.

The class was fine until the very end. They have us behind these freestanding PVC folding gates that don’t really offer anything in the way of security, but it’s some separation. And they had blocked that dog off with some sort of panel so he couldn’t see us either. Maggie was going back behind the gate and the other dog came out and he lunged and barked at her again. They were both on leash. They shooed Maggie back and she came through, tail tucked between her legs (have I mentioned that she’s the sweetest marshmallow. Not a mean bone in her body. I’ve never even heard her growl.)

They apologized saying they shouldn’t have let the GSD out before Maggie was back in. And truly, no harm was done. No contact was made. But I was freaked out. To be fair, I was freaked out from the moment I first heard that dog bark. So I might have been a little on edge. But I don’t feel like aggressive/reactive dogs belong in group classes. It does not make me want to go back to that facility. I’ve already paid for 10 more classes so I’m going to try to overcome that. But I’m not sure if I’m overreacting or not. Was that dog actually being mean, or… nope, I think he would have eaten her if he’d had the opportunity. But add to my, I’m probably overreacting, he’s being handled by this little tiny probably 11 year old girl. Her parents are in the building, but she’s the one handling him. If she can handle him surely he isn’t a mean dog, right?

So, my question is: Do you think this is acceptable? There is a part of me that really feels like the training facility should say that dogs who show aggression in class can’t come to group classes. Or is this just par for the course with classes and we need to get used to it? I’ve taken more classes with Maggie than I have with any of my other dogs, and while we’ve had mostly good experiences this is the second time she’s been on the receiving end of a mean dog. That other dog did get kicked out of the kennel club and referred to private training. I don’t want to be mean, but my priority is my dog’s safety. I’m not really sure what to think about this whole thing, and I know that level heads will give me some perspective.

Thanks all!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I think you should talk to whoever is in charge about your concerns. 
I have a feeling that this is going to either turn out to be a "special needs" situation with this child, or the family is really good friends with the owners or managers of the facility, or the head of the kennel club, something like that. 

But I could be wrong. At any rate, I would just express my concerns to the appropriate person(s) and see what kind of feedback you get. 

[Stacy]

I think that's a reasonable response. I know I can be a little anxious when it comes to the dogs and so my reaction might be a little out of line with the situation. We really had a good time at class. The instructor said we looked like we really gel as a team. I love that because we did not gel when we started this adventure. 

The irony is that they have a reactive dog class right before agility and when I pulled into the parking lot one of the instructors came outside to ask us to stay in the car until the las dog came out and left. I appreciate that. I kind of think maybe that's the class this dog should have been in. 

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

When Luna was in training class there were a few reactive dogs that were there as well.  

They had the dogs well leashed and in a "closed" area like the one you described.  They never let the "mean" dogs even come close to the other dogs in the class and if one of them got too agitated they removed them from the room.

I think it's important for those dogs to receive training and socialization too, but not at the expense of the safety or the mental well-being of the other dogs.  I'd definitely bring it up with whoever is in charge.

[Stacy]

I totally agree that those dogs need training and socialization too. Probably more than Maggie. I just don't want it to come at the expense of my dog. I just think, what if that dog had traumatized her and then she becomes reactive to other dogs. I guess that's a risk we always take. I just expect it more when we go to the dog park than when we go to a training class. I think I'm spoiled. Our private trainer does group classes as well and he has a very strict no aggressive/reactive dogs in his class. He's happy to work with them individually, but they don't go to group classes.

I'm calmer about things this morning. I'm not going to let this one thing keep us from class. Since it's a drop in class we may not even see that dog again. I just get really defensive when anyone is mean to the sweetest dog in the world. 

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Luna was super submissive and non-aggressive and she did have a few encounters when she was young that affected her personality permanently.

As an older puppy at the dog park she was pinned a few times by boxer/bully breed dogs when she rolled on her back for them.  One even started snapping at her (which we quickly broke up).  

As a mature dog when a dog even looked like it might do that to her she'd start high-pitched yippy type noises and air snapping.  She would never have bitten a dog (or a person) but I think those earlier interactions definitely made her reaction to aggression from other dogs a lot stronger.

Protect your Maggie girl, you don't want her to be traumatized for sure!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Sadly, my Charlie appears to be one of the ‘mean’ dogs. He isn’t truly but he gets overly excited and barks and even growls some. He is under my control but my worry is that his behavior will incite a true mean dog to go after him. I adore him but there’s stuff I don’t take him to because I get tired of correcting and excusing.

[Stacy]

Charlie is too adorable to be a mean dog! It sounds like he does have some challenging behavior, but you manage it well. I think some dogs just don't make good "go everywhere" dogs. It's funny, Katie and Maggie are so different. I've had Katie since she was 8 weeks old. She's a happy girl who has had a pretty perfect life. But she wants to stay home. She runs and plops in her crate even when I ask her if she wants to go. Maggie didn't get a perfect start, but she would rather just go wherever I go. Very different personalities. Maybe when Charlie gets a little older he'll mellow out and some of that stuff will go away.