Difficult Situation at Obedience Class-UPDATED

[Amy and Annabelle]

I have Annabelle in an Intermediate obedience class. She has been doing great, last week she was the star pupil. We had our 4th class tonight. There was a new dog there. We had been kind of briefed on this dog last week. He had been in the beginner class and because of his issues he scared most of the other dogs so they put him in this one. Well Annabelle was scared to death of him, so much so she couldn't concentrate and wouldn't do anything but want to lay at my feet. I feel sorry for him, he is a rescue and was abused, it is his foster mom that has him in this class. Annabelle is a 14lb mini so quite a bit smaller than the rescue, he is a pitbull mix. Anyway this dog was scary, he tried to bite the trainer several times. He growled and bared teeth and was fighting him. I will admit I was scared and maybe Annabelle sensed that from me. But she probably would have been scared regardless.The other dogs in the class were uneasy but still did what was asked of them. They are all large dogs though. Annabelle is quite a bit smaller than all of them. When I was in kindergarten I saw my friend attacked by a dog that was similar to this one. She died from her injuries. So this situation terrified me and brought back some bad memories. Anyway we have 2 classes left and this dog is there to stay. What can I do to help Annabelle and myself to get the best out of these last 2 classes. I want her to do good and pass the class but after tonight I am worried about it. So any advice would be appreciated. The trainer made a comment about this being the worst dog he has seen in years.
Update is at the end of discussion, but the dog is no longer part of the class.

[Amy and Annabelle]

Oh my. The dog biting you should tell that couple something about their dog. I hope nothing ever happens to the baby but the odds don't look promising.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Lots of great advice here.   Our first training class with Lucy and Sophie 7 years ago was very similar.  There was a GSD that was very aggressive.  It took the first 20 mins of class for the trainer to get the dog into the classroom and sitting with the owners.  The dog had been through a very tramatic experience at the Vet while getting neutered  and was a disaster.  This was a beginning obedience class with puppies.  The GS was huge.  I admit we were scared and had already said we would not be returning.  The instructor told us after class that she would be moving the GS to private training.  I think that is what needs to happen in your case as well.  I also think she owes you an extra class for spending so much of your class with this dog in the last class.  Our last class with AnnaBelle there was a 10 y.o. little girl bringing a PB puppy to the class.  She didn't have a clue about what to do with the dog and the trainer loved PB's so she spent an outrageous amount of time with the girl and the PB.  It didn't show any aggressive tendencies, was just too much dog for the little girl.  I just don't think that is ever fair to the rest of the class.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I wonder why it seems that so many trainers do love PBs. Maybe they think that it affords them an opportunity to prove what great trainers they are. :( 

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I know that our trainer feels that Pit Bulls can be trained to be good and reliable pets....in the hands of an experienced, confident owner.  He has a rescue PB of his own and works with our local PB rescue...next to GS they are his favorite breed to work with.  I never got a really good answer from him on why, but I really do think that the element of "challenge"  was a big part of it.

[Amy and Annabelle]

I could see this trainer viewing this dog as a challenge, kind of like conquering a mountain. He also probably wanted to prove how great of a trainer he was to us and himself and maybe the dog. Although I thought he lacked common sense by letting the dog continue in a classroom setting. The dog tried to emasculate him a few times, so maybe it got personal. I know I cringed. Annabelle has been doing wonderful in his class and she does seem to really like him.

[Amy and Annabelle]

Well tonight we had class and THE DOG wasn't there, but after talking with the trainer, I didn't think he would be. At least that was the goal. We did lose a couple of people because of what happened last week. One woman took her dog and stormed out at the end of class so I wasn't too surprised she wasn't there. So really small class tonight. Next week is graduation. I still can't believe he subjected everyone including the other dogs, to this in the first place. Thanks for all the advice and a place to vent.

[Cindy and Olive (Ollie)]

Yay! Great news! Congrats :)

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Perhaps it was a 'test' after all; one that backfired?  I didn't think of it in those terms but when we had our class our dogs were put on a stay and a horse was paraded down the line.  Not the same, but perhaps your trainer thought he was being cute by exposing your well behaved dogs to an aggressive one?

[Amy and Annabelle]

I suppose it could have been. If that was the case we all failed. Annabelle did fine last night although the first big dog that walked in the classroom she ran behind daddy's legs to hide. Once she realized he was a good dog she came out and was fine after that. That would be a cruel test, she still remembers. A horse would be interesting. I am not sure Annabelle could sit through that. She may surprise me.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I'm so glad to hear this....congratulations on graduating!

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Happy to hear that all's turned out well and that you and Annabelle are back on track. Good luck next week!

[BG and Gavin]

Late to the party here, but glad it all resolved. I had this situation twice in training classes. The first a min-pin, whose young owner could not be bothered to set her phone down during class.  The dog bit the trainer's assistant. The trainer said the dog could not return and offered private lessons instead.  The second time it was an undersocialized GSD.  It was outdoors, so the trainer was able to give the dog lots of space so they could follow along with the class while maintaining safety for all. The owner did not stick it out.  Regarding BSL, I hear what people are saying however first it was GSD villified,  then dobbermans, then rotties, now pitbulls.  It is a shame that every j****** in town gets some macho breed, chains them up and makes them aggressive so that they have protection while they go about dealing their drugs or just being a j******.  My friend had two PB type rescues.  Both were sweethearts.  One was a blood donor dog at the clinic and gave blood without even being sedated. Personally I prefer the big friendly looking dogs, but it's a matter of taste I supposes. My friend tends to go for the underdog lol.  We have BSL here so you don't see them around here unless they are older and are grandfathered.