Oh dear, that does sound terrible

If a dog did not want to participate, just stop and let them have a go later?

At flyball, if a dog doesn't want to play, we don't force it. I've never seen anyone rough handle a dog at our flyball club (I have at shows ).....

I wouldnt have gone back there. I guess you get what you pay for in some respects?

is that not what a lead is for?

It does sound bad. On Tuesday we had one dog get spooked in the tunnel, and refused to go back in. He was praised for going near it, toys and treats were chucked in etc. After 30 minutes he'd plucked up courage to put his head in I hate to think of his reaction if the trainer had physically forced him in.

I am certainly NOT going back. Yep-definitely cheapest is not always best.

I guess they think you can't have your dog on a lead at agility? It's not ideal but sometimes I had Cherry on a long line when she did agility.

No-a quick solution is not always best. The dog in your class could have been put off the tunnel for life if it had been thrown in.

I have just spoken to 3 agility club trainers, 2 of whom I know personally. One said this woman had previously been in trouble 20 years ago as she apparently took a dog out from the class and beat it This club is known for being heavy-handed as well.

I was told I should write to the Kennel Club about this incident even though the club is not K.C registered so I will be doing a letter at work tomorrow after I have finished my shift as I don't have a printer at home and we're allowed to just print off one letter in my own time.

I think that was very poor instructing as it's a one size fits all approach.

Standards do vary and even expensive doesn't mean better.

One of my dogs who was a "robust" sprollie, would have just made for the door. The "soft" one, a collie, would have allowed it but gone to pieces.

I admire you for having the courage to speak up in a room of people who obviously disagreed with you.

In your place, if I couldn't make any proper 'official' complaint, I would make sure I told EVERYONE I knew and everyone I met about this class and the person who runs it/owns it, and broadcast it as much as possible on the internet too.

Writing a letter to the KC will do nothing if the club is not KC registered.

Well your dogs are better than Izzy as if this trainer had grabbed her collar and dragged her back to me she would have bitten her! I guess she doesn't try this on the "bitey" dogs in this class though-just the ones that won't defend themselves.

Thanks-it was difficult and I HATE confrontations! Jamie said I did very well to keep my cool and what I said was good.
Re what you say about broadcasting this-I have rung all the Norfolk agility clubs listed on the Kennel Club "Agility Net" website ostensibly to check whether they use positive training methods and then I mention this incident to see what they say. They are all disgusted. Strangely enough I have just rang a lady who has a class at the same venue on a different evening-she said she didn't think it was any good complaining to the Kennel Club (but see below) but she agreed with me that this was disgusting behaviour and she is going to mention it to their committee to see if there is anything they can do. She said that if any handler treated their dog like this in their class they would be asked to leave-and that it had happened in the past and they were told to leave.

My friend who runs an agility club in Dereham says it would be if ever they tried to apply for Kennel Club membership for the club, also the lady I have just spoken to whose club uses the same venue on a different night says that the complaint should be registered to them as they may stop this club applying for competitions run by the KC.

I suggest going back there, or getting someone else to go back there, and catch it on a secret cam. That way you have proof of the appalling behaviour!