very good points

it is interesting that you characterise it all as common sense

Most of the dog clubs I`ve been to have met in Church Halls which are not purpose built, so this is a fairly common problem. Other clubs manage. Perhaps your friends could look round at other clubs and see how they cope?

good idea.... i did suggest this to them.

it isnt one of my friends

Bumping this to see if others have any feedback on these ideas for running a dog training club?

Phew haha.

The car park....perhaps not...For me its more of an open space, the dogs might not necessarily be going to the class or be involved in the class in any way, and its much easier to give someone a bit of space....But yes, It is a risk point.

the car park isnt public, it belongs to the hall.
it only has people going to class.

In which case it should be covered by the policy.

it doesnt come under the training club's own insurance, apparently

Simple, alter the insurance.

I am not really seeing the issue here, it is very simple to alter the terms of yoru insurance policy even mid term, for an extra fee and, most training clubs have insurance that cover them for multiple venues; they do not stipulate that the insurance starts at Point X and finishes at Point Y.

Very very strange.

I agree, its all very strange.
Thank you all for yur feedback, you have all reaffirmed what I wrote in a letter.

My mother took her adolescent rescue cairn x to a puppy class.
The next class is adults.
The adult dogs hang around in the car park and/or the foyer waiting for the pups to finish up and come out.
One regular (dog friendly dog) even roamed around off lead.

Anyways, several weeks into the adult class a new dog had been invited.
They had not met this man nor dog, he had told them by phone it was a large rescue dog that had problems with other dogs. He was told just to turn up the following week for socialisation in the adult class.

He arrived early that week and just walked into the hall whilst the puppy class was still running. He was an elderly man with a large staffy X that was excessively straining at its collar and off it front legs at the sight of the pups.
The pups were spooked and alarm barked at him.
The 2 trainers asked him to go back outside.
This is the car park where the other adult dogs were waiting.
10 minutes later the pups left, the dog was still straining at his collar when they came outside, the collar snapped.
This dog got hold of my mum's cairn and latched on.
My step dad, the owners, another dog owner, and a lady fought this dog off including throwing water at it.
They got him free, my step dad picked up their dog, this dog leaped up and latched on again.
My mum's cairn recieved 5 puncture wounds .

Neither trainer came outside during the commotion until the very end, when one lady came outside.
She was stunned into inaction. She stated as she couldnt see the wounds beneath the fur and the vet was closed, my mum should take her home and bathe her wounds in salt water!

I wrote a letter of complaint asking why they do not operate like a normal professional dog training club.
I even raidsed points of common sense.'
And asked the following:

Why they do not have a pre class information gathering and assessment procedure - as in no forms filling, no prior meeting of problem dogs, no full name and address.

Why they train dogs in good obedience skills but then let them undo all the work as they are leaving!

Why their arent any H & S guidelines given to clients?
For example, when this chap was invited with his dog aggressive dog why wasnt he told to wait in his car until collected?

Why dont trainers go outside to supervise stuff?

Why when both trainers saw the dog was aggressive inside the hall he was left to go outside by himself with no guidance or supervision?

Why none of the trainers phoned my mum to find out how her dog was? Why was she told they will "consider" contacting the owner (whose full details they didnt have!) once they have a committee meeting in the next couple of weeks!

Why when my mum kept calling her committee contact for a whole week she was told this lady was poorly and couldnt come to phone, but instead of being forwarded to the chairman, was left dealing with the husband of the poorly committee memeber, whom isnt even connected to the club?
And why was he obstructive and unhelpful.


And many more questions.

The letter back did not answer one question.
However, they mentioned they arent professional as they are unpaid volunteers!
And they arent liable as their insurance doesnt cover the car park!
But they said my mum's dog would be welcome back, as they can assure her that the incident has been taken seriously, they had a committe meeting, lessons have been learned, so they can assure my mum it would never happen again.
However, they have repeatedly failed to tell my mum what these lessons and new procedures are.....except....wait for it....they have a "dangerous dogs policy" now.
And this policy is.......
..........wait for it.......we dont take dogs from rescues anymore!
My mum replied her dog was from a rescue!
They replied she was from the RSPCA, they are different!