Better to be tried by 12...

 Quote: Rick Massimi

I am just trying to find out some of the protections a PPD dog trainer or owner has and what kind of protections the basic weekend dog trainer has in place.

Most training clubs and training facilities carry liability insurance.

Mike, it means that everyone thinks that they're just going to by a PPD and add it to their household and they think that they will not need to change their lifestyle to accommodate the dog one bit.

When I was a PPD vendor, I saw prospective buyers come in all the time that wanted:
A dog that was perfect with screaming, uncontrolled children and basically didn't require supervision.
A dog that was fine with all sorts of visitors coming and going.
That was fine mingling at parties.
Yet the dog, which would have to be very non-reactive in all sorts of social situations as required by those owners would also be need to become a hard-core PPD in a micro second to protect the family in the event of an emergency.

I'd would try to explain to those uninformed folks that this type dog does not exist and that a true PPD, to be effective required a degree of suspicion and would require a strong commitment on their part to be properly managed....well, no sir, these people certainly weren't going to make any sacrifice for an increase in their own safety.
They'd just pack up and buy a dog from one of the many phonies and just feel all smug and self-righteous. Too bad if they ever actually needed that dog to protect them, because their $17,500 dollar "PPD" ran to the back of the house to escape when a baseball accidently flew through their window. Great "protection", eh?

I saw this happen dozens of times during my years as a PPD vendor.

 Quote: Alyssa Myracle

 Quote: Rick Massimi

I am just trying to find out some of the protections a PPD dog trainer or owner has and what kind of protections the basic weekend dog trainer has in place.

Most training clubs and training facilities carry liability insurance.

Putting the owner aside.. this was more for the trainers. One, two years down the road something happens.

Any idea the cost of a policy? Ballpark? And what companies usually underwrites it?

The Lord has Blessed me by keeping me just on this side of poverty so I don't have a real need for a "real" PPD. My four mediocre GSDs and shotgun should handle most any security issues

Look up Sportsmans. I think something like 600 dollars a year for a Sch. Club. Not sure how much coverage that gets you.

I'll have to ask the club next Sunday.

 Quote: dennis jones

The Lord has Blessed me by keeping me just on this side of poverty so I don't have a real need for a "real" PPD. My four mediocre GSDs and shotgun should handle most any security issues

LMAO! That would be me too! I'd rather have my dogs bark their butts off at an intruder coming in my house, to give me time to go grab my shotgun and protect myself and my child.

Rick, I think that most trainers ( the smart ones, at least ) rely on a signed release form releasing them from any damages caused by the canine once it is in the new owner's hands.

And also, a *good* PPD vendor will prevent flakes from getting PPD's when they shouldn't have one.
I'll bet that I scrapped out 75% of potential PPD owners by a pre-interview with them, I wasn't shy about telling folks that they need not need ( or could not handle ) a PPD.

I talked a lot of people out of getting a PPD, and they were the better off for it - and that was part of my job as a vendor.
Did it cost me sales? Sure, but I'm not going to sacrifice ethics just to make a dollar.

Sadly, the fly-by-night vendors ( which is most of them ) don't worry about little things like who gets injured or other sad events.